Organization:

Jesuit Service for Migrants and Refugees in Brazil (Serviço Jesuíta a Migrante e Refugiados - SJMR) 

SJMR works to promote and protect the dignity and the rights of migrants to Brazil. They are located in Belo Horizonte, Boa Vista, Manaus and Porto Alegre.

Click here to visit their website

Project Location:

Manaos, Brazil

Bastion helps donors invest in worthy projects while working with the organizations to strengthen their performance. Bastion managed funding for empowering Venezuelan refugee women in Brazil by teaching them new working and cultural skills.
Exhibition of products designed in the courses
Photo courtesy of SJMR Brazil

Background:

Venezuela is experiencing an un-precedented economic crisis and political polarization, where acute shortages of food, medicines and basic services coupled with high levels of crime and violence have forced the Venezuelans to flee the country.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), by June 2019, the number of Venezuelans who have left their country has reached four million. 3.2 million of them have fled since 2015.

Globally, Venezuelans are one of the single largest population groups displaced from their country.

The main destinations of this exodus are the neighbouring countries, where many Venezuelans arrive in devastating conditions of health and malnourishment.

Facing the increasing migration of Venezuelans, Brazil’s government implemented a project to relocate refugees from border towns into inner towns across the country (Operação Acolhida). One of these towns is Manaus. However, the implementation is not easy to achieve, and many refugees are facing rejection, xenophobia and violence.

The SJMR Manaos office opened in October 2018 to help migrants find suitable jobs through training and counselling.

Venezuelan migration flow comparison 2015-2017
Image taken from the IOM website

Objectives:

As part of the government’s relocation project for refugees, Manaus is receiving an average of 80 Venezuelans a day.

This project aims to promote empowerment and financial independence of women by training them in a trade and helping them navigate their situation.

Beneficiaries:

150 migrant Venezuelan women per year.

It is expected they will be able to find a job while getting to know their rights as migrants, how to access services for them and their children and in turn, helping others in their same situation.

Gastronomy workshop
Photo courtesy of SJMR Brazil
Bastion helps donors invest in worthy projects while working with the organizations to strengthen their performance. Bastion managed funding for empowering Venezuelan refugee women in Brazil by teaching them new working and cultural skills.
Photo courtesy of SJMR Brazil

Status:

Ongoing

Grant:

Under $10,000

Dates:

Start date: July 2019

End date: July 2020

Venzuelan women refugee participants in the program
Photo courtesy of SJMR Brazil
Bastion helps donors invest in worthy projects while working with the organizations to strengthen their performance. Bastion managed funding for empowering Venezuelan refugee women in Brazil by teaching them new working and cultural skills.
Photo courtesy of SJMR Brazil
Bastion helps donors invest in worthy projects while working with the organizations to strengthen their performance. Bastion managed funding for empowering Venezuelan refugee women in Brazil by teaching them new working and cultural skills.

Sector:

Disaster relief

 

Reports:

Complying with the agreement brokered by Bastion between the donor and SJMR, you can find the reports here.

Bastion helps donors invest in worthy projects while working with the organizations to strengthen their performance. Bastion managed funding for empowering Venezuelan refugee women in Brazil by teaching them new working and cultural skills.