Bucaramanga, May 2022 | ADRA Colombia Press.

The economic situation of Yessika and her family in Venezuela had worsened due to the crisis in the country, and they did not have enough resources to buy food or access healthcare services. Her son needed regular medical check-ups due to previous surgical interventions, which led her to make the decision to migrate to Colombia. With great sadness, she left her son and family behind and, together with her husband, walked for 2 months, exposed to the harsh weather conditions and risks of the journey, in search of a better future and with the hope of eventually bringing her son to Colombia.

“I was sick. While we were walking, I experienced respiratory problems that continued when I arrived in Bucaramanga. When I learned about the benefits of ADRA and realized they wouldn’t charge me for inhalers for my illness, it was a pleasant surprise.”

When Yessika arrived in Bucaramanga, she encountered another concern: it was costly to access medical services due to her irregular status. On several occasions, she was not attended to in emergency services due to her migrant condition.

Yessika was referred from another institution and was contacted by the ADRA team to register her family. A month ago, she attended a medical consultation at ADRA, where she was prescribed laboratory tests, and during the examination, she was informed about her pregnancy. She tells us that thanks to the ADRA project, she has received support in medical evaluation, primary care, and micronutrients.

She recounts that one day she received the news from ADRA that she was selected for the cash benefit for food purchases, and it was wonderful news because sometimes she did not consume enough food or with the required frequency. Thanks to this assistance, she is currently able to have a better diet and has been able to send her son to school because he receives daily breakfast.

She concludes by saying, “As a Venezuelan, I am very grateful for the help we have received because when we arrived in this country, we had no options. Having access to medical care, which is the most challenging for us, nutritional support at home, and the assistance for food, is truly appreciated. I know that there are many grateful Venezuelans like me because ADRA has been an institution that has supported us and has been attentive to my needs, and the staff has been very kind and warm in their care.”