In the rural heart of Argelia, Antioquia, a winding 15-kilometer path to the village of Mesones serves as the sole access route connecting a network of communities and vital resources. For generations, this route, called the "Royal Road", was more than just a path; it was a lifeline. Farmers, families, and neighbors relied on it to transport goods, access food and water, and connect with each other.
But when the conflict escalated and armed groups in Colombia mined the route, the road became an isolating barrier– rather than a bridge of connectivity and opportunity. Over the years, the road lay dormant, a reminder of the past and a challenge to future development.
The path to Mesones spans nearly 10 miles.
For more than two years, HALO’s dedicated demining teams painstakingly worked to remove hidden dangers from the landscape. Nearly 7 acres of land, the area equal to 3.5 soccer fields, were made safe after 33 explosive items were destroyed. Eight minefields along the path were carefully cleared, among its steep trails, small streams, and other life-giving natural resources. This work benefitted more than 260 community members who lived there despite the risk, and who now have a path to travel between the villages and to Mesones.
“Now the people that use it, tell us – since you guys arrived, and started to fix the path, it’s much better! – All of these things help the community. The main thing for us is to connect the villages. If there is no [accessible] path, there is no way to transport goods and food, which is terrible. It made no sense to keep working here when there was no access.”
The removal of these deadly devices has not only restored safe access for those who use it but has also rekindled the prospect of infrastructure development. A treacherous, nearly impassible trail has been transformed into a potential artery for community connectivity, enabling paving, trade, and long-term development that once seemed like distant dream.
See the Royal Road: Before and After
At the heart of this transformation are families like Ramón and Mariela, who had to abandon their home in Mesones in the early 2000s due to the violence and deadly threats.
For over two decades, Ramón and Mariela yearned to return to the land they once cultivated. Looking back on their life in Mesones, Ramón says “we had a lot of coffee, the house, animals, our cows. We had to abandon it all”. “We lost everything”, laments Mariela. Leaving was not easy for the family, as most of the access routes were mined, Ramón recalled that “we had to go around in circles as the entire path was filled with landmines”.
Thanks to HALO’s work, they were able to come back to their home in Alto Bonito in 2021, where they now grow coffee, corn, and beans, reconnecting with their community and rebuilding their lives.
The couple describe how HALO’s clearance of the path has increased confidence and safety amongst the community. It has also allowed them to travel safely to visit family in Argelia, to buy groceries, and to sell their produce, saying “it is much better, we feel much calmer”.
The "Royal Road's" clearance is not merely about restoring safe steps, it's about revitalizing a once-isolated region and enabling a safe foundation for community and economic growth.
Thanks to the support of our generous donor community, villages can reconnect, families like Ramón and Mariela can rebuild, and entire communities can come together for a more secure and prosperous future.
Thank you to our donors. Your impact is truly transformative.
