The document describes Phase 6 of the Hope for Venezuelan Refugees project, which distributed 520 hygiene and disease prevention kits to Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia. The kits were distributed to strategic locations on the humanitarian route between Cúcuta and Pamplona and contained personal hygiene products, protection items, and disinfectants. The project aimed to improve hygiene and prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the refugee population. Funding was provided by a grant from the Rotary Club of Washington, DC and Rotary Foundation of Washington, DC.
Report Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Hygiene and Prevention Disease Prevention...Cristal Montañéz
Thanks to the grant awarded by the Rotary Club of Washington, DC & Rotary Foundation of Washington, DC, the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees and United for Change Center for International Development team, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Cúcuta, local Rotarian partners, and coordinators of volunteers-led food distribution centers and shelters, successfully procured, packed, and documented the distribution of
520 kits of hygiene and disease prevention to vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and migrants in-transit “caminantes” on the Cúcuta-Pamplona route during the most significant exodus and migration crisis in the Western Hemisphere aggravated by the global pandemic.
Our project complies with the Rotary Foundation Disease Prevention and Hygiene focus areas. The work of the volunteers and the food distribution centers and shelters established by the civil society organization has contributed to saving lives and dignifying the passage of “caminantes” along the humanitarian route by providing hot food, shelter, guidance and needed hygiene & disease prevention kits refugees in transit “caminantes.
Phase 5 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program Proposal 6 23 2021Cristal Montañéz
The Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Team, in partnership with the United4Change Center (U4C), is raising funds to support Phase 5 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees “Soup Meal” Program, an emergency response effort to provide the selected Food Distribution Centers/Shelters listed below with the needed food commodities to prepare and distribute 350 “soup meals” per day to help alleviate hunger affecting the Venezuelan refugees, migrants and walkers “caminantes” on the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route.
Phase 5 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program_AmendedCristal Montañéz
This document provides a report on Phase 5 of the Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, which distributed over 63,000 soup meals and over 21,000 kgs of locally procured food commodities to Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia from March to October 2021. It details the challenges faced by Venezuelans fleeing the economic and humanitarian crisis in their home country, many of whom walk long distances with little food or support. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity among this population. The soup meal program aimed to alleviate hunger and support food access as a basic human right for vulnerable refugees and migrants.
Phase 5 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Program CristalMontaz
The document summarizes a report on Phase 5 of the Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, which provided over 63,000 soup meals and over 25,000 kgs of locally procured food to Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia from March to October 2021. It provides background on the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela that has led millions to flee as refugees, describes the challenges facing Venezuelan "walkers" or migrants traveling on foot, and outlines the objectives and impacts of the soup meal program in alleviating food insecurity among displaced populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phase 7 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project Soup ProgramCristal Montañéz
Poverty and hunger in Venezuela are an epidemic during Venezuela’s worst political, humanitarian, and economic crisis. The income earned is insufficient to cover the food basket. 96% of the households are in poverty, and 79% are in extreme poverty. This critical situation has forced 1 in 7 Venezuelans to flee to Colombia and other neighboring countries under very risky conditions, without money, identification documents, destination, or plans, only with the desire to escape from a situation that offers them nothing but hunger and misery.
Thanks to the Chapelwood Foundation Global Grant, and a matching donation by individual donors, our team purchased 14,973 lb / 7.5 ton) of locally produced commodities to respond to the emergency food insecurity and hunger affecting Venezuelan refugees in-transit "caminantes" on the Humanitarian Route Cúcuta-Pamplona in Colombia. Volunteers at the selected food distribution center and shelter prepared and distributed 10,522 bowls of chicken and vegetable soup with arepas (traditional Venezuelan bread) and hot unrefined brown sugar drinks from May to September 2022. 10,290 volunteer hours were invested during the implementation of Phase 7 (14 volunteers working an average of 7 hours/day x 105 days).
#HopeForVenezuelanRefugees
#ChapelwoodFoundation
#United4ChangeCenter
#RotaryInternational
#RotaryD4380
#RotaryD4271
#RotaryClubCucuta
#Colombia
#Cúcuta
#Venezuela
#Pamplona
#EsperanzaParaRefugiadosVenezolanos
#VenezuelaRefugees
#CrisisHumanitaria
#HumanitarianCrisis
#HumanitarianAid
#CaminantesVenezolanos
#ConstruyendoPaz
#HumanitarianEmergency
#AlleviatingHunger #BuildingPeace
#RutadelCaminante
#PuntoApoyoHermanosCaminantesVenezolanosyColombianos
#AlbergueVanessa
*Phase 7 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Program & Humanitarian Aid Distrib...CristalMontaz
Phase 7 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees “Soup Meal” Program is an emergency humanitarian effort created to respond to food insecurity and alleviate hunger affecting thousands of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in-transit “caminantes” on the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route fleeing from the Venezuelan complex humanitarian crisis.
The Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes access to food as a fundamental human right.
The document reports on Phase 3 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees project which provided over 50,000 meals and supplies to Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic from April to September 2020. The project partnered with food distribution centers and shelters along the Cúcuta-Pamplona route to distribute locally produced food, personal protective equipment, and cleaning supplies while following COVID-19 protocols. The pandemic exacerbated food insecurity issues for refugees fleeing economic collapse and human rights violations in Venezuela.
Phase 8 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Program-Periods 1-3.pdfCristal Montañéz
The Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program is an emergency humanitarian effort created to respond to food insecurity and alleviate hunger affecting thousands of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in-transit “caminantes” on the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route fleeing from the Venezuelan complex humanitarian crisis.
The Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes access to food as a fundamental human right.
Colombia continues to be the host country of the largest number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela, hosting an estimated 2.9 million refugees and migrants and 980,000 Colombian binational returnees according to the R4V (Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela) Latin American and the Caribbean and the region.
Report Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Hygiene and Prevention Disease Prevention...Cristal Montañéz
Thanks to the grant awarded by the Rotary Club of Washington, DC & Rotary Foundation of Washington, DC, the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees and United for Change Center for International Development team, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Cúcuta, local Rotarian partners, and coordinators of volunteers-led food distribution centers and shelters, successfully procured, packed, and documented the distribution of
520 kits of hygiene and disease prevention to vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and migrants in-transit “caminantes” on the Cúcuta-Pamplona route during the most significant exodus and migration crisis in the Western Hemisphere aggravated by the global pandemic.
Our project complies with the Rotary Foundation Disease Prevention and Hygiene focus areas. The work of the volunteers and the food distribution centers and shelters established by the civil society organization has contributed to saving lives and dignifying the passage of “caminantes” along the humanitarian route by providing hot food, shelter, guidance and needed hygiene & disease prevention kits refugees in transit “caminantes.
Phase 5 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program Proposal 6 23 2021Cristal Montañéz
The Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Team, in partnership with the United4Change Center (U4C), is raising funds to support Phase 5 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees “Soup Meal” Program, an emergency response effort to provide the selected Food Distribution Centers/Shelters listed below with the needed food commodities to prepare and distribute 350 “soup meals” per day to help alleviate hunger affecting the Venezuelan refugees, migrants and walkers “caminantes” on the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route.
Phase 5 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program_AmendedCristal Montañéz
This document provides a report on Phase 5 of the Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, which distributed over 63,000 soup meals and over 21,000 kgs of locally procured food commodities to Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia from March to October 2021. It details the challenges faced by Venezuelans fleeing the economic and humanitarian crisis in their home country, many of whom walk long distances with little food or support. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity among this population. The soup meal program aimed to alleviate hunger and support food access as a basic human right for vulnerable refugees and migrants.
