RET began its activities in Venezuela in 2012, with a vision to support both the host and refugee communities, especially Columbian asylum seekers in need of international protection. RET therefore opened offices in Caracas, San Cristóbal and Maracaibo. Since the beginning of its operations, RET developed programs aimed at strengthening the formal and non-formal educational opportunities, providing employment guidance and programs for youth, as well as was involved in violence prevention.
Venezuela, despite the critical situation it faces, is still a host country for Colombian victims of armed conflict. The economic and social crisis has aggravated the living conditions of the host and refugee communities in Venezuela. People are struggling to survive with a high rate of crimes, violence, and poverty in the country, leading to the internal and external displacement of large populations or the return to their home country as refugee returnees.
Throughout 2018, RET continued its operations in Venezuela, responding to the challenging living conditions of vulnerable people and assisting them with international protection and direct interventions in health, education, nutrition, and psychosocial support. RET’s aim is to build the resilience of young people as they are key actors in the processes of local integration.
Providing direct assistance in Water Sanitation, Hygiene and Education to Venezuelan people inside Venezuela and also to promote the access to an inclusive, quality education for migrants and refugees – ECHO
Partners: Partnership with Plan International, Don Bosco Foundation and HIAS
The schools, community and health centers in Venezuela lack infrastructure and equipment, making it difficult to provide quality education for children and youth. The aim of this project is to provide access of vulnerable Venezuelans to a Water Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) assistance and to promote the access to an inclusive, quality education for migrants and refugees in the states of Mérida and Táchira.
RET will be working in partnership with Plan International, Don Bosco Foundation and HIAS to recover the water supply systems in schools, health & community centers and facilitating the access of young migrants into the formal education system; in addition, RET will be implementing initiatives to raise awareness among the families on the importance of education as an enabling right.
This project, implemented between August 2019 and October 2020, is funded by the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations -European Commission (ECHO) and implemented by RET in Venezuela.