"I told my wife: Let's get out of this town before we lose our lives." With these words, José starts recounting the past few years of his life.

Arjona, a small town in the Department of Valledupar, became a virtual ghost town the night of 26 February 1997.

Every single resident fled the town before sunrise.

They only took their children, the clothes on their backs and all of the memories their heads could carry.

After a three-hour canoe ride, they arrived in Chiriguaná, the closest town where they were able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"We spent an entire week witnessing the killing of family, friends and neighbours.  The guerrillas would yank them out of their homes and murder them in cold blood in the town square.  The rest of us could hear the bullets and shuddered in fear thinking we were next," explains José, a 37-year-old fisherman who left behind his work, his home and his bravery to flee from certain death.

"We think we're very brave and strong, but that's not true.  When I saw what that group did to my friends, family and neighbours my entire body trembled.  All I could think of was how to save my family," recalls José.

Starting Over

José arrived in Chiriguaná with his family and armed with the best intentions of forging ahead. "The mayor helped us.  He provided food for my family and 15 others who had fled with us.  I spent all waking hours eking out a meager living to support my family. I bought and sold vegetables, sometimes I fished, and other times I worked as a farm hand.  After three months I began building a wooden home in an area of town where all of the internally displaced had gathered. We were poor but safe," adds José.

But life was so difficult for José and his wife that they decided to leave Chiriguaná and try their luck in Valledupar, the capital of the Department of Cesar, where according to the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation and Social Action (ACCION SOCIAL), 54,000 internally displaced Colombians are currently living.

His luck did improve in Valledupar because José managed to find work in the fishing industry.

And although he is able to provide for his family, he has benefitted from the humanitarian assistance provided by ACCION SOCIAL, with support from IOM.

The assistance, which consists of food vouchers redeemable at a national supermarket chain, has been distributed to José and thousands of other displaced families throughout the country.

On 21 August, José and his family received USD 256 in food vouchers.  He and his wife immediately went to the supermarket to stock up on food for their family.

"I am not able to make such large purchases.  We buy food on a daily basis and according to the money that we have available.  Today's purchase will see us through for at least two months," exclaims José as he buys food for his family.

Some 2,200 displaced families living in Valledupar also received the food vouchers that day.  Assistance in cash was also provided for many beneficiaries who needed help to pay rent and other basic needs.

The USD 1.3 million distributed on 21 August in Valledupar is part of the assistance being provided by the Government with support from IOM to displaced Colombians.

The assistance provided to the internally displaced also includes income-generating schemes.  So far some 50,000 persons have received training to find employment or start up small businesses which will put them on their way to their economic independence.