Alexandra Anda

Mariluz Sifontes: Working Towards Her Dreams While Bridging Sister Communities in Peru

by

Mariluz Sifontes: Working Towards Her Dreams While Bridging Sister Communities in Peru

Mariluz Sifontez; courtesy of Loop.

By Alexandra Anda

Mariluz Sifontes arrived in Peru in August 2019. She was looking for a place where she could offer a better life to her children, aged 11 and 8 years-old. In Venezuela, she was a security technician in the oil industry but, like many Venezuelans, Mariluz and her husband sold everything they had and set out on the journey to a neighboring country in search of a better life.

Upon arriving in Peru, Mariluz found a job as a seamstress, but it was not enough to cover the needs of the family. She had to find more than one job to earn enough, limiting the time she could spend with her family and for herself. It was a tough time but, as Mariluz tells us:

“Migrant women are fierce women, with vision and a lot of faith, because she goes down an unknown path with optimism. To move forward, you have to be positive."

One day, after spending a long time looking for other job opportunities, her sister-in-law told her about Loop. She had learned about the initiative through the Organization of Collaborators for the Social Assistance of Venezuelan Immigrants (OCASIVEN; for its Spanish acronym), a local NGO that provides social assistance to Venezuelan migrants and one of Loop's strategic allies.

Without a doubt, Loop’s added value is both the quality of its services and its human quality. Through the application, users who request cleaning services receive the profiles of the women members and learn about their stories and dreams, generating empathy and creating a bridge between communities. This is reflected in the comments. The Loop application allows both the women members who perform the services and the users who contract them to rate each other. So far, clients have received an average rating of 4.8 stars from the women members, which shows that the rapport between communities is taking place in a positive way.

Today, Mariluz's positivism pays off. Last month he earned $225 for performing 14 different cleaning services; which represents forty-nine hours of work. To put it in perspective, this is almost equivalent to achieving the minimum wage in Peru but for working full-time.

Loop is proud to be able to provide Venezuelan migrant women like Mariluz the opportunity to work their desired hours at a time that suits them best. In addition, the rate they earn per hour allows them to earn a good income, also giving them the opportunity to share time with their family, while they pursue other opportunities that allow them to take the steps for them to achieve their dreams.

In addition, as part of its commitment to support the members in their insertion in the country, Mariluz now has her own bank account; something she didn't have before she joined Loop. The Loop induction course includes information on how to open a bank account in Peru. Currently Mariluz and the other members receive their weekly income directly into their own account.

Today Mariluz is an exemplary Loop member: more positive than ever, kind, committed, attentive and cordial; dreaming of starting an enterprise to continue improving the quality of life of her family group.

“I am very grateful to Loop because it gives me the opportunity to work, to grow, to be part of a beautiful community of women and mainly because I can schedule my hours so that I have time to take care of my children, be with them and help them with their school work.”

More than 1000 people have already downloaded Loop in Peru and the number of services continues to increase! We invite you to download the app on your cell phone (App Store or Play Store) and visit the Loop page to be part of this community of Peruvians and Venezuelans working together to build a better country for all.

Nurianny Albino: Paving The Way for Venezuelan Migrant Women in Peru

by

Nurianny Albino: Paving The Way for Venezuelan Migrant Women in Peru

LooP_Nurianny

When Nurianny left Venezuela for Peru with her two girls, she wasn’t aware that she would play a part in changing the misconceptions that many have of the Venezuelan diaspora. Nurianny is a 35 years-old professional paramedic, with more than 12 years of experience in sales and customer service in Venezuela. However, the hardships of living in her home country pushed her to leave with her daughters.

She is now a member of Loop, the mobile app designed to employ Venezuelan women in cleaning services in Peru to help them jumpstart their professional lives and empower them towards achieving a brighter future in their host country, and bring people together by breaking down stereotypes one service at a time!

Loop gives Nurianny hope and has taught her the value of being proactive in building her career in her new country of residence.

“Two weeks ago I had not started using the Loop app yet, so I was not working any shifts. I realized that I needed to be more active and use it, so I started looking for [cleaning services] I could take. And it worked. Today I provided cleaning services for 7 households and was well-paid for my work. It feels good; my expectations about Loop have raised.”

About the ongoing COVID-19 situation, she shared:

“The situation worldwide is not easy because of the pandemic. But the app is working, people are trusting the app, and customers are very nice and kind.”