Phase 5 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Program CristalMontaz
The document summarizes a report on Phase 5 of the Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, which provided over 63,000 soup meals and over 25,000 kgs of locally procured food to Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia from March to October 2021. It provides background on the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela that has led millions to flee as refugees, describes the challenges facing Venezuelan "walkers" or migrants traveling on foot, and outlines the objectives and impacts of the soup meal program in alleviating food insecurity among displaced populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phase 7 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project Soup ProgramCristal Montañéz
Poverty and hunger in Venezuela are an epidemic during Venezuela’s worst political, humanitarian, and economic crisis. The income earned is insufficient to cover the food basket. 96% of the households are in poverty, and 79% are in extreme poverty. This critical situation has forced 1 in 7 Venezuelans to flee to Colombia and other neighboring countries under very risky conditions, without money, identification documents, destination, or plans, only with the desire to escape from a situation that offers them nothing but hunger and misery.
Thanks to the Chapelwood Foundation Global Grant, and a matching donation by individual donors, our team purchased 14,973 lb / 7.5 ton) of locally produced commodities to respond to the emergency food insecurity and hunger affecting Venezuelan refugees in-transit "caminantes" on the Humanitarian Route Cúcuta-Pamplona in Colombia. Volunteers at the selected food distribution center and shelter prepared and distributed 10,522 bowls of chicken and vegetable soup with arepas (traditional Venezuelan bread) and hot unrefined brown sugar drinks from May to September 2022. 10,290 volunteer hours were invested during the implementation of Phase 7 (14 volunteers working an average of 7 hours/day x 105 days).
#HopeForVenezuelanRefugees
#ChapelwoodFoundation
#United4ChangeCenter
#RotaryInternational
#RotaryD4380
#RotaryD4271
#RotaryClubCucuta
#Colombia
#Cúcuta
#Venezuela
#Pamplona
#EsperanzaParaRefugiadosVenezolanos
#VenezuelaRefugees
#CrisisHumanitaria
#HumanitarianCrisis
#HumanitarianAid
#CaminantesVenezolanos
#ConstruyendoPaz
#HumanitarianEmergency
#AlleviatingHunger #BuildingPeace
#RutadelCaminante
#PuntoApoyoHermanosCaminantesVenezolanosyColombianos
#AlbergueVanessa
*Phase 7 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Program & Humanitarian Aid Distrib...CristalMontaz
Phase 7 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees “Soup Meal” Program is an emergency humanitarian effort created to respond to food insecurity and alleviate hunger affecting thousands of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in-transit “caminantes” on the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route fleeing from the Venezuelan complex humanitarian crisis.
The Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes access to food as a fundamental human right.
The document reports on Phase 3 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees project which provided over 50,000 meals and supplies to Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic from April to September 2020. The project partnered with food distribution centers and shelters along the Cúcuta-Pamplona route to distribute locally produced food, personal protective equipment, and cleaning supplies while following COVID-19 protocols. The pandemic exacerbated food insecurity issues for refugees fleeing economic collapse and human rights violations in Venezuela.
Phase 8 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Program-Periods 1-3.pdfCristal Montañéz
The Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program is an emergency humanitarian effort created to respond to food insecurity and alleviate hunger affecting thousands of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in-transit “caminantes” on the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route fleeing from the Venezuelan complex humanitarian crisis.
The Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes access to food as a fundamental human right.
Colombia continues to be the host country of the largest number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela, hosting an estimated 2.9 million refugees and migrants and 980,000 Colombian binational returnees according to the R4V (Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela) Latin American and the Caribbean and the region.
Phase 4 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees COVID-19 Response ReportCristal Montañéz
During the reporting period, the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Team successfully delivered the needed food commodities and PPE supplies, portable hand-wash stations, face masks, cleaning, and disinfectant supplies to help prevent the propagation of COVID-19. The team monitored and evaluated the project weekly. The meal distribution registration lists were collected and processed every two weeks by gender and age, as reflected in this report.
59
Thanks to the Rise Against Hunger (RAH) COVID-19 Response Grant, and donations from the Chanhassen Rotary Foundation/Rotary Club Chanhassen and individuals, the Rotary Club of Cúcuta and Rotary e-Club of Houston Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Team, provided 162,272 hot meals and helped alleviate hunger affecting thousands of vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants, walkers “caminantes,” and Colombian returnees. Our distribution of PPE supplies, disinfectant products, and thousands of face masks helped protect and prevent the propagation of COVID-19 among the volunteers and the refugee population on the Cúcuta- Pamplona route during the largest exodus and migration crisis in the Western Hemisphere aggravated by the global pandemic.
Our team successfully completed Phase 8 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, following the plan for Periods 4-6. Learning from Phases 1-7, we managed weekly food procurement, transportation, and distribution. Our Project Manager visited Albergue Vanessa weekly, monitored the food inventory, processed the
meal distribution registration forms, and analyzed data by gender and age.
We extend our thanks to Midland Energy, Houston Karachi Sister City Association, the Alliance for Disaster Relief, individual donors, the International Service Committee Rotary District 4380, Albergue Vanessa volunteers, and our partner United4Change Center. With their support, Phase 8 provided 9,056.38 lb (4,116.54 kg) of food and distributed 11,540 soup meals to 4,606 Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and volunteers,
ensuring access to the fundamental human right to food.
The Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project actively contributes to several areas, addressing food insecurity and hunger while giving hope and building peace. Additionally, the project invests in locally produced food to boost the local economy and benefit the community at large, promoting a more peaceful environment and a positive
impact.
The project makes a significant contribution to combating diseases by providing hot
meals that help to improve the health and nutrition of its beneficiaries. Given the significant number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants who are women, girls, and boys, the initiative focuses mainly on mothers and children.
Phase 6 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Program.pdfCristal Montañéz
The document describes Phase 6 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, which aims to provide food assistance and alleviate hunger for Venezuelan migrants and refugees traveling through Colombia. The program distributes soup meals through three distribution centers/shelters along the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route. In total, the program distributed over 15,000 soup meals from December 2021 to May 2022 using over 7 tons of locally procured food. The program is implemented through partnerships between various organizations and volunteers to effectively deliver humanitarian aid to those in need.
Our team successfully completed Phase 8 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, following the plan for Periods 4-6. Learning from Phases 1-7, we managed weekly food procurement, transportation, and distribution. Our Project Manager visited Albergue Vanessa weekly, monitored the food inventory, processed the
meal distribution registration forms, and analyzed data by gender and age.
We extend our thanks to Midland Energy, Houston Karachi Sister City Association, the Alliance for Disaster Relief, individual donors, the International Service Committee Rotary District 4380, Albergue Vanessa volunteers, and our partner United4Change Center. With their support, Phase 8 provided 9,056.38 lb (4,116.54 kg) of food and distributed 11,540 soup meals to 4,606 Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and volunteers,
ensuring access to the fundamental human right to food.
The Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project actively contributes to several areas, addressing food insecurity and hunger while giving hope and building peace. Additionally, the project invests in locally produced food to boost the local economy and benefit the community at large, promoting a more peaceful environment and a positive
impact.
