Chocó: A Resilient Tapestry Beyond Struggles | Insights from Doctors Without Borders

In Alto Baudó, situated in the Chocó region of western Colombia, the armed conflict and gaps in institutional services have adversely affected the physical and mental wellbeing of Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. Access to healthcare, medications, and other essentials is often limited in this remote area, where it may take as long as 13 hours by boat to receive care—for those who can pay for the transportation. Additionally, there is a threat of food insecurity caused by the presence of armed factions and explosive devices in agricultural lands.

Since 2022, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has collaborated with Indigenous and Afro-descendant groups in Alto Baudó to address cultural disparities to enhance access to the healthcare provided by MSF. As part of this initiative, MSF partnered with photographer and filmmaker Fernanda Pineda and local communities to create “Riverographies of Baudó”, a photography project that showcases the wounds of conflict, institutional deficiencies, and the efforts of female healers, herbalists, and midwives.

Yazury Dumaza, who belongs to the Emberá community and serves as an intercultural mediator with MSF in Alto Baudó, participated in the production team. Here, she shares her reflections on the experience and her own story as a member of one of the Indigenous communities affected by this crisis.