The Emberá Dobida community of Puerto Antioquia can be reached by boat via the Bojayá River. This community has 141 inhabitants: 31 men, 27 women, and 83 children. On 7 April 2023, Yadira Birry (16) took her own life. It was the first suicide recorded in this community. That night, there were three more suicide attempts. Chocó, Colombia.
The Emberá Dobida are a nomadic indigenous people of Colombia who historically inhabit an area around the Bojayá River. Many Emberá have migrated or been forcefully displaced to Bogotá, fleeing conflict among Colombia’s paramilitary forces and searching for safety and opportunity.
Suicides in the Emberá community in Bojayá, Chocó have sharply increased, from 15 cases between 2015 and 2020 to 67 suicides and over 400 attempts by 2024, according to the Church of Bellavista in Bojayá. Stories like that of Yadira Birry, a 16-year-old who took her life, and Liria Cheito, who survived a suicide attempt on the same day as Yadira, illustrate the intense pain and despair in these communities.
In Bogotá, the Emberá face discrimination and marginalization, living in overcrowded and unsafe conditions that exacerbate a sense of hopelessness. In the capital, around 4,000 Emberá live in extreme overcrowding in neighborhoods such as Parque Nacional, La Rioja, and Parque La Florida. The La Rioja building, meant for 120 people, houses over 1,200.
This project follows the lives of Yadira Birry and Liria Cheito in Bojayá and displaced Emberá women Jessi and Ahitana in Bogotá. Documenting their experiences provides a space for reflection and dialogue, and seeks to offer a comprehensive view, showing both suffering and resilience, and promoting understanding and solutions for this ongoing crisis.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, reach out to your local helpline. Support is available.
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