Economically speaking you could say that Colimes is the "wrong side of the river"

The only way to get to Colimes is to cross a wide fast flowing river and as there is no suitable bridge for traffic, the means used to cross it are by canoe, on a barge (no more that a raft really, which is used to transport vehicles) or in the dry season by a foot bridge built from cane.

The cost of building a bridge that would withstand the floods of the rainy season is huge and way beyond the means of the local community. Although successive national governments have agreed a bridge is a necessity for the economic development of Colimes, they are still waiting for funding to be allocated.

The cane foot bridge used to cross the river in the dry season

There is no industry whatsoever in Colimes or the surrounding area so the main source of employment is agriculture, where the pay is very low and the work is harsh. Many workers spend most of the time in water logged Rice Fields and so arthritis is common.

A family working in the rice fields.
The children work during holidays if they go to school or every day if they do not