Phase 8 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees, Dec 2023 - Henry Sandoval, interviews caminantes passing through Albergue Vanessa

Phase 8 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees, Dec 2023.- Our Soup Program continues to provide thousands of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in transit "caminantes" with hope and access to food to alleviate hunger affecting this population on the Cúcuta-Pamplona humanitarian route known as "La Ruta del Caminante" during the most significant migration exodus in the Western Hemisphere.

Video Transcription:

Henry Sandoval, interviews caminantes passing through Albergue Vanessa.

Good afternoon.

Caminantes (refugees in transit): Good afternoon.

Henry: My name is Henry Sandoval, and I am the local manager of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project. We have been working on the caminantes refugees in transit route from when this exodus began, with Venezuelan people leaving their country for Colombia or a third country. Pamplona has been a specific point in this migration, as everyone has to pass through here. The Albergue Vanessa has served as a support point for people, providing them with food. Through our project, we have addressed the needs of the migrants in this region who need to protect themselves from the cold weather and provide a meal to gain strength to continue their journey. I want to ask you some questions: where do you come from? From the same place or different places?

Caminantes (refugees in transit): From different places.

Henry: For example, where do you come from?

Caminantes 1(refugees in transit): From Maracay, Aragua state.

Henry: And you?

Caminante 2 (refugees in transit): She is my partner from Cojedes.

Henry: Ah, okay, so you come together. And you over there?

Caminante 3 (refugees in transit): From Carabobo state.

Henry: And you?

Caminante 4 (refugees in transit): From Caracas.

Henry: Well, and the travel process within your country, how did you do it? From Caracas, from each of your states, how was it until you reached the border with Colombia?

Caminante 3 (refugees in transit): Well, for us, it was in stages, walking, hitchhiking, and by bus, little by little.

Henry: Okay, and after crossing the border?

Caminante 4 (refugees in transit): It was tough for us, passing through the trocha called all the Cooperative, because there, in a small section, it was tough for us because a heavy rain fell on us, and all our things got wet, the children's papers got wet, it was tough for us, you understand. We had to walk a long distance, like from here to the toll booth, a very long distance, and nobody wanted to help us. But thanks to God, little by little, we managed to arrive.

Henry: Well, thank you. And where are you going? All to the same place?

Caminante 4 (refugees in transit): We're going to Bogotá.

Caminante 3 (refugees in transit): We're going to Bucaramanga.

Caminante 2 (refugees in transit): Bogotá.

Caminante 1 (refugees in transit): We're heading to Tunja.

Henry: Are you going for something specific, or is someone waiting for you?

Caminante 2 (refugees in transit): At least for us, no. We're going to look for a job.

Caminante 4 (refugees in transit): We will look for the original papers for her and the children. God willing, we will continue our journey because we are heading to the United States. In Bogotá, we will stop to look for a job and their papers, work

for a while to gather resources, and then continue.

Caminantes (refugees in transit): Thank you!!

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#ChapelwoodFoundation

#United4ChangeCenter

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#Phase8SoupProgram

United4Change Center

Maria Helena Ludhi