It is hard to face one crisis upon another crisis. But solidarity comes to the surface when hope begins to sink. This solidarity is shown by many women by making masks to donate to hospitals, they are shown by those who collect different food or personal hygiene products to donate to families who, due to high prices, cannot buy such products. And we also see that solidarity in those who go out at least once a week to donate soups or prepared food to those who are seriously food insecure.
Without gas, without water, without gasoline, without electricity, many without receiving any salary due to confinement and with hyperinflation. That’s how millions of Venezuelans have faced quarantine.
As a social project we believe that solidarity is the basis that calls for change, it brings with it the idea that salvation cannot be individual, it must be collective. While others around us are in need, we cannot stay without doing anything. Individual salvation is not our thing.
For this reason, last month we created a specific solidarity fund to support those who during the quarantine were going through more difficult times because they cannot receive a monetary entry. Thanks to this we were able, during the quarantine, to collaborate financially with five people and at the same time, thanks to this fund and the funds collected so far through our gofundme campaign we were also able to collaborate with the Christian Organization “Arca de Noe” (OCAN). Organization that gives soup or a meal to people in need once a week in Mene de Mauroa, a town in the state of Falcón.
Before quarantine, this organization received people every 15 days and donated a plate of food, reaching up to 100 people during these days. During the quarantine, demand increased because the situation worsened, especially in Venezuelan towns. In these rural areas vegetables are extremely scarce because they can no longer be transported from the fields where they are harvested due to the lack of gasoline. In addition to food shortages due to the energy problem, prices began to be so high that it is very difficult for most to have access to food, as well as water. These obstacle of high prices continue today. Because of this, OCAN began to carry out its program adapting it to confinement. OCAN is providing house-to-house support, and help about 150 people per day.
In addition to supporting them monetarily, we hope in the future to work together with them to seek to provide more sustainable responses to the problems facing our communities. We hope to be able to support them with the creation of organic gardens and in the future, if is possible, to be able to support them with the creation of rainwater harvesting systems, ecological water filters and other sustainable methods.
Thank you to all of those who have contributed their bit to make these collaborations possible. We hope you can continue supporting us and can also share our project with others.