With the same positivity and enthusiasm, Nurianny shared how thankful she is for the opportunity to decide the terms of her own employment and career growth. Using the Loop app to take-on cleaning services shift-by-shift has allowed her to decide when and where to work.

“I feel that the Loop team cares about us, about our wellbeing, and about providing the opportunity for us to earn  a good income and own our time. In my case this is important because I have 2 girls. With a normal job I could not take care of them properly because I did not have time. Now I am working between 2 to 5 hours daily and I spend most of my free time with them.”

As part of their social integration efforts, Loop has also given her a sense of belonging to a community.

“We are all part of the same team [at Loop]. This is why when a customer asks me if I will be the one that is going to provide the cleaning service for them next time, I  answer that it does not matter who from the team takes the shift, it is going to be a professional service.”

Loop is also bringing people together. Nurianny is certain that Loop is a platform where she, along with fellow Venezuelan women, can start changing mistaken conceptions about Venezuelans in Peru.

“A customer told me that when she received my information through the app and realized I was a Venezuelan woman, her husband told her to cancel the service. But she told him that a friend of hers had recommended the app and that she wanted to give me a chance. After I finished the cleaning service for them, they both thanked me for my professionalism and told me they would continue using Loop. That makes me happy because we are changing the way people feel about Venezuelans.” 

Nurianny holds a perfect 5-star rating on the Loop app. The community supporting her is proud of her work and her determination to work hard and continue ascending in her professional life while raising two daughters.

Support Nurianny and other Venezuelan women like her by spreading the word about Loop. If you are in Peru, support the Loop family!  Download the app at the App Store or Play Store to schedule a service, and don’t forget to spread the word!

It’s fast, flexible and safe!

Rekindling the Spark of an Immigrant: Young Venezuelans and Brazilians Build Dreams and Citizenship as a Team

by

Rekindling the Spark of an Immigrant: Young Venezuelans and Brazilians Build Dreams and Citizenship as a Team

Español

With pride and humility, this talented young Venezuelan woman who is also a journalist, dancer and daughter, introduces herself. Eliezka is now also a member of Young Changemakers; one of the innovative programs funded by the BetterTogether Challenge in Brazil.

The decision and the path to leave Venezuela and migrate to Brazil were not easy for Eliezka. She recognizes that a migrant's life is hard, whether due to economic or social circumstances - although the two things often come together. The fact that migrants do not always know their destination adds a layer of uncertainty and difficulty when leaving their land. However, as Eliezka tells us, circumstances do not always leave other options. “I came to Brazil because I decided to do so. Was I forced to? No. I could have continued living in Venezuela. [But] in Venezuela no one can prosper, not at this moment ... [For this reason] in my head and in my heart I knew that I had to leave.”

Between August 2017 and 2019, nearly 500,000 Venezuelans crossed the border into Brazil, escaping harsh living conditions and lack of opportunities. In Brazil migrants believe they will have a new opportunity to improve their quality of life, access jobs and support their loved ones in Venezuela by sending remittances.

Eliezka made the journey with so many unanswered questions: “What now? What's Next? Where will I work? How am I going to live? Will there be a way to create community for me there?" And Eliezka was right to ask those questions. Most Venezuelan migrants in Brazil are in their 20s and 30s, and many are students. Once in Brazil, they have to navigate a new culture and language, as well as deal with the additional uncertainty of whether their academic qualifications will be recognized, as there is a complex accreditation process. Additionally, Venezuelans often face challenges obtaining legal documentation to work, making it difficult to integrate with young Brazilians.

Upon arriving in Brazil, Eliezka found resources and helping hands to rebuild her life "... Once inside this new land, it is necessary to plant seeds and take root, only then will we grow and bear fruit," she concluded.

One of the organizations that lent her a hand was the Terroá Institute, which runs the Young Changemakers Program, a BetterTogether Challenge awardee. Eliezka clearly remembers the day she joined the program. She received the information about the opportunity on a group chat, through a local health organization contact that works closely with the Terroá Institute. On October 20th, 2020, in the midst of a particularly difficult time due to the repercussions of the Coronavirus pandemic, Eliezka sent her application to participate in the program. She confesses that part of her hesitated, as other obligations and challenges overwhelmed her. But in the end, the optimism and resilience of this brave young woman persisted once again.