The project makes a significant contribution to combating diseases by providing hot
meals that help to improve the health and nutrition of its beneficiaries. Given the significant number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants who are women, girls, and boys, the initiative focuses mainly on mothers and children.
Poverty is defined as lacking material possessions or money. Common causes of poverty include corruption, economic trends, overpopulation, and diseases. Poverty is addressed by creating jobs, raising minimum wage, providing health coverage and paid leave, and economic security programs. Organizations like CARE and Doctors Without Borders work to reduce poverty by providing aid, training, healthcare, and disaster relief in poor communities worldwide. Individuals can help by volunteering or donating money to support the missions of these organizations.
Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Phase 2 Progress ReportCristal Montañéz
Alleviating hunger - Building Peace
July 2019 - January 2020 - The Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project helped alleviate hunger and improve the condition of malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and walkers ‘caminantes,’ and Colombian returnees in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the donation of 26 tons of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals and approximately 21 tons of locally produced complementary foods (commodities) to existing food distribution centers and shelters preparing and serving food to this target population. These donations were distributed among 5 food distributions centers (comedores) in Cúcuta-Los Patios; 6 shelters and 2 food distributions centers (comedores) in Pamplona; 7 communities in La Comuna 9 in Cúcuta.
Our project helps to promote peace “When people no longer need to fight over food, peace will reign.”
Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Phase 2 Progress Report July 2019 - January 2020Cristal Montañéz
Alleviating hunger - Building Peace
July 2019 - January 2020 - The Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project helped alleviate hunger and improve the condition of malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and walkers ‘caminantes,’ and Colombian returnees in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the donation of 26 tons of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals and approximately 21 tons of locally produced complementary foods (commodities) to existing food distribution centers and shelters preparing and serving food to this target population. These donations were distributed among 5 food distributions centers (comedores) in Cúcuta-Los Patios; 6 shelters and 2 food distributions centers (comedores) in Pamplona; 7 communities in La Comuna 9 in Cúcuta.
Our project helps to promote peace “When people no longer need to fight over food, peace will reign.”
This document summarizes the 10th anniversary celebration of Work of Women (WOW!), a program started by World Neighbors to connect women across the globe. It discusses how WOW! began with a small group of women in New Mexico and has grown to over 700 members who support programs empowering women internationally. It provides an example of how one Indonesian woman, Inaq Jamilah, has been able to start her own banana chip business through skills gained in a World Neighbors training. The summary discusses how WOW! has made impacts on the lives of women in developing countries as well as the women who support the program. It concludes by looking ahead to further impacts WOW! and World Neighbors can have in the future.
Brochure Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phases 1& 2Cristal Montañéz
RESPONDING TO THE VENEZUELAN REFUGEES HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
Our project Hope For Venezuelan Refugees is helping alleviate hunger and improve the condition of malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants and walkers ‘caminantes’ through the donation of fortified Rise Against Hunger meals and locally produced commodities to food distribution centers and shelters that are serving hot meals to the refugees in Cúcuta and Pamplona in Colombia.
Bear Hugs for Venezuela Pilot Project Completion Report Oct 2018Cristal Montañéz
The Bear Hugs for Venezuela Pilot Project benefitted 751 children, staff and volunteers from the Fundación Amigos del Niño con Cáncer, Hogar Bambi Venezuela and CAINA. The project was funded by Rise Against Hunger, Rotary e-Club of Houston and Cristal Montañéz Baylor and implemented by Rotary Caracas and Rotary e-Club of Houston.
The overall objective of the Bear Hugs for Venezuela Pilot Project is to contribute to emergency relief efforts by distributing needed pediatric supplements, dehydrated rice-soy enriched meals, and Bear Hugs care packages for children to help alleviate the profound humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. The Rotary e-Club of Houston District 5890 and Rise Against Hunger (RAH) joined to initiate the project Bear Hugs for Venezuela to benefit children. This partnership added the needed nutritious meals and pediatric supplements to an effort initiated by Cristal Montañéz Baylor and her granddaughter Kalleigh Joslin to send teddy bear packages to the children in Venezuela.
The document summarizes a Rotary project that provided food assistance and COVID-19 supplies to refugees and migrants in Colombia. It distributed 31 tons of locally purchased food and 647,136 meals to 11 food distribution centers and 7 communities in Cúcuta and 6 shelters and 3 centers in Pamplona over 41 weeks. 50,090 meals and 11,059 kg of food were distributed total. The project also provided bags of food and hygiene supplies as well as PPE, masks, cleaning and disinfectant supplies to help prevent COVID-19 spread. The project helped address food insecurity and promoted local economies and peace in the region experiencing the largest migrant exodus in Latin American history from Venezuela.
History and organizational background (outreach asia)11jefftahong
Leprosy is a communicable disease caused by bacterial infections that affects the skin and nervous system, causing lesions and deformities. While treatable with multi-drug therapy, leprosy was historically stigmatized due to the physical effects and fear of transmission. Outreach Asia supports medical programs in Southeast Asia that provide treatment for leprosy patients and address the social stigma through education and community development initiatives.
History and organizational background (outreach asia)11jefftahong
Leprosy is a communicable disease caused by bacterial infections that affects the skin and nervous system, causing lesions and deformities. While treatable with multi-drug therapy, leprosy was historically stigmatized due to the physical disfigurement it caused. Outreach Asia supports medical programs in developing countries that provide treatment for leprosy patients and address the social stigma through education and rehabilitation efforts to help patients live productive lives.
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Report Phase 1 Jan-May 2019Cristal Montañéz
The Hope For Venezuelan Refugeesproject is helping alleviate hunger and improve malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants and walkers ‘caminantes,’ and Colombian returnees in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the donation of 20 tons of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals and 20 tons of locally produced commodities to existing food distribution centers preparing and serving food to this target population. These donations are distributed among 9 (out of the 10 proposed) food distributions centers (comedores), and 4 shelters in Pamplona.
Our project helps to promote peace “When people no longer need to fight over food, peace will reign.”
Update - Houstonians Respond to the Venezuelan Refugees Humanitarian Crisis i...Cristal Montañéz
The Rotary e-Club of Houston, through its Hope For Venezuelan Refugees pilot project is helping alleviate hunger and improve malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and ‘caminantes’ (walkers) in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the donation of 20 tons of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals.
Today, Venezuela is a failed state experiencing its worst economic crisis. Venezuelans are struggling to survive in a country with escalating criminal and political violence, and a monthly minimum salary of US $6.70 in an economy suffering from annual inflation approaching 2 million percent. Venezuelans have lost everything - jobs, healthcare, their families, and many have lost their homes. These imploding economic and social collapse has led Venezuelans to leave their crippled country in a massive exodus creating one of the worst refugee crisis in Latin American history. Consequently, more than one million Venezuelans have crossed the border from Venezuela to Colombia. However, the city of Cúcuta and the Metropolitan Area were not prepared to receive this massive migration of people. Many refugees have transited into other Colombian cities or walked to other countries like Ecuador and Peru. Others, referred to as pendulum citizens, enter and leave on the same day. Some people join other family members overcrowding homes, thus increasing these families’ vulnerability and social problems. The rest, which is the vast majority, have increased the high levels of unemployment and informal jobs in the city. Although Colombians have welcomed their Venezuelan neighbors, signs of resentment among jobless local residents are growing.
