Earthquake response · Colombia
Every donation buys walls, a door, a roof — for a family that just lost theirs.
When an earthquake destroys a home in the Colombian Andes, insurance rarely follows. We pool donations, buy certified low-cost homes in affected regions, and transfer the deed to displaced families. No middlemen. Full transparency.
Homes already in escrow
Three promesas de compraventa signed — now closing them
Under Colombian law a promesa de compraventa is a legally binding preliminary purchase agreement — we are already committed to buying these three homes. Donations close the balance so we can transfer the deed to the vetted family.
COP → CHF at ~4,500 COP/CHF; the final CHF cost depends on exchange rate at closing. Purchase invoices and escritura pública references are published on the transparency page as each home closes.
How we verify who gets help
Our own staff visits every claimed home — no exceptions.
We do not fund people who game an emergency. Every family that asks for help is field-verified by a RAAIRO staff member before we sign anything. This is why our overhead exists at all.
On-site staff visit
A RAAIRO staff member — not a subcontractor — travels to the address the family says they lived at. Visits are GPS-tracked and time-stamped in our audit log, so any donor can request the trail for any home we fund.
Neighbors confirm
Our staff knock on doors and speak with at least three neighbors to confirm the family actually lived there and lost the home. Written testimony is recorded and filed with the case.
Real documents reviewed
We review the original paperwork: escritura pública or lease, utility bills in the family's name, cédula, damage assessment from the Servicio Geológico or municipal engineer. Photocopies alone are not accepted.
Only those in need
If any of the three checks fail — no field visit possible, neighbors contradict, documents don't match — the file is rejected and the promesa moves to the next verified family. Not anyone. Only those in genuine need.
How it works
Three steps from your gift to a family in a new home
We deliberately keep the model narrow: no field kitchens, no branded T-shirts, no PR truck. Just properties, purchased outright, transferred to families.
You give — any amount, any way
Monthly, one-off, or by SEPA transfer. Every franc, euro or dollar goes into the Colombia housing pool.
We buy the home
When the pool reaches the price of a certified low-cost home in an affected region, RAAIRO Living purchases it directly — no middlemen, notarised, transparent.
A family moves in
A vetted family from the affected community receives the deed. We publish who, where, and when — with their permission and dignity intact.
Ways to give
Choose how you fund a home
Pick what fits — every path lands in the same Colombia housing pool.
Give monthly — build the pool steadily
A small recurring gift is the strongest signal. Predictable inflow lets us commit to properties earlier and negotiate better prices for the same donor franc.
Give once via Happy Pot (CH)
Our official Happy Pot Swiss campaign "Apartments for earthquake victims — Colombia" accepts card, TWINT and bank transfer — any amount you choose. Funds land directly in our KIERO Verein Thun account.
Give on Happy Pot →SEPA / bank transfer
Prefer to move funds directly? Transfer from any bank in the SEPA area or worldwide to our PostFinance account in Switzerland. See details below.
See bank detailsMatch, sponsor, or fund a whole home
Companies fund entire homes as a CSR project or match employee donations. We provide branded impact reports, on-site visits, and joint press coverage.
Talk to usSEPA / bank transfer
Bank details — KIERO Verein Thun
Transfer from any SEPA-area bank or worldwide. Use the reference below so we can attribute your gift to a specific home.
| Beneficiary | KIERO Verein Thun |
| Bank | PostFinance AG · Bern, Switzerland |
| BIC / SWIFT | POFICHBEXXX |
| IBAN · CHF | CH53 0900 0000 1674 7366 9 |
| IBAN · EUR | CH23 0900 0000 1679 1420 1 |
| IBAN · USD | CH81 0900 0000 1679 1422 4 |
| Reference | COL-EARTHQUAKE-yourname |
After transferring, please email support@raairo.org so we can issue your receipt within 5 working days.
Transparency
Every home we fund is published — with the paperwork
- Purchase invoice and notary reference (escritura pública) for every home.
- Recipient family (with consent) — before / after photos, first name, city.
- Quarterly report of every franc, euro or dollar received and spent.
- Overhead cap: no more than 8% of receipts, audited annually.
- 5-year no-resale clause on all gifted homes — a family, not a flipper, benefits.
Questions, answered plainly
Giving with confidence
Stay close to the work
Follow the homes as we fund them
One short update per month. New home purchased, family moved in, next campaign target. No fundraising spam.
Colombia earthquake housing — updates
Monthly update, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer to talk to a human first?
If you're considering a larger gift, a legacy, or a CSR partnership, we'd rather have a conversation than a form. Write us — someone answers within 24 hours.