"But on the other hand, I said to myself: enough isolation, we are going to get together in that project, even if it is online, with people I trust are wonderful and have a lot to contribute to our society. I also have something to contribute,I just must learn the tools to do it.”

And she was right. Young Changemakers is a training program that focuses on development of socio-emotional, entrepreneurial, citizenship, and sustainability skills for both Brazilian and Venezuelan youth that will prepare them to better exercise their citizenship and have greater employability. The initiative sparks greater connections for Venezuelan migrant youth living in Brazil’s cities and communities, combining their organization’s mission with skills development and entrepreneurship training, as well as volunteerism, civic engagement and teamwork. Among the courses that are part of the program are: Integrating Entrepreneurship, Youth and Human Rights, Migration and Entrepreneurship, Youth and Sustainable Development in Latin America.

Eliezka García and her colleagues

Eliezka and her cohort have taken the first few courses on integration, inclusion and citizenship, and a cohesive group of young Brazilians and Venezuelans is emerging. They are working passionately and learning how they can exercise change around them. In Eliezka’s words:

“The Young Changemakers Program helped rekindle that spark that had been extinguished in the midst of so much illness, hopelessness and loneliness. The best thing about this experience is being able to do that cultural exchange between Venezuelans and Brazilians, discovering that, although we have different origins, we are similar in our perception of the world, in our desire to fight and build a better society. That is what motivates me to continue in this project, the hope that we can change the world, make it a little fairer for everyone, together building the incredible ”.

Eliezka is one of 90 young people who participate in the Young Changemakers program, which already includes more than 200 young people in the cities of Brasilia, Manaus and São Paulo.

Learn more about this initiative by visiting our webpage, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to receive news and updates on our innovators and beneficiaries.

Written by Alexandra Anda, USAID Catalyst Project at Resonance Global.

6 Innovadores Trabajando para Solucionar la Violencia de Género en todo el Mundo

by

Focus Areas: Gender

Cada año, cientos de millones de mujeres y niñas de todo el mundo experimentan alguna forma de violencia, y la mayoría no denuncia los incidentes ni busca ayuda. El COVID-19 ha exacerbado esta tendencia, con cuarentenas, cierres de escuelas, e inseguridad económica que intensificaron la violencia doméstica, y han dejado a las mujeres y a las niñas más pobres y más vulnerables a diferentes formas de explotación y abuso.

En honor a la Campaña de Nacionales Unidas de 16 Días de Activismo contra la Violencia de Género, del 25 de noviembre al 10 de diciembre de 2020, celebramos a seis innovadores con soluciones audaces en la lucha mundial para poner fin a la violencia contra las mujeres y las niñas. Estos innovadores han recibido financiamiento a través de dos desafíos de innovación bajo nuestro proyecto USAID Catalyst.

Empoderando a las Mujeres en las Comunidades Migrantes Venezolanas
Del JuntosEsMejor Challenge bajo el proyecto USAID / CatalystFinanciado por USAID y el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, el JuntosEsMejor Challenge identifica, financia y escala soluciones visionarias para apoyar a los venezolanos y las comunidades anfitrionas afectadas por la crisis migratoria regional. Tres ganadores de JuntosEsMejor están avanzando en nuevas soluciones para proteger y empoderar a las mujeres migrantes venezolanas:1. El Proyecto WELCOME de Democracy International

Democracy International ha presentado el proyecto Mujeres que Ejercen el Liderazgo para la Cohesión y el Empoderamiento Significativo (WELCOME; por sus siglas en inglés) en Trinidad y Tobago, donde las mujeres migrantes venezolanas se enfrentan de manera desproporcionada al acoso y a la xenofobia. El programa adaptará y probará un conjunto de intervenciones comprobadas y de bajo costo para aumentar la conciencia sobre el acoso y la xenofobia, y alentar a las comunidades a defender a las mujeres y a denunciar el acoso.

2. El Proyecto Aprendiendo y Prosperando Juntos del Comité Internacional de Rescate (IRC)

En Colombia, la llegada de más de 300.000 niños migrantes venezolanos ha puesto a prueba el sistema educativo del país y otros servicios sociales. El proyecto Aprendiendo y Prosperando Juntos del Comité Internacional de Rescate (IRC por sus siglas en inglés) trabaja para apoyar y proteger a los niños migrantes venezolanos en la escuela y en el hogar. Entre un conjunto de otros servicios escolares y comunitarios, el proyecto promueve la seguridad en el hogar a través de grupos de apoyo de WhatsApp y recursos en línea para padres y representantes de hogar. Estas herramientas en línea permiten que el proyecto se conecte y apoye a los cuidadores incluso durante la pandemia del COVID-19.