In response to this humanitarian crisis, two concerned Venezuelan Rotarians in Houston, human freedom activist and former Miss Venezuela Cristal Montañéz, and WaSRAG Ambassador Dr. Isis Mejías, created the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees pilot project to help alleviate hunger and improve malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and ‘caminantes’ (walkers) in Cúcuta and Pamplona. They visited the region, created the project proposal, and put together a coalition of allied organizations to develop the needed logistics and successfully implement this project.
The document summarizes the mission and work of St. Luke Foundation, a Haitian NGO founded in 2000 that provides education, healthcare, and humanitarian aid to over 150,000 people annually. It outlines the foundation's efforts to address malnutrition in Haiti through programs like schools that provide meals, a malnutrition treatment program, agricultural projects to increase food access, and water distribution. It also discusses partnerships with organizations like the Andrea Bocelli Foundation to support these initiatives and help combat Haiti's high rates of unemployment, poverty, and malnutrition.
This document provides information about Clinicians of the World, a global non-profit medical humanitarian organization. It details the organization's mission to provide specialized medical care, health education, and humanitarian aid to underserved people around the world. It describes the founder's experience in Haiti which led to the creation of Clinicians of the World. It also summarizes the organization's programs such as global medical relief, health education and training, deworming children, and community health outreach. The document encourages donations through various means to support the organization's lifesaving work.
iF Magazine Foreign Affairs - My humanitarian work in Pakistan prepared me to...Cristal Montañéz
Published by International Focus iF Magazine March 2020 Digital Edition
Link to article https://joom.ag/WsbC/p32
Link to complete magazine https://www.slideshare.net/CristalMontanez/international-focus-magazine-if-march-2020-digital-edition
Action Against Hunger is a non-governmental organization founded in 1979 by French intellectuals in response to the emergency in Afghanistan. They provide food, safe water and sanitation assistance to poor, warring and disaster-stricken countries. They have helped reduce global child mortality from malnutrition from 25% to 5% by pioneering the use of therapeutic milk. They also built 59 water points in 7 villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo to provide water and involve the local community.
This interactive webinar is part of the world tour series designed by the World Health Organization's Patients for Patient Safety (PFPS) Global Network and hosted by Patients for Patient Safety Canada, the patient-led program of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, a WHO Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety and Patient Engagement.
karnataka housing board schemes . all schemesnarinav14
The Karnataka government, along with the central government’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), offers various housing schemes to cater to the diverse needs of citizens across the state. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the major housing schemes available in the Karnataka housing board for both urban and rural areas in 2024.
Phase 4 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees COVID-19 Response ReportCristal Montañéz
During the reporting period, the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Team successfully delivered the needed food commodities and PPE supplies, portable hand-wash stations, face masks, cleaning, and disinfectant supplies to help prevent the propagation of COVID-19. The team monitored and evaluated the project weekly. The meal distribution registration lists were collected and processed every two weeks by gender and age, as reflected in this report.
59
Thanks to the Rise Against Hunger (RAH) COVID-19 Response Grant, and donations from the Chanhassen Rotary Foundation/Rotary Club Chanhassen and individuals, the Rotary Club of Cúcuta and Rotary e-Club of Houston Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Team, provided 162,272 hot meals and helped alleviate hunger affecting thousands of vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants, walkers “caminantes,” and Colombian returnees. Our distribution of PPE supplies, disinfectant products, and thousands of face masks helped protect and prevent the propagation of COVID-19 among the volunteers and the refugee population on the Cúcuta- Pamplona route during the largest exodus and migration crisis in the Western Hemisphere aggravated by the global pandemic.
Our team successfully completed Phase 8 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, following the plan for Periods 4-6. Learning from Phases 1-7, we managed weekly food procurement, transportation, and distribution. Our Project Manager visited Albergue Vanessa weekly, monitored the food inventory, processed the
meal distribution registration forms, and analyzed data by gender and age.
We extend our thanks to Midland Energy, Houston Karachi Sister City Association, the Alliance for Disaster Relief, individual donors, the International Service Committee Rotary District 4380, Albergue Vanessa volunteers, and our partner United4Change Center. With their support, Phase 8 provided 9,056.38 lb (4,116.54 kg) of food and distributed 11,540 soup meals to 4,606 Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and volunteers,
ensuring access to the fundamental human right to food.
The Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project actively contributes to several areas, addressing food insecurity and hunger while giving hope and building peace. Additionally, the project invests in locally produced food to boost the local economy and benefit the community at large, promoting a more peaceful environment and a positive
impact.
The project makes a significant contribution to combating diseases by providing hot
meals that help to improve the health and nutrition of its beneficiaries. Given the significant number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants who are women, girls, and boys, the initiative focuses mainly on mothers and children.
Phase 6 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Program.pdfCristal Montañéz
The document describes Phase 6 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, which aims to provide food assistance and alleviate hunger for Venezuelan migrants and refugees traveling through Colombia. The program distributes soup meals through three distribution centers/shelters along the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route. In total, the program distributed over 15,000 soup meals from December 2021 to May 2022 using over 7 tons of locally procured food. The program is implemented through partnerships between various organizations and volunteers to effectively deliver humanitarian aid to those in need.
Our team successfully completed Phase 8 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, following the plan for Periods 4-6. Learning from Phases 1-7, we managed weekly food procurement, transportation, and distribution. Our Project Manager visited Albergue Vanessa weekly, monitored the food inventory, processed the
meal distribution registration forms, and analyzed data by gender and age.
We extend our thanks to Midland Energy, Houston Karachi Sister City Association, the Alliance for Disaster Relief, individual donors, the International Service Committee Rotary District 4380, Albergue Vanessa volunteers, and our partner United4Change Center. With their support, Phase 8 provided 9,056.38 lb (4,116.54 kg) of food and distributed 11,540 soup meals to 4,606 Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and volunteers,
ensuring access to the fundamental human right to food.
The Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project actively contributes to several areas, addressing food insecurity and hunger while giving hope and building peace. Additionally, the project invests in locally produced food to boost the local economy and benefit the community at large, promoting a more peaceful environment and a positive
impact.
The project makes a significant contribution to combating diseases by providing hot
meals that help to improve the health and nutrition of its beneficiaries. Given the significant number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants who are women, girls, and boys, the initiative focuses mainly on mothers and children.
Poverty is defined as lacking material possessions or money. Common causes of poverty include corruption, economic trends, overpopulation, and diseases. Poverty is addressed by creating jobs, raising minimum wage, providing health coverage and paid leave, and economic security programs. Organizations like CARE and Doctors Without Borders work to reduce poverty by providing aid, training, healthcare, and disaster relief in poor communities worldwide. Individuals can help by volunteering or donating money to support the missions of these organizations.
Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Phase 2 Progress ReportCristal Montañéz
Alleviating hunger - Building Peace
July 2019 - January 2020 - The Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project helped alleviate hunger and improve the condition of malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and walkers ‘caminantes,’ and Colombian returnees in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the donation of 26 tons of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals and approximately 21 tons of locally produced complementary foods (commodities) to existing food distribution centers and shelters preparing and serving food to this target population. These donations were distributed among 5 food distributions centers (comedores) in Cúcuta-Los Patios; 6 shelters and 2 food distributions centers (comedores) in Pamplona; 7 communities in La Comuna 9 in Cúcuta.
Our project helps to promote peace “When people no longer need to fight over food, peace will reign.”
Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Phase 2 Progress Report July 2019 - January 2020Cristal Montañéz
Alleviating hunger - Building Peace
July 2019 - January 2020 - The Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project helped alleviate hunger and improve the condition of malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and walkers ‘caminantes,’ and Colombian returnees in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the donation of 26 tons of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals and approximately 21 tons of locally produced complementary foods (commodities) to existing food distribution centers and shelters preparing and serving food to this target population. These donations were distributed among 5 food distributions centers (comedores) in Cúcuta-Los Patios; 6 shelters and 2 food distributions centers (comedores) in Pamplona; 7 communities in La Comuna 9 in Cúcuta.
Our project helps to promote peace “When people no longer need to fight over food, peace will reign.”
This document summarizes the 10th anniversary celebration of Work of Women (WOW!), a program started by World Neighbors to connect women across the globe. It discusses how WOW! began with a small group of women in New Mexico and has grown to over 700 members who support programs empowering women internationally. It provides an example of how one Indonesian woman, Inaq Jamilah, has been able to start her own banana chip business through skills gained in a World Neighbors training. The summary discusses how WOW! has made impacts on the lives of women in developing countries as well as the women who support the program. It concludes by looking ahead to further impacts WOW! and World Neighbors can have in the future.
Brochure Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phases 1& 2Cristal Montañéz
RESPONDING TO THE VENEZUELAN REFUGEES HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
Our project Hope For Venezuelan Refugees is helping alleviate hunger and improve the condition of malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants and walkers ‘caminantes’ through the donation of fortified Rise Against Hunger meals and locally produced commodities to food distribution centers and shelters that are serving hot meals to the refugees in Cúcuta and Pamplona in Colombia.
Bear Hugs for Venezuela Pilot Project Completion Report Oct 2018Cristal Montañéz
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The overall objective of the Bear Hugs for Venezuela Pilot Project is to contribute to emergency relief efforts by distributing needed pediatric supplements, dehydrated rice-soy enriched meals, and Bear Hugs care packages for children to help alleviate the profound humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. The Rotary e-Club of Houston District 5890 and Rise Against Hunger (RAH) joined to initiate the project Bear Hugs for Venezuela to benefit children. This partnership added the needed nutritious meals and pediatric supplements to an effort initiated by Cristal Montañéz Baylor and her granddaughter Kalleigh Joslin to send teddy bear packages to the children in Venezuela.
The document summarizes a Rotary project that provided food assistance and COVID-19 supplies to refugees and migrants in Colombia. It distributed 31 tons of locally purchased food and 647,136 meals to 11 food distribution centers and 7 communities in Cúcuta and 6 shelters and 3 centers in Pamplona over 41 weeks. 50,090 meals and 11,059 kg of food were distributed total. The project also provided bags of food and hygiene supplies as well as PPE, masks, cleaning and disinfectant supplies to help prevent COVID-19 spread. The project helped address food insecurity and promoted local economies and peace in the region experiencing the largest migrant exodus in Latin American history from Venezuela.
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Leprosy is a communicable disease caused by bacterial infections that affects the skin and nervous system, causing lesions and deformities. While treatable with multi-drug therapy, leprosy was historically stigmatized due to the physical effects and fear of transmission. Outreach Asia supports medical programs in Southeast Asia that provide treatment for leprosy patients and address the social stigma through education and community development initiatives.
History and organizational background (outreach asia)11jefftahong
Leprosy is a communicable disease caused by bacterial infections that affects the skin and nervous system, causing lesions and deformities. While treatable with multi-drug therapy, leprosy was historically stigmatized due to the physical disfigurement it caused. Outreach Asia supports medical programs in developing countries that provide treatment for leprosy patients and address the social stigma through education and rehabilitation efforts to help patients live productive lives.
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Report Phase 1 Jan-May 2019Cristal Montañéz
The Hope For Venezuelan Refugeesproject is helping alleviate hunger and improve malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, migrants and walkers ‘caminantes,’ and Colombian returnees in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the donation of 20 tons of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals and 20 tons of locally produced commodities to existing food distribution centers preparing and serving food to this target population. These donations are distributed among 9 (out of the 10 proposed) food distributions centers (comedores), and 4 shelters in Pamplona.
Our project helps to promote peace “When people no longer need to fight over food, peace will reign.”
Update - Houstonians Respond to the Venezuelan Refugees Humanitarian Crisis i...Cristal Montañéz
The Rotary e-Club of Houston, through its Hope For Venezuelan Refugees pilot project is helping alleviate hunger and improve malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and ‘caminantes’ (walkers) in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the donation of 20 tons of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals.
Today, Venezuela is a failed state experiencing its worst economic crisis. Venezuelans are struggling to survive in a country with escalating criminal and political violence, and a monthly minimum salary of US $6.70 in an economy suffering from annual inflation approaching 2 million percent. Venezuelans have lost everything - jobs, healthcare, their families, and many have lost their homes. These imploding economic and social collapse has led Venezuelans to leave their crippled country in a massive exodus creating one of the worst refugee crisis in Latin American history. Consequently, more than one million Venezuelans have crossed the border from Venezuela to Colombia. However, the city of Cúcuta and the Metropolitan Area were not prepared to receive this massive migration of people. Many refugees have transited into other Colombian cities or walked to other countries like Ecuador and Peru. Others, referred to as pendulum citizens, enter and leave on the same day. Some people join other family members overcrowding homes, thus increasing these families’ vulnerability and social problems. The rest, which is the vast majority, have increased the high levels of unemployment and informal jobs in the city. Although Colombians have welcomed their Venezuelan neighbors, signs of resentment among jobless local residents are growing.
In response to this humanitarian crisis, two concerned Venezuelan Rotarians in Houston, human freedom activist and former Miss Venezuela Cristal Montañéz, and WaSRAG Ambassador Dr. Isis Mejías, created the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees pilot project to help alleviate hunger and improve malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and ‘caminantes’ (walkers) in Cúcuta and Pamplona. They visited the region, created the project proposal, and put together a coalition of allied organizations to develop the needed logistics and successfully implement this project.
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Link to article https://joom.ag/WsbC/p32
Link to complete magazine https://www.slideshare.net/CristalMontanez/international-focus-magazine-if-march-2020-digital-edition
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Report Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Hygiene and Prevention Disease Prevention Kits Distribution.pdf
1. PHASE 6 HOPE FOR VENEZUELAN REFUGEES
HYGIENE & DISEASE PREVENTION KITS DISTRIBUTION
Prepared by
Cristal Montañéz Baylor, Hope For Venezuelan Refugees International Coordinator
Honorary Member Rotary Club of Cúcuta & Member Rotary e-Club of Houston
Honorary Ambassador International Service Committee Rotary District 4380
2. 2
Project Duration
February 1, 2022 to April 29, 2022
Project Title Hope For Venezuelan Refugees - Hygiene & Disease Prevention Kits
Distribution Project
Slogan Alleviating hunger – Building Peace
General Project Description Phase 6 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project was created to
respond to the emergency food insecurity and alleviate hunger affecting
thousands of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in-transit “caminantes”
fleeing from the Venezuelan complex humanitarian. Our team identified an
urgent need for hygiene and disease prevention kits.
