“The donation from the Government of Luxembourg comes at a timely moment when UNHCR is placing emphasis on investing in its partners and building their capacity to respond better. Strengthened communications serves not only as a way to enhance UNHCR collaboration with partners, but it is also a means to provide them an opportunity to broaden their own operational perspectives and for all of us together to make a difference.”

Giovanni Monge
Head of Programme, UNHCR Venezuela

In Guasdualito, UNHCR and its partners are providing protection assistance to individuals who are not able to leave Venezuela, through community-based projects that deliver services in the areas of health, education, protection, water and sanitation.

The exodus of Venezuelan nationals is the largest in the recent history of Latin America and the Caribbean. There are currently 4 million refugees and migrants from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela throughout the world, many of whom have sought a new life in neighboring south American countries.

As the crisis in Venezuela continues to deteriorate, the gradual degradation of national services has led to difficult and unreliable access to internet connectivity and communications, hindering the capacity of humanitarians to deliver assistance effectively.

Lack of access to a stable source of power from the national electrical grid is heavily impacting the interventions of humanitarian organizations across Venezuela. As a result of the electricity outages, Internet Service Providers are no longer able to deliver services in a dependable and consistent manner, and many companies are no longer offering subscriptions to commercial contracts. For local organizations assisting beneficiaries on a limited budget, this leaves little funding to ensure access to internet services.