Problem Statement

"Venezuela is suffering from one of the worst political, economic, and social crises of modern history. According to the United Nations (2020), over 7 million Venezuelans need humanitarian assistance to ensure their survival, and more than 5 million Venezuelans have fled to neighboring countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Chile. The main reason for leaving is the lack of food, medicine, and opportunities, transforming this massive exodus into a crisis for the whole Latin American region. Even though many governments from different nations are partnering to mitigate the impact of this crisis, civil society also wants to help but has not found the way to channel support and guarantee that it reaches the right people." (Shapers4Venezuela, 2020)

 

Therefore, Global Shapers Caracas Hub started "Shapers for Venezuela” (S4V) a Cross-Hub collaboration project and Armenia's hub has joined them in helping Venezuelan migrants and refugees in our city.

 

Target Group

Venezuelan migrants and refugees.

 

Proposed Solution

Armenia is located in the coffee region, which has been identified as one of the main routes were migrants walk through to get to the main cities in Colombia in search for better opportunities. These migrants have to face harsh weather conditions, hunger, thirst and lack of proper clothes when going through this process. Thus, Armenia's hub has launched a project called el "Kit del Caminante" (the walker's kit) which is a project that aims to provide urgent humanitarian aid to those Venezuelan migrants walking in Armenia. 

 

Hub Activities:

1. Fundraising for the items of the kit, which includes: 
Canned goods, saltines, 2 bocadillos (small guava candy), water bottles, hydrating salts, t-shirts, masks, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, sanitary napkins, caps, rain covers, a handwritten letter with a message of love and support, all of these items are placed on a sustainable cloth bag.

2. Storing, organizing and distributing the kits. 

3. Provide food and humanitarian aid to refugees already settled in the city. 

4. Social media campaigns against xenophobia. 

 

Short & Long-Term Goals/Results:

The main goal is to provide humanitarian aid to Venezuelans and to contribute to the Humanitarian Response and Migration/Refugee Plans of the United Nations. 

• To raise the funds necessary to provide 1000 humanitarian kits to walking Venezuelan migrants going through the region before July 2022. 


• To advocate for the inclusion of Venezuelan migrants in our community through social media campaigns against xenophobia. 


• To form a strategic alliance with the International Migration Organization (IMO) and the UNHCR to align the project with their goals and programs for Venezuelan migrants in the region. 

 

Available Metrics:

In 2020: We provided food and clothes for Venezuelan mothers, their families and their babies who have settled in the city of Armenia for a total of 27 people impacted. 
We participated in the social media against xenophobia campaign MiCasaTuCasa as a cross hub collaboration. 

In 2021 up to July 30th: 200 kits have been distributed helping 200 migrants walking through the region. 

 

Collaborators: Fundación Juvenil Zonaj www.zonaj.net