The Refugee Day, June 20, has been marked in the latter years by one of the most serious migratory crises in the history of humanity, which affects millions of people in various parts of the world. In South America, the situation has not been different in face of the conflicts in Venezuela, responsible for the leaving of 4 million people from the country in the last years. Brazil is one of the main destinies of these refugees and most of them are in Roraima, specially in the cities nearest the border with Venezuela.

Even before the situation of the Venezuelan refugees in the Brazilian North was evaluated as critical by governmental organisms, Fraternidade – International Humanitarian Federation was already in Roraima, bringing humanitarian assistance to the neighbors that seek shelter and the resumption of their lives here. Fraternidade was the first non-governmental institution that acted in the region, where it arrived in 2016, to guarantee fundamental rights to the refugees, among which many were Indigenous people.

Since then, it has attended more than 8,000 Venezuelans in the five shelters that it administers, of a total of tem that are functioning. This number includes more than 2,700 children and more than 3,600 Indigenous people. Only in the first quarter of this year, this five shelter accounted 1.684 refugee, being 1.000 indigenous people.

Rights and affection: the balance of good

The daily life of a refugee is difficult in any part of the world. But it is possible to alleviate the suffering of the one who is obliged to leave their country of origin and help those people rebuild their lives and have access to basic rights. In the shelters administered by Fraternidade, there is this and a little more, for there is much affection and several educational and recreational activities, besides the several modalities of workshops, specially of Indigenous artisanship – they were 266 altogether this year.

There is also health. Among referrals to vaccination, medical, psychological and dental services, it was almost 3,000 in the first three months of 2019. And in the program The Common Good, carried out in ten shelters, 2,700 children were attended. As for socio-educational campaigns, they summed 514, and 338 children of the five shelters administered by Fraternidade were registered in the public teaching system.

More than numbers, these data show that the Venezuelan refugees are not alone and helpless. There is help and hope for the reconstruction of these lives, as indicate the gazes captured in the attached video. Therefore, on this June 20, and in the light of this immense crisis that humanity faces, the refugees of the shelters administered by Fraternidade will show how this new path is being trodden: with many activities to overcome the pain and the losses, so as to move ahead.

Schedule: Refugee Day – June 20 – Shelters coordinated by Fraternidade in Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil

  • From 9:00 a.m. – Pintolandia Shelter
  • Soccer and Volleyball Tournament
  • Photos and painting exhibit
  • Indigenous Artisanship Fair
  • Indigenous Dance
  • Seeds of Light
  • Planting of seeds in the vegetable garden of the shelter with children and teen-agers, after music round.

From 9:00 a.m – Tancredo Neves – ShelterMandalas Exhibit

  • Stand up – Varieties Show
  • From 9:00 a.m. – Nova Canaan Shelter
  • Photos and paintings Exhibit
  • Musical and dance Presentation
  • Fanzine production with the topic of identity, with teen-agers