Rotary Foundation’s Areas of
Focus
Disease Prevention and Hygiene
Target Population Venezuelan refugees and migrants in-transit “caminantes”
Country Colombia
Location Cities of Pamplona and Pamplonita located on Cúcuta-Pamplona
Humanitarian Route “Ruta del Caminante”
Donor Rotary Club of Washington, DC and Rotary Foundation of Washington, DC
DC Rotary Club Foundation
Proponent
Maria Nelly Pavisich
mnpavisich@yahoo.com
(202) 906-9766
Rotary Implementing Partners - Rotary Club of Cúcuta
- Rotary Club of Pamplona Fundadora de Ciudades
- Rotary International Service Committee District 4380
US Non-Profit Partner United For Change Center For International Development
(United4Change U4C)
501(c)(3) EIN # 35-2385293
Email info@united4changecenter.org
+1 (832) 968-4349
PHASE 6 HOPE FOR VENEZUELAN PROJECT
Hygiene & Disease Prevention Kits Distribution
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A. Propose Performance Period Start and End Date
B. Executive Summary
3. 3
Date of ISC Grant Submission
October 29, 2021
Date of Grant Approval Notice
December 28, 2021
Date of Grant Money Arrival
January 8, 2022
Specific Project Objective 1
Objective 1 – To help improve the personal hygiene conditions of the
Venezuelan refugees in-transit “caminantes” and prevent the propagation of
COVID-19, infections, and other diseases among the migrant population and the
host communities by providing hygiene kits and disease prevention containing
personal hygiene products, protection, and disinfectant products.
Specific Objective 2 Objective 2 - To procure locally produced products will help to:
- Stimulate the deprived local economy, and help
- Decrease xenophobia towards the migrant population.
Number of Hygiene & Disease
Prevention Distributed
520 Women, Girls and Men Kits, distributed as follow:
- 307 Women & Girls Kits
- 213 Men Kits
Cost of Women & Girls Hygiene
& Disease Prevention
Distributed
Cost per kit $4.97
Content per 307 kits women & girls kits:
- Sanitary pads x 8 units
- Dental kit - Toothbrush & Colgate toothpaste 50 ml
- Shavers package
- Toilet paper
- Deodorant x 1.12 oz
- Antibacterial soap
- Shampoo Savital x 100 ml
- Antibacterial gel x 40 ml
- Face mask
- Wet wipes x 40 units
- Laundry Detergent 200 gr
- Fabric bag with strings
Cost of Men Hygiene & Disease
Prevention Distributed
Cost per kit $4.02
Content per 213 men kits:
- Dental kit - Toothbrush & Colgate toothpaste 50 ml
- Shavers package
- Toilet paper
- Deodorant x 1.12 oz
- Antibacterial soap
- Shampoo Savital x 100 ml
4. 4
- Antibacterial gel x 40 ml
- Face mask
- Laundry Detergent 200 gr
- Fabric bag with strings
Distribution Centers - RHP-1 Punto de Apoyo Hermanos Caminantes Venezolanos y
Colombianos
- RHP-4 Albergue Hogar de Paso Marta Duque (Fundación Marta Duque
- RHP-6 Albergue Vanessa
Total Impact 520 Women, girls and men benefited from receiving the hygiene and
disease prevention kits
USA Point of Contact - Cristal Montañéz Baylor
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project International Coordinator
Honorary Ambassador International Service Committee Rotary D-4380
Rotary e-Club of Houston
cristalmontanezvenezuela@gmail.com
+1 (713) 483-4990
- Ximena Murillo
United 4 Change Center (U4C) President & CEO
xmurillo@united4changecenter.org
+1 (832) 968-4349
International Host Country
Rotary Club
Project Staff Point of Contact
- José Mauricio Villán Díaz
Rotary Club of Cúcuta President
marien7202@gmail.com
+57 (350) 855-9340
Av del Río 25N 90 interior 3 31 Conjunto Cerrado Vegas del Río,
Cúcuta, Norte de Santander
- Henry Sandoval
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project Country Manager
henryalbertosandoval@gmail.com
+57 (321) 202-5129
Social Media - Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Hope-For-Venezuelan-
Refugees-Project-113163323407295
- Instagram: @hope_for_venezuelan_refugees
United4Change Center: https://united4changecenter.org/hope-for-
venezuelan-refugees-project/
Hygiene & Disease Prevention
Kits Distribution Project
Pictures & Video
- Video link https://youtu.be/3aV7-ibkn14
- Pictures link
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64484371@N03/albums/721777202982
14321
5. 5
Our efforts provide hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan refugees, migrants and caminantes with hope and
access to the fundamental human right to food.
Phases 1 to 4 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project was a partnership between the Rotary e-Club of
Houston, the Rotary Club of Cúcuta, with the support of Rise Against Hunger (RAH), Rotary Clubs, and allied
organizations to provide access to food and alleviate hunger affecting thousands of Venezuelan refugees,
migrants, walkers “caminantes,” and Colombian returnees on the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route. More
than 578,000 refugees and migrants benefitted during this time according to an article published by Rise Against
Hunger on June 21, 20211
We are very grateful for the support of the Chanhassen Rotary Foundation/Rotary Club Chanhassen, Rotary of Club
Humble, Rotary Club of Brazosport, Rotary Club of El Campo, Rotary Club of Highlands, Rotary Club of Baytown,
Rotary Club of Gulfway Hobby, Rotary Club of Katy, Rotary Club of West University, Rotary Club of Memorial
Spring Branch, Rotary Club of El Paso Camino Real, Rotary Club of Calgary, Rotary Club of Somerset, Perrysburg
Rotary Club/Perrysburg Rotary Service Foundation, Downtown Rotary Club of Houston, Rotary Club of Humble,
Rotary Club Karlovac-Dubovac, Rotary Club of Cúcuta, Rotary e-Club of Houston, and the River Road Elementary
School.
Phase 5 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program was a partnership with United4Change
Center, in collaboration with RAG for Refugees, Forced Displacement, and Migration Rotary Club of Washington
Global, Rotary Fellowship for Global Development, and the Chanhassen Rotary Club.
We are currently implementing Phase 6 of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program, and
thanks to the generous grant from the Rotary Club of Washington, DC & Rotary Foundation of Washington,
DC, more than 520 women, girls and men refugees in transit “caminantes” benefitted from the donation of
hygiene and disease prevention kits.
Thanks to our donors and supporters, the Hope For Venezuela Refugees Project, in conjunction with the
volunteer-led food distribution center and shelters, has distributed more than 932,400 prepared hot meals, 348,213
lbs (157,947 kgs /174 tons) of locally produced commodities, provided PPE, portable hand washing stations, face
masks, soap, alcohol, disinfectants and other products required to fight the spread of the COVID-19, and
distributed 520 women, girls and men hygiene and disease prevention kits to refugees in transit “caminantes.”
1
https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/worldrefugeeday-2021/
C. Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project Background & Overall Impact
January 2019 – May 2022
6. 6
Brief Venezuelan Humanitarian Crisis Background
Venezuela is suffering its worst political, humanitarian, and economic crisis in history caused by the Nicolás
Maduro illegitimate regime. Poverty in Venezuela is an epidemic. The ENCOVI2
report found that 96% of the
households are in a situation of poverty and 79% in extreme poverty, a fact that means in the latter case that the
income received is insufficient to cover the food basket.
The shortage and high cost of food and
medicine, lack of essential services, collapse of
the hospital system, lack of employment,
increase in crime and corruption. The monthly
minimum wage was increased from $3.503
to
$28.004
per month only enough to buy a
kilogram of cheese and a liter of milk. This
critical situation has forced 1 in 7 Venezuelans
to flee to neighboring countries under
dangerous and risky conditions, without
money, identification documents, destination,
or plans, only with the desire to escape from a
situation that offers them nothing but hunger
and misery.
