SANA has onboarded a team of licensed Colombian psychologists to respond to the emotional and psychological needs emerging from the recent earthquake and forest fires. This team includes professionals who have previously worked with SANA through our signature 5-month integrative program, as well as newly hired psychologists who have met all required qualifications and demonstrated experience in tele-counseling and psychological first aid. All professionals bring experience in crisis response, trauma-informed care, and community-based mental health support.

Women identified as being affected by the earthquake, forest fires, or related emergency situations are contacted by SANA and invited to participate. Before receiving services, each participant is informed about the purpose of the program and the nature of the support being provided. Participation is entirely voluntary, and all participants provide verbal informed consent before beginning services with a psychologist. Participants are also informed about our confidentiality practices and data protection policies.

Given the geographic and logistical challenges facing many rural communities after the disaster, all services are delivered remotely. Sessions may take place through WhatsApp video calls, WhatsApp voice calls, or traditional phone calls, depending on the participant’s connectivity, access to technology, and personal preference. This approach allows women to receive support quickly, regardless of their location.

Affected communities are located in remote coffee-growing regions  where access to mental health services is already limited and may be further disrupted by the disaster. Virtual care is one of SANA’s areas of expertise and has enabled us to respond rapidly, reach women across multiple regions, and provide support without requiring participants to travel while they are recovering from the crisis. Multiple studies have demonstrated that virtual counseling can be as effective as in-person counseling. Read more here. 

Participants must be 18 years of age or older and have been directly affected by the earthquake, forest fires, or related emergency events. Priority is currently given to women coffee farmers who have previously completed SANA’s signature 5-month program and are experiencing emotional distress, psychological impacts, or significant disruptions to their daily lives as a result of the crisis.

As funding becomes available and the program expands into a second phase, we hope to open SANA Responde to additional women coffee farmers affected by the disaster.

Yes. SANA is committed to transparency and accountability. Donors and partners will receive updates throughout the implementation of SANA Responde through our monthly newsletter, and a year-end impact report will summarize program outcomes, the number of women served, key mental health trends identified, referrals made, lessons learned, and the impact made possible through donor support.

SANA Responde is designed as a psychological first aid and stabilization program. During the assessment process, psychologists identify participants who may require specialized, intensive, or longer-term care. When additional support is needed, psychologists can provide referrals to appropriate services whenever available.

All psychologists follow professional ethical standards and confidentiality requirements. Before services begin, participants are informed about the scope of SANA Responde, the nature and limitations of the support being provided, confidentiality practices, data protection procedures, and expectations for participation. Each participant provides verbal informed consent authorizing their participation in the program before beginning services.

Information shared during sessions is kept private and used only for the purpose of providing care, monitoring program outcomes, and coordinating referrals when needed. Any referrals or additional interventions are discussed with participants and carried out with their knowledge and consent, except in situations involving immediate safety concerns.

As part of SANA Responde's emergency response protocol, psychologists review and verbally confirm participant consent at the beginning of each session to ensure participants continue to understand and agree to the services being provided.