Guapi,
Colombia

Guapi Leaders and Profamilia Promote Health and Wellness Along the River

In Guapi, Profamilia works hand in hand with local leaders, midwives, and caregivers to strengthen both sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and mental health.

During our visit, we attended an after-school workshop led by Profamilia’s nationwide program, Red Joven (Youth Network), which empowers adolescents with knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their bodies, relationships, and futures. Through interactive activities, role-playing, and open discussions, Guapi teenagers learned about contraception, healthy relationships, and self-care—turning SRHR education into a normal, engaging part of everyday life.

Red Joven distributed reading materials emphasizing that “it is normal to have questions about your body and sexuality”—and that no question is off limits. Teens were encouraged to ask about everything from contraception and masturbation to sexual orientation, reinforcing the importance of safe, judgment-free dialogue.

“The river is mother and the way. It gives us food, comfort, and wisdom.”

We also met with Guapi’s Mayor, Gil Milena Grueso Romero, who spotlighted the town’s Mental Health for Your Community initiative. Developed with Profamilia and local leaders, this program highlights the central role of women leaders, caregivers, and healers, emphasizing that mental health is collective and culturally rooted. More than 100 rural leaders along the Guajuí, San Francisco, and Napi rivers have participated in workshops on self-care, gender-based violence prevention, and psychological support as part of this program.

One of the program’s most impactful learning tools is the “River of Parenting,” a metaphor to reflect on cycles of violence within families and communities. Collectively created by Afro-descendant leaders from Guapi’s urban and rural areas, the tool teaches that care and respect can carry children to “calm waters” that nourish them, while violence pushes them into turbulent streams.

The resource has been adapted into brochures, posters, presentation slides, and videos for use in meeting places, schools, and homes. It reads in part:

“In its calm waters, we learn to care with love, but when it stirs or overflows, it can also hurt and drag us away.”

“Raising children is like navigating that river; sometimes it flows calmly, other times it becomes turbulent.

That is why we do not raise children alone. We need community, words, songs, and helping hands. Because we are all guardians of the river that nurtures and guides.”

Midwifery as Cultural Resistance

Another key insight from Guapi lies in the role of midwives and traditional healers. At a local Guapi school, we gathered with midwives and community members in a large circle to hear how knowledge about pregnancy, childbirth, self-care, and women’s health has been passed down through generations and is still vital today.

We joined an energetic exercise, much like a drum circle, where each person took a turn sharing an example of how they care for themselves—whether by reading, getting enough sleep, or staying on top of their health with regular doctor visits—all while everyone clapped, drummed, and sang along in unison.

FPNN Journalist Emmanuel Rivas spoke in-depth with Marcelina Solís, a midwife with over 46 years of experience who embodies this living tradition of care.

“I learned everything I know from my mother,” Marcelina says. “I still continue to care for pregnant women, and my granddaughter wants to learn too.”

As Emmanuel put it, “for women in Guapi, midwifery is not merely a profession—it is a legacy.” Midwives provide both physical support and emotional guidance, preparing medicinal drinks, performing rituals to strengthen body and spirit, and ensuring that expectant mothers receive care when complications arise.

In a town where access to health services is limited and the river is often the only route to the outside world, midwives and health services from partners like Profamilia are essential. They help prevent early pregnancies, detect illnesses like HPV, and provide culturally grounded care that blends ancestral knowledge with modern medicine.

Lessons for the Global SRHR Community

For SRHR professionals around the world, Guapi reminds us:

• Culture strengthens care, and ancestral knowledge enriches health systems.
• Safe spaces for young people normalize questions about sexuality and health, making these conversations more comfortable.
• Shared responsibility for community well-being strengthens both mental and physical health.

From midwives who blend traditional and medical knowledge, to teenagers learning about contraception through playful exercises, to communities collectively prioritizing mental health, Guapi offers a model for integrating cultural identity, resilience, and health.

The town reminds us that caring for women—and the rest of the community at large—is not only about providing services but also about honoring traditions, fostering joy, and celebrating life. Join in conversations on important work like this at ICFP 2025 this 1–6 November.