Clara and her husband Juan have fled Venezuela and settled in Lima, Peru. | © Victor Mallqui / HI
Clara and her husband Juan have fled Venezuela and settled in Lima, Peru. | © Victor Mallqui / HI
On World Refugee Day, we share the story of Clara and her family, who found refuge in Peru after fleeing Venezuela.
As refugees, everyday life for Clara and her family is a challenge. Since his motorbike accident, her husband Juan has difficulty walking. Humanity & Inclusion (HI) provides them with the support they need.
Clara and Juan fled Venezuela and moved to Lima, Peru, in September 2018. Their daily life is difficult. With few resources, they sometimes find it hard to buy food.
What’s more, Juan has pain in his right leg, due to a fractured femur caused by a motorbike accident 11 years ago. After the accident, he underwent surgery. Screws and pins were used to repair his fracture.
Unfortunately, these screws and pins are now causing Juan intense pain and he can no longer bend his leg. Nor can he work in the Unicachi market anymore, as his job involved carrying heavy loads. Clara has to help him with his daily needs. He can no longer take a bath or go to the toilet, for example, without assistance.
"I’ve been in pain for about a month,” explains Juan. “I’ve got an abscess on my leg. Unfortunately, we couldn’t afford to go the doctor to get it examined."
To enable them to seek treatment, HI is covering the family’s medical costs.
© Victor Mallqui / HI
To earn some money, Clara sells sweets on the street. But she doesn’t earn enough to support the couple. Through HI, Clara and Juan received a basket of highly nutritious, non-perishable food. Their 40-kilo basket included cornmeal, black beans and oatmeal.
“We are grateful to HI”, Clara tells us. “This donation helps us a lot. I hope the organisation will continue to help more people.”
More than 6 million refugees have left Venezuela due to the political and socio-economic crisis that has ravaged the country since 2013. This is the largest population displacement in Latin America in recent history. Seventeen countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean host nearly 80% of Venezuelans.
After assessing the humanitarian needs of the Venezuelan refugees living in Peru, HI began supporting refugees and host communities in 2020. We run mental health projects and provide psychosocial support and food aid for those most in need, including people with disabilities, children, refugees and older people.
