Ten weeks after the earthquake that struck western Colombia, thousands of affected families are still waiting for the government aid promised to help them rebuild their homes and recover their livelihoods.
In the hardest-hit areas, frustration is mounting among those who lost their homes and say official announcements have yet to translate into concrete solutions. Some remain displaced, while others depend on relatives, neighbors or their own meager resources to cope with the aftermath of the disaster.
President Abelardo De la Espriella’s administration established the so-called “Miracle Fund” to coordinate reconstruction and mobilize public and private resources. However, the mechanism took more than two months to begin operating, and questions remain about its funding, transparency and ability to meet the needs of those affected.
For many survivors, the question is no longer what the government plans to do, but when the promised aid will arrive.
Colombia’s Earthquake Victims Still Await Aid 10 Weeks Later
The August 10 earthquake affected 489,862 people and destroyed or damaged 244,367 homes, according to the latest figures from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD). The scale of the disaster has created enormous reconstruction needs, particularly in communities where residents lack insurance or the financial resources to repair their properties.
In El Futuro, a neighborhood in Quibdo, the capital of Choco province and the earthquake’s epicenter, 23 homes were destroyed. For weeks, residents struggled to be included in the official registry of disaster victims, a requirement for accessing government aid.
Although the affected families were eventually registered, residents interviewed by local news outlet La Silla Vacia said they had yet to receive the rental subsidies or construction materials they had been promised.
“We made a major effort to get registered, but several months later, absolutely nothing has happened,” Nelson Mosquera, 46, told the outlet. His two-story home collapsed while he was living there with his wife and three children. After staying with relatives and friends, he is considering taking on debt to buy a small plot of land where he can build a basic shelter.
The official response has reached only a fraction of those affected. According to the Choco regional government, 2,847 families have received rental assistance or a payment of 800,000 pesos, equivalent to about US$250. That represents approximately 17% of the nearly 17,000 families registered as disaster victims in the province.
In Pereira, survivors are also demanding a concrete plan to recover what they lost. Jhonnier Cardona, a 62-year-old economics professor, watched as the apartment where he had lived for 35 years was destroyed. He says residents need institutional support to activate their insurance policies and negotiate with construction companies over rebuilding their residential complex.
“We’re not asking for money. We need someone to manage the process,” he said, calling for a public official to bring the parties involved together and establish a viable solution.
Funding and Operations of the Miracle Fund Remain Uncertain
The Miracle Fund was designed to bring reconstruction projects together, set priorities and identify funding sources. However, it does not directly manage the funds, which remain under the responsibility of the Finance Ministry. Before receiving funding, projects must be incorporated into the UNGRD’s Specific Action Plan, based on information provided by the affected municipalities.
The government signed the agreement establishing the fund and allocated 624 billion pesos (approximately US$200 million). However, 66 days passed between the earthquake and the fund’s launch. Its board held its first meeting on October 15, leaving the fund with little time to demonstrate its ability to deliver results.
The delay has reignited comparisons with the agency established to coordinate reconstruction after the 1999 earthquake in Armenia, which began operating less than a week after the disaster. Choco Governor Nubia Córdoba has defended the current timeline, arguing that the fund is still within a reasonable period for responding to an emergency.
Questions nevertheless remain about how much money will ultimately be available. Although potential funding sources have been identified, including the national budget, donations, loans and resources from other public agencies, the government has not specified how much each source could contribute. Some funding mechanisms could also face difficulties in securing resources because regional governments have already committed portions of their budgets.
Survivors pay out of pocket to clear the rubble
For those living amid the ruins, administrative delays have immediate consequences. In Las Palmas, another neighborhood in Quibdo, residents have had to organize and pay for makeshift demolitions of damaged homes themselves because adequate assistance has not been provided.
Jobar Cordoba, 41, lost his home while he and his family were still renovating it. He says residents lack a clear infrastructure plan and the soil studies needed to determine how reconstruction should proceed. The absence of an official timeline is prolonging the uncertainty.
Demolishing unstable buildings is among the priorities announced for the Miracle Fund, as some displaced families continue to use damaged properties because they have nowhere else to go. However, the gap between official objectives and conditions in affected neighborhoods remains evident.
The economic impact has also been particularly severe in Pereira, where many survivors lacked insurance to cover their losses. Economist Humberto Tobón estimates that 83% of the city’s damaged homes were uninsured. Small businesses have also suffered devastating losses, leaving shopkeepers and workers without the daily income they rely on to support their families.
Lack of transparency fuels public discontent
The lack of information about the fund’s financing has also raised questions about private donations. First lady Ana Lucia Pineda’s foundation, Colombia Luz y Sonrisas, had raised more than 54.6 billion pesos (approximately US$17,5 million) in private contributions, according to figures published by the organization through October 13. The foundation has pledged to account for how those resources are managed, as demands for transparency in reconstruction funding continue to grow.
Some private companies have chosen to finance projects directly through their own foundations rather than channeling contributions through the Miracle Fund. These initiatives offer an alternative way to rebuild homes and infrastructure, but they also highlight the fragmented nature of the response.
The government has also failed to provide clear timelines for several major projects announced after the earthquake, including ambitious infrastructure plans in Choco. Meanwhile, according to a report published by La Silla Vacia on October 16, neither the fund’s leadership nor the Housing Ministry responded to the outlet’s requests for information.
Ten weeks after the earthquake, the central issue is no longer the scale of the promises but the government’s ability to fulfill them. For families still waiting for rental assistance, safe housing or a credible reconstruction plan, patience is wearing thin.
The Miracle Fund was presented as the mechanism that would turn official commitments into concrete action. Its credibility will now depend on whether it can deliver results and provide clear answers to those who need help most.