Oliver Griffin

CHUSACA in Colombia (Reuters) – Shelters in Colombia have been preparing for an increasing number of homeless migrants who will be arriving by foot from Venezuela after it reopened its borders with Andean neighbors. Most of the children are in desperate need of food and medical attention.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s leftist government said this month it was reopening https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuela-reopen-border-with-colombia-tuesday-official-says-2021-10-04 its side of the 2,219-km (1,379-mile) border with Colombia, which was closed in 2019 over political tensions.

Colombia’s right-wing government reopened its side https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombia-reopens-border-with-venezuela-after-14-months-2021-06-02 of the frontier in June after closing it for 14 months amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A Reuters reporter was in San Cristobal, Venezuela’s border town. He saw dozens of migrants crossing the international bridge on foot.

Colombia, home to nearly 1.8million migrants, has been the preferred destination for Venezuela’s social and economic collapse victims for many years. Even though the border was closed to official entry, thousands of migrants crossed remote frontier crossings.

Many migrants walk to Colombian destinations or further afield by foot, even though they have worn out clothes and shoes. Many of them carry suitcases, and they must take care of children. This was the case for just over one third (or a quarter) among walkers who were seen by International Rescue Committee between June and September.

Juanita Bedoya is the field manager of the IRC’s Cundinamarca department. This area surrounds Bogota capital.

Bedoya explained that especially children and walking migrants are more vulnerable to violence, hunger, dehydration, and violence. An ICR centre for migrants was located near Bogota’s popular destination, Soacha.

IRC operates its “Play to Dream” project at four centers on the migrant route. There, children are able to play, do crafts, and receive medical and psychological treatment.

Bianggi, a 41-year-old construction worker who was at the center in Soacha, traveled with his wife, three children, and their family to Colombia’s southern city, Popayan.

The center has been a blessing, he stated. They had also spoken to psychologists and physicians.

Brightly colored backpacks are provided by the IRC to children so they have books and coloring pencils with which to play with.

Villarroel’s widow Luisandri Diaz (28), and their children designed animal masks, and then decorated them using finger paints and crayons.

Luismar (8 years old) said, “I like that little bird,” and showed off her mask.

As of 2013, Colombia was home to almost 130,000 Venezuelan-born children aged four and below, according the migration authorities.

Special visas for 10 years are available to migrants who have arrived in Colombia before January 31, 2021. Over 1.3 million people have already applied for a special visa. 320,000 are expected to get Colombian identification cards soon.

Emiliannys Ramos (age 20), who is visiting Venezuela with her young daughter, has received a birth-control implant from the center. This will prevent her pregnancy for five consecutive years.

Ramos explained that a child is a gift from God. However, it comes with a lot of responsibility. This helps us.