How People in Need helps children in Venezuela
Published: Sep 10, 2020 Reading time: 2 minutes
The humanitarian emergency in Venezuela had a devastating impact on all Venezuelans, but for those living in the poorest neighborhoods the situation is unbearable. The most vulnerable are children living in conditions that do not allow them to have a proper meal each day, let alone continue their education. Thanks to the SOS Venezuela fundraising and the money released from our Club of Friends fund, we have been providing school lunches for approximately 700 vulnerable children.
In January 2020 we launched a food support initiative to help disadvantaged children return to school and continue their basic education in a reasonably healthy state. The initiative is directed to a school with approximately 700 children ages 4-14 in a district called El Manguito - El Junquito. The school is located 30 km from the center of Caracas and the living conditions of its inhabitants are low even in comparison to the rest of Venezuela.
The school reports an increase of approximately 30% in pupil’s attendance rate, as well as an improvement in motivation and attitude towards studying. The impact of the project is not confined to the classrooms. The project was made possible by a number of family and community members who volunteer by collecting equipment, cooking, delivering packages, etc. According to the director of the school, this whole process significantly contributed to strengthening the bonds within the community.
Despite the school having to close temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative continued to help children to the extent they can, with our partner NGO distributing food packages for the families of about 250 of the most vulnerable children.
The initiative is run by a local NGO called Fe y Alegría, which was selected because of their successful work with children, focus on the well-being and health of their students as well as that of their teachers, and their emphasis on solidarity, community and democratic values as highlighted in their curricula. With the help of the SOS collection and donations from Club of Friends fund, our partner NGO was able to provide a nutritionally balanced meal for every student and staff member at the school.
The situation is still dire, but People in Need remain resolute in our commitment to support the children of El Manguito - El Junquito. We are looking forward to the reopening of the school and to continuing to foster the community bonds in these difficult conditions.
You can help us continue throughout the next school year, each $20 donation will provide a daily meal for one child for 3 months.
For more information, please contact:
Lucia Argüellová, Head of the People in Need’s Latin American Program, lucia@clovekvtisni.cz