According to UNHCR, prior to the pandemic,
one in four Venezuelans skipped meals. Older
persons, often the major breadwinner, face
additional hardship since almost half have lost
their jobs. Since COVID-19, more than 4 in 10
have had to cut back on the amount they eat.4
Venezuelan Exodus
Since 2015, almost 6.13 million have left
Venezuela. 5.08 million are seeking refuge
across the region in Argentina, Brazil, Chile,
2
https://www.proyectoencovi.com/informe-interactivo-2019
3
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuela-raises-minimum-wage-fourth-year-hyperinflation-2021-05-01/
4
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-04/venezuela-s-maduro-announces-18-fold-increase-to-minimum-wage
D. Venezuelan Refugees Crisis Overview
7. 7
Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panamá, Perú, and the Caribbean, reaching a saturation point. Colombia
continues to be the host country of the largest number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela, hosting an
estimated 1.84 million refugees and migrants and 845,000 Colombian binational returnees according to the R4V
(Inter-Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and migrants from Venezuela) Latin American and the
Caribbean, Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants and the region – April 20225
.
The Venezuelan exodus represents the biggest refugee crisis in the history of Latin America, the Western
Hemisphere, and the Caribbean; and the largest forced migration crisis caused by dictatorship and corruption in
the world, second only to the Syrian refugee crisis, which has suffered from war for more than eight years.
The migration flow of Venezuelans to Colombia is unprecedented in the region. It represents too great a challenge
as neither Colombia nor the region's countries are prepared to take on the immense migratory flow. Income losses
during the pandemic have increase food insecurity, access to essential services, and the needs of the refugee
population living in Colombia.
Who are the Venezuelan Walkers “Caminantes”?
The walkers “caminantes,” as they are known, are women, men, and children refugee in transit traveling on foot
to escape from the violence, lack of food, medicine, essential services, poverty, and misery brought by Nicolas
Maduro's regime. Most of them are hungry and very poor in desperate need of assistance.
Every day, hundreds of Venezuelan walkers “caminantes” cross the Venezuelan-Colombian border through
illegal and clandestine trails called “trochas” despite the regulations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These
improvised crossings trails have become the only access between the two countries for Venezuelans who travel on
foot. The caminantes are exposed to accidents and suffer from hypothermia and dehydration as they walk from
3
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuela-raises-minimum-wage-fourth-year-hyperinflation-2021-05-01/
5
https://www.r4v.info/en/document/r4v-latin-america-and-caribbean-venezuelan-refugees-and-migrants-region-april-2022
8. 8
city to city, and to other neighboring countries, through regions that oscillate between the unbearable heat and the
low temperatures of the Andean Region of the Páramo of Berlin located at 3,146 ft above sea level, while traveling
dangerous roads. Victimization and exploitation are rampant in the border regions. Paramilitary groups are
actively recruiting Venezuelan youth and young adults. At the same time, armed groups force undocumented
immigrants to work in coca fields and illegal mining, while many Venezuelan women and children are into sex
work.
According to Michael Grant, Assistant Deputy Minister for the
Americas at Global Affairs Canada “The facts for Venezuelan
refugees and migrants are stark: over half don’t have enough to eat,
80 to 90 per cent have lost their source of income, one in four children
are separated from their families during the journey, and many
women and girls face particular challenges, such as gender-based
violence and lack of access to sexual and reproductive health
services.6
”
Some caminantes walk approximately 556 kilometers from the
border city of Cúcuta to Bogotá. Others, walk for days to other cities,
and others walk for weeks to neighboring countries on dangerous and
narrow roads without money or food. Activating a humanitarian
transportation program will reduce this danger and alleviate the
exhaustion and despair suffered by refugees and migrants during their
very long and challenging walks to their destinations.
Community Assessment - Urgent Need for Hygiene & Disease Prevention Kits Distribution
During a regular evaluation and community assessment meeting with the coordinators and volunteers of the food
distribution centers and shelters benefitting from our soup program, our team identified the urgent need for
hygiene and disease prevention kits for the refugees in transit “caminantes.” The situation is critical since most
of the refugees in transit don’t have access regular access to hygiene products, including feminine hygiene
products, soap, and disinfectants. Many have not taken a shower, washed their clothes, or disinfected their hands
properly in days or weeks in some cases.
6
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/06/1093902
E. Phase 6 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees - Hygiene & Disease Prevention
Project
9. 9
We identified and partnered with the following strategic locations on the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route:
- RHP -1 Punto de Apoyo Hermanos Caminantes Venezolanos y Colombianos
- RHP -2 Albergue Vanessa
- RHP - Rotary Club Pamplona Fundadora de Ciudades
- RHC - Road Distribution on the Cúcuta-Pamplona Humanitarian Route
Grant From Rotary Club of Washington, DC and the Rotary Foundation of Washington, DC
On December 28, 2021, the Rotary Club of Washington, DC and Rotary Foundation of Washington, DC, awarded
a grant of $3, 318.00 to United for Change Center for International Development to procure the proposed list of
needed products to pack and distribute 300 hygiene and disease prevention kits, 150 women & girls kits, and 150
men kits. The funds were received on January 8, 2022.
A new estimate was requested from the vendor only to find out that most of the products we priced in October
2021 and were submitted in our grant request proposal were not available due to the current economic crisis and
lack of supplies. At that point, our team decided to assess the market to find similar products and sizes and found
an import-export company with a good inventory of the needed products in smaller sizes at a great price.
As a result, our team was able to procure enough products to pack 520 hygiene and disease prevention kits (307
women & girls kits and 213 men), including laundry detergent, with the same budget.
10. 10
The kits were packed in a fabric bag with strings designed to be carried as a backpack. The logos of Rotary and
project partners were printed on the bag.
Project Staff and Volunteers Support Network
The Hope For Venezuelan Refugees team counts with one staff member, Country Project Manager Henry
Sandoval, based in the border city of Cúcuta. Our team works in conjunction with the following network of
volunteers and support organizations to successfully procure, prepare, and distribute the hygiene and disease
prevention kits:
- Rotary Club of Cúcuta
- Rotary Club of Pamplona Fundadora de Ciudades
- Punto de Apoyo Hermanos Caminantes Venezolanos y Colombianos
- Fundación Marta Duque
- Albergue Vanessa
- United4Change Center
Project Outline and Activities
In March, Henry Sandoval Country, Project Manager; Mauricio Villán, President Rotary Club of Cúcuta, and
Cristal Montañéz Baylor, Project International Coordinator, traveled to the distribution centers to initiate the
distribution of hygiene kits as per the projected timeline.
The Country Project Manager and the Project International Coordinator work very closely to execute, monitor,
and manage all project-related activities in alignment with the proposed objectives, including:
11. 11
- Contact the local vendor and request new and updated estimates since the estimates submitted on the ISC
grant form were from October 2021.
- Coordinate the procurement of the products for 520 hygiene kits.
- Confirm and verify the quality and quantity of the purchased products.
- Procure and pack 520 hygiene and disease prevention kits:
o 307 kits for women
o 213 kits for men
- Coordinate the transportation from the city of Cúcuta to the cities of Pamplonita and Pamplona, and
personally deliver the kits to the selected distribution centers located approximately 3 hours from the city
of Cúcuta depending on the conditions of the road.