3. El Proyecto Loop de Nanas & Amas

En Perú, Nanas & Amas ha creado una aplicación móvil, llamada Loop, para conectar a las mujeres migrantes venezolanas en Perú con oportunidades de empleo previamente examinadas que garanticen un salario justo, seguridad y la oportunidad de determinar sus propias condiciones laborales. La iniciativa Loop también apoyará a las mujeres venezolanas con capacitación en desarrollo personal para ayudarlas a tener éxito profesionalmente en sus comunidades anfitrionas, y les brinda información financiera local con estrategias que les permitan empezar a ahorrar, apoyando así a las mujeres a perseguir sus aspiraciones educativas y profesionales.

Encuentra una lista completa de los ganadores adjudicados de JuntosEsMejor aquí.

Abordando la Violencia de Género en la Programación Ambiental
Del RISE Challenge el Proyecto USAID/Catalyst


El Desafío Ambientes Resilientes, Inclusivos y Sostenibles (RISE Challenge por sus siglas en inglés) financiado por USAID, destacamos a tres ganadores que trabajan para prevenir la violencia de género (VDG) en programas ambientales globales.

RISE incentiva las alianzas entre organizaciones ambientales, comunidades locales, organizaciones de pueblos indígenas y expertos en género y VDG que pueden ayudar a cerrar las brechas de conocimiento y trabajar para construir una base de evidencia de intervenciones efectivas en VDG.

1. El Proyecto Creación de Capacidad Creativa para Abordar la Violencia de Género en el Sector de la Minería Artesanal de Alliance for Responsible Mining

La Alianza para la Minería Responsable (Alliance for Responsible Mining) se ha asociado con el MIT D-Lab para introducir la prevención de la Violencia de Género (VDG) en los esfuerzos existentes, para aumentar las oportunidades socioeconómicas para las mujeres mineras y reducir los impactos ambientales de la minería en la región de Antioquia en Colombia. Con la financiación de RISE, el proyecto utilizará un enfoque innovador y probado para la crear movimientos que aborden la VDG en la minería. A través de este enfoque, ARM creará espacios seguros para que las mujeres compartan sus experiencias de VDG y construyan soluciones colectivamente. El proyecto también guiará a las mujeres sobre las mejores prácticas para organizarse en asociaciones y abordar la VDG en sus comunidades.

2. El Proyecto Asegurando los Derechos a la Tierra y Poniendo Fin a la Exclusión de Género de Trócaire

En el este de Uganda, aproximadamente el 80 por ciento de las mujeres informan haber experimentado violencia al reclamar sus derechos sobre la tierra. Trócaire, en asociación con Land Equity Movement de Uganda y la Organización de Desarrollo Integrado de la Diócesis Católica de Soroti, están integrando el proyecto SASA!Faith; una metodología probada para abordar los desequilibrios de poder entre hombres y mujeres y prevenir la violencia de género. La iniciativa busca fortalecer la tenencia de la tierra y los derechos de propiedad de las mujeres en Uganda.

3. El Proyecto Rising Up! (¡Elevándose!) de Women for Women International

En la República Democrática del Congo, las mujeres luchan por asegurar su derecho a la propiedad de la tierra, en un ambiente en donde los incidentes de violencia de género son altos. Women for Women International (WFWI) se ha asociado con Innovation and Training for Development and Peace (Innovación y Capacitación para el Desarrollo y la Paz) para combinar sus intervenciones comprobadas contra la violencia de género con la promoción de los derechos y el acceso a la tierra de las mujeres. Este proyecto involucrará a los hombres en el cambio de normas sociales, capacitará a agentes de cambio para prevenir la violencia y ampliará los derechos de las mujeres a la tierra para aumentar su independencia económica y seguridad.

—

Este artículo fue publicado originalmente en inglés por Resonance Global. Para leerlo en inglés, sigue este link.

This article was originally published in English by Resonance Global. To read it in English, click here.

Haz tu parte y cuéntale al mundo sobre la realidad de los migrantes venezolanos. Síguenos en Instagram, Twitter y Facebook.