Gloria’s mission, humanitarian demining in Colombia
In the lush mountains of San Mateo, courageous Gloria is helping to demine the land and bring peace and security to the communities.
Gloria Gutiérrez works as a deminer near Remedios, her home village, in Colombia. | © T. Mayer / HI
Tribute to a once determined little girl, with a head full of dreams
The Remedios region, in the department of Antioquia, is a place of steep mountains and dense forests, where streams cascade down slopes and huge trees filter the light. This is where 41-year-old Gloria Gutiérrez was born. Before she became a deminer for HI, Gloria was a wild and happy little girl who ran around these valleys exploring every corner.
During the conflict that shook Colombia, these green mountains were the scene of fighting and vestiges of those difficult times remain hidden in the ground: improvised explosive devices. This is particularly the case in the San Mateo sector where Gloria works. According to neighbouring communities, there are at least 25 explosive devices buried here.
“Explosive devices have already killed four cows in the area, but luckily no one has been injured,” says Gloria.
Her job is hard and dangerous, and her skin condition doesn't make it any easier. Gloria has ichthyosis, a condition that causes her skin to become very dry and peel as if she'd been sunburned. Her illness also affects her body's ability to regulate heat, which can be exhausting for Gloria who works in temperatures of over 30°C, strapped into a heavy-duty protective suit. So she uses creams and ointments to moisturise her skin and protect it from the sun and heat – and the insatiable mosquitoes!
But none of this stops Gloria. Driven by her unwavering determination, she has built her life with her dreams and achievements as a compass, not listening to those who said she wouldn't succeed. She is guided by the child she once was, the one who dreamed of changing the world.
One objective in mind: peace
Gloria's team is made up of nine people. Together, they are responsible for securing and demining an area of 10,680 m².
“The inhabitants won't be safe until we've covered the whole area,” explains Gloria. “I have just one objective: I want my country to be free of mines and explosive devices. There have already been too many deaths and injuries. We want peace.”
Gloria and her colleagues work 25-day stints, during which they live on site. They have set up a camp in the heart of the mountains, three hours' drive and a good walk from the town of Remedios. It is in this camp that they eat and sleep at the end of a hard day.
Humanitarian demining is a painstaking task: every square centimetre of earth must be cleared of vegetation and examined to ensure it is not hiding a life-threatening device. This requires infinite patience and concentration. Deminers must never let their guard down, even when nothing is found. Gloria has yet to find an explosive device. "They scare me a bit," she admits, "but I'd still be very proud to find one." She and her colleagues know that every square centimetre analysed is precious: every little piece of earth released is a gift of life and hope for the community.
After 25 days in the mountains and forests, Gloria returns home to Remedios where she lives with her little brother and mother. Making the most of a well-deserved rest, she puts on some salsa music or a Caribbean tune and dances, free and happy. The little girl she once was can be proud of the woman she has become: a woman who is following her dreams and helping to change the world.
