On August 10, 2026, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, devastating the cities of Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and other municipalities in the Chocó, Valle del Cauca, and the Coffee Region. Hundreds have died, thousands have been injured, and many remain missing. The full loss of life and material damage are still being assessed, but the deeper loss can't be measured at all. Individually and as a community, people are holding on to the shared ground, memory, and sense of home that hold them together.

International news coverage is already fading, and in the coming weeks, the cameras will move on to the next headline. But for hundreds of community leaders, organizations, and collectives across the region, this is just the beginning of a long journey to RESIST, HOLD EACH OTHER UP, AND FLOURISH again.

So who sustains those who sustain everyone else?

I am a Colombian migrant fundraising for a solidarity fund being created for people affected by the earthquake in Colombia.

All the money will be donated to Optunias, a feminist fund and grantmaking foundation that has mobilized resources for equity, social justice, and a life free of violence since 2022. They will use the funds for the long-term recovery of women, LGBTQ+ communities, children, and people with disabilities in the hardest-hit areas: people and communities who, in every crisis, face greater barriers to resources, greater risk of violence and insecurity, and less influence over the policies responding to these emergencies.

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What does your gift support?

These funds will support organizations, collectives, and community leaders in Cali, Valle del Cauca, and Chocó who live there, know their neighbors, and understand what their community actually needs. They're the ones who should decide where to start rebuilding.

Grantees will use these resources to strengthen their services, including psychosocial support, collective care spaces, technical support to access government and private recovery programs, legal and organizational capacity building, and know-your-rights education, among others.

These funds may also give them the flexibility to support projects addressing immediate emergency needs, but at its core, this campaign is designed to sustain the people holding up the full, long-term recovery of their communities.

MORE INFO HERE

Thank you!