Over 5 million Venezuelan refugees have been forced to flee their homes due to the country's economic and political situation.
To assist them in the migration process, Caritas Ecuador and Caritas Brazil have launched the online platform MigraSegura to provide reliable information on how to legally enter their countries and resources to assist them in seeking asylum.
KARINA VILLACÍS
Cáritas Ecuador
'44% of the families we interviewed said they do not have access to reliable information and that they didn't know where to find humanitarian services or social care. We know that this puts them in a vulnerable situation; not having information, being deceived, knowing that there are people that will take advantage of their situation. It puts them in a much more vulnerable situation.'
Migrants are often targets of exploitation due to their unclear legal status. Caritas is working to ensure that Venezuelan refugees are equipped with the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe throughout the complicated migration process.
CRISTINA DOS ANJOS
Cáritas Brazil
'It is very traumatic for people to migrate to another country. The MigraSegura platform aims to be a tool that supports and in a certain way contributes to a secure way of migrating for these families.'
Before arriving in their host country, migrants can even find practical information about how to safely reach their destinations on MigraSegura.
KARINA VILLACÍS
Cáritas Ecuador
'There is information available on transportation, on the different routes, and on their costs too so they don't get taken advantage of when they take a taxi or a bus, on the currency, too, the weather conditions which is also very important. So it's these little tips and important information about the journey that are not always easy to find elsewhere on the internet.'
For Venezuelans seeking a new home, MigraSegura compiles the information they need to stay safe on their journeys, and to take the first steps towards establishing their new life in another country.
JM