- Manage the logistics and distribution of the kits with the assistance of Rotary Partners, coordinators, and
volunteers
- Maintain records of the distribution.
- Prepare completion report.
Project Objective 1
The project successfully fulfilled the primary objective to help improve the personal hygiene conditions of the
Venezuelan refugees in-transit “caminantes” and prevent the propagation of COVID-19, infections, and other
diseases among the migrant population and the host communities by distributing 520 hygiene kits & disease
prevention kits allocated as follow:
- 307 Women & girls kits
- 213 Men kits
D. Project Objectives
12. 12
Women & Girls Kits
307 women & girls hygiene and disease prevention kits were packed and prepared for distribution. The cost of
each kit was $4.97 and the total cost of the 307 kits was $1,735.34. The kits contained the following products:
13. 13
Men Kits
213 men hygiene and disease prevention kits were packed and prepared for distribution. The cost of each kit was
$4.02 and the total cost of the 213 kits was $979.78. The kits contained the following products:
14. 14
Project Objective 2
The secondary objective is to procure locally produced products to help:
- Stimulate the deprived local economy, and help
- Decrease xenophobia toward the migrant population.
This objective was achieved by the procurement of products from a local import-export company. The fabric bag
with strings was purchased from a local small entrepreneur.
Hygiene & Disease Prevention Kits Distribution
Our Project Manager regularly visited the selected food distribution centers to deliver the assigned number of
hygiene kits, verify the inventory, and document the distribution of the 520 kits.
The kits provided 307 women & girls and 213 men with access to essential hygiene products, which helped
prevent the propagation of COVID-19, infections, and other diseases for at least three to four weeks of their
journey.
15. 15
Hygiene & disease prevention kits distribution summary:
RHP-1 Punto de Apoyo Hermanos Caminantes Venezolanos y Colombianos
This food distribution center received a donation of two shower stalls and three toilets from the organization
Comitato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo dei Popoli (CISP-Colombia), and it was in dire need of hygiene kits to
distribute to the refugees in transit “caminantes.” Our Rotary partners, coordinators, and volunteers distributed
157 women & girl kits and 63 men kits to refugees at this assistance center.
16. 16
RHP-2 Albergue Vanessa
The coordinator of Albergue Vanessa informed us that this shelter offers an overnight shelter for women, children,
and men. However, the donor organizations don’t provide regular donations of hygiene products for the refugee
population. In the meanwhile, only hand soap is available. Our Rotary partners, coordinators, and
volunteers distributed 75 women & girl kits and 75 men's kits at this shelter.
18. 18
RHP - Rotary Club Pamplona Fundadora de Ciudades
Our team shared 25 women & girls kits with our local Rotary partners to distribute to the refugees in transit.
RHC - Road Distribution on the Cúcuta-Pamplona Humanitarian Route
Our team distributed 75 women & girls kits and 75 men's kits to the refugees walking through the humanitarian
route to other cities or countries searching for food, medicines, jobs, and a better life for their families.
20. 20
E. Project Expense Summary
The project was successfully implemented in compliance with the proposed and approved budget by the Rotary
Club of Washington, DC & Rotary Foundation of Washington, DC. The grant was used to procure and distribute
the needed products to pack 520 hygiene and disease prevention kits (307 women & girls and 213 men)
21. 21
Conclusion & Project Impact
Thanks to the grant awarded by the Rotary Club of Washington, DC & Rotary Foundation of Washington, DC,
the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees and United for Change Center for International Development team, in
collaboration with the Rotary Club of Cúcuta, Rotarian partners, and coordinators of volunteers-led food
distribution centers and shelters, successfully procured, packed, and documented the distribution of 520 kits
hygiene and disease prevention to vulnerable Venezuelans refugees and migrants in-transit “caminantes” on the
Cúcuta-Pamplona route during the most significant exodus and migration crisis in the Western Hemisphere
aggravated by the global pandemic.
Our project complies with the Rotary Foundation Disease Prevention and Hygiene areas of focus. The work of
the Rotarians, volunteers, and coordinators of the food distribution centers and shelters established by the civil
society organizations has contributed to saving lives and dignifying the passage of “caminantes” along the
humanitarian route by providing hot food, shelter, guidance, and needed hygiene & disease prevention kits.
Together, We are Serving to Change Lives…
F. Conclusion
22. 22
Completion Reports
Summary Phases 1 & 2 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees
https://hopeforvenezuelanrefugees.blogspot.com/2020/05/brochure-hope-for-venezuela-refugees.html
Phase 2 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Completion Report
https://hopeforvenezuelanrefugees.blogspot.com/2020/04/hope-for-venezuelan-refugees-phase-2.html
Phase 3 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees COVID-19 Efforts Completion Report
https://hopeforvenezuelanrefugees.blogspot.com/2020/11/phase-3-hope-for-venezuelan-refugees.html
Phase 4 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees COVID-19 Response Completion Report
https://hopeforvenezuelanrefugees.blogspot.com/2021/04/phase-4-hope-for-venezuelan-refugees.html
Phase 5 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Soup Program Report
https://hopeforvenezuelanrefugees.blogspot.com/2021/12/phase-5-hope-for-venezuelan-refugees.html
Publications & Presentations
Women Leader's at the UN Event 6/6/21
The Front Line of Change: Women Leaders and the United Nations on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVOPXfd9zXM
Rise Against Hunger 6/21/21
On World Refugee Day, Hope Starts with a Meal https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/worldrefugeeday-2021/
Rotary Voices 6/22/21
Venezuelan refugees find help, meals
https://blog.rotary.org/2021/06/22/venezuelan-refugees-find-help-meals/#more-12061
Diario Las Américas 6/22/21
Aliviando el hambre de refugiados y migrantes venezolanos
https://www.diariolasamericas.com/america-latina/aliviando-el-hambre-refugiados-y-migrantes-venezolanos-
n4225798
Imágenes Magazine of La Opinión Newspaper on Sunday, 7/4/21 “Aliviando el hambre de la población
migrantes y construyendo la paz"
https://www.pressreader.com/colombia/la-opinion-imagenes/20210704/281522229074830
Revista Multijurídica al Día Tribuna Digital 8/2021
Una Reina al Servicio de la Labor Humanitaria - 12va edición
https://www.slideshare.net/CristalMontanez/revista-multijurdica-al-da-tribuna-digital-una-reina-al-servicio-de-
la-labor-humanitaria-12va-edicion
23. 23
The World Affairs Council of Greater Houston 9/10/21
Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project’s Cristal Montañéz Baylor webinar with Sandija Bayot, Chief
Development at WAC
https://youtu.be/_BT6m506FXA
Venezuela 360 Voz de América 10/8/21 https://youtu.be/XoXWhzJcxsg
Organization of American States OAS - Washington Global Rotary Refugee Report 2020
Providing Relief and Creating Opportunities for Refugees June 2020
https://www.slideshare.net/CristalMontanez/oea-washington-global-rotary-refugee-report-2020-providing-
relief- and-creating-opportunities-for-refugees-june-2020
OAS & Rotary 2020 Jun 23 Migrants and Refugees in the Americas in the context of the COVID 19 Pandemic
https://youtu.be/cHVnWfWJP9o
For more information contact:
Cristal Montañéz Baylor
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project International Coordinador Honorary
Ambassador International Service Committee Rotary District 4380