Profile
- Name:
Paola Tamayo
- Professional background:
Journalist with a focus on video
- Place of assignment:
Fundación Movimiento Feminista de Niñas y Mujeres Wayuu, Department of La Guajira in Colombia’s North-East
- Duration of assignment:
3 months
In Colombia, indigenous people, ethnic minorities and women are marginalised in many ways. They face violence, displacement due to the extraction of natural resources, threats to their health and their way of life, and sometimes even threats to their lives. With my short-term assignment, I wanted to make a small contribution to change this.
Many small non-governmental organisations are doing remarkable work but often face challenges in effectively marketing their activities due to limited time and resources. In today’s attention economy, making one’s work visible is essential to win additional support, build a positive reputation and secure the necessary funding to implement and sustain projects.
The “Feminist Movement of Wayuu Women and Girls Foundation” (MFNMW) is such an organisation. Founded by five Wayuu eco-feminists, the young organisation advocates against the neo-colonial exploitation of natural resources by international corporations on the territory of the Wayuu people, an indigenous group living in Colombia’s North-East. Additionally, the organisation addresses various forms of discrimination and violence against women, girls and LGBTIQ Wayuu individuals.
During her three-month assignment at MFNMW, Paola provided valuable training on the effective use of digital media, particularly social media, and on professionalising its website. She upgraded the organisation’s technology to current standards and established an editing programme. Additionally, Paola produced several videos together with members of MFNMW in order to introduce the organisation to a broader audience and address critical issues such as domestic violence and abortion. These videos were shared across different channels and educational platforms. The hands-on training included creating suitable content, generating attractive images, using a camera, recording, editing, and distributing videos.
Helping women to help themselves – I cannot imagine a more effective way to support people in their development. When I look at the digtal content that the organisation produces today, I am proud – not of myself, but of the Wayuu women, their resilience, their tireless work and their willingness to learn new things, but above all their courage to fight for their rights and a decent life for all women.
Further information on the offers available to the Colombian diaspora can be found below.