Colombia: Shantal's escape from Venezuela
Millions of people, including many children and young people, have fled Venezuela's ongoing political, economic, and social crisis via the route from Venezuela to Colombia since 2015. Repeated border closures, the militarization of the region, and the presence of illegal armed groups and human trafficking networks have made this route an extremely dangerous journey for children.
Shantal and her family also had to leave Venezuela because unemployment and insecurity made life there unbearable. "We lived in constant worry about whether we would have enough to eat," Shantal says. But even after arriving in Cúcuta, Colombia, many things aren't easy: Shantal has to work alongside her schooling.
"There are times when things get complicated – especially at the end of the month when we feel the pressure to pay the rent. If we can't scrape together the money, we risk losing our home."
Terre des Hommes partner organization, Creciendo Unidos Foundation (FCU), supports Shantal and many other Venezuelan children in Colombia with tutoring programs. The organization offers psychosocial, legal, and educational support, as well as integration and violence prevention programs—always with a focus on children's rights and participation. FCU staff monitor individual cases and initiate institutional protection mechanisms when there is reasonable suspicion of neglect, trafficking, or abuse.
How Terre des Hommes helps refugee children
Through our projects, we provide emergency aid worldwide, create safe havens, and offer education and psychosocial support to refugee children and their families. On the ground, we collaborate with local partner organizations that accompany and support children upon arrival. Together with these organizations and the young people themselves, we put pressure on policymakers to ensure that the rights and well-being of refugee children are respected. The experiences of children and young people in our projects around the world demonstrate the crucial need for safe pathways and refuge for children!
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