The AVSI Foundation in Ecuador organized an event to present the results of the “Integrados” project, focused on the integration of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the country. The project, titled Integration of Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees in Ecuador Phase 2: Continued Support to Provide Protection Services, Job Opportunities, and Access to Decent Living Conditions, has been implemented by the AVSI Foundation Ecuador in collaboration with its partner COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale, with support from the U.S. Government’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM). Over the course of four years, this project has worked to strengthen local protection networks through the active participation of key actors, including community leaders, public authorities, academia, and the general community. Its goal has been to facilitate socioeconomic integration as a sustainable solution for displaced Venezuelan families in Ecuador.
The event took place at the Rotonda of the Botanical Garden in Quito. Its primary purpose was to analyze humanitarian response strategies to migration crises and the socioeconomic inclusion of migrants and refugees in Ecuador. Additionally, the main achievements of the "Integrados" project were presented, highlighting the life stories of the beneficiaries.
One of the key moments of the event was the panel titled "Opportunities to Overcome Barriers to the Socioeconomic Integration of Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees in Ecuador." The panel aimed to explore the challenges and barriers that migrants and refugees face in the country, present effective integration strategies implemented by participating organizations and foster a dialogue on best practices for future interventions. The panelists included Daniela Navas, Socioeconomic Inclusion Officer at UNHCR; Gloria Camacho, Coordinator of the Women Taking Root Project in Quito, Expertise France; and Sofía Vázquez, Director of the "Peace and Life Civic Centers" Project at the Ministry of Interior of Ecuador. The topics addressed included labor inclusion in the private sector in Ecuador, the need for access to decent housing for women in situations of human mobility, and the strengthening of the social fabric through the creation of "Civic Centers for Peace" and citizen security.
Porter Illi, Deputy Regional Refugee Coordinator of BPRM, shared his observations on the work of AVSI and COOPI in the protection of migrants, refugees, and displaced persons in Ecuador, as well as his experiences in missions carried out in the territories where the project is implemented.
The event also featured the valuable participation of the Youth Symphonic Band from the José Antonio Abreu Center for Musical Studies, which performed musical pieces such as “GIPSY OVERTURE” and “VENEZUELA.” This center is part of the civil society organizations that have received funding to strengthen their projects in response to the integration of migrants and refugees in Ecuador, within the framework of cascading funding.
During the project results presentation, Mileidy Capurro, Project Manager of Integrados, and Sebastián Acosta, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of AVSI Ecuador, highlighted the main achievements. Among these are 10,814 beneficiaries served in the Protection component, 4,590 beneficiaries in Habitability, and 779 beneficiaries in Livelihoods. These results confirm that an integral approach, centered on community protection and encompassing protection, habitability, and livelihood strengthening, contributes to reducing integration barriers for people in situations of human mobility.
The event was attended by important figures, such as Giovanni Davoli, Ambassador of Italy in Ecuador; Porter Illi, Deputy Regional Refugee Coordinator; María Fernanda Roldán, Deputy Secretary of Housing of MIDUVI; Jacopo Sabatiello, Vice President of AVSI Brazil; Manuel Simoncelli, Regional Coordinator of COOPI for Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as representatives from United Nations Organizations and government institutions.
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