Hello,

I met Jhocebethsy last summer while travelling in Colombia with my family. Jhoce was responsible for the apartment we rented and gave us a tour of the facilities. I learned that she left Venezuela 2 years ago with her 5 children and husband because of the economic crisis that left her family living in abject poverty due to skyrocketing inflation.

Jhoce is the first university graduate of her family. Through scholarships, she put herself through university while also raising her first three children. Once the crisis hit, her salary as a nurse could only cover the cost of groceries for 2 days. Unable to afford birth control, she became pregnant with twins when the economic crisis hit her family the hardest. The lack of food and stress prevented her from producing milk and she had a very hard time feeding her babies. Since then, food insecurity has become part of her everyday life.

After many hardships and like many Venezuelan asylum seekers, her family made it to Colombia. At first, she and her husband collected cans as their only source of income. Today, she works at a beach resort but it is not enough to get by. When the tourist season is low, she sells sandwiches as a street vendor.

My partner Kevyn and I have been helping her sporadically when she runs out of food or needs school supplies for the children. Every time we have sent her money, Jhoce sends me pictures of the food/school supplies along with the receipts. I have asked her to stop, as I don't need proof, but she insists on showing us how every penny sent goes to support her family.

Because of her degree in nursing, Jhoce has a strong chance of finding steady work in her field. This would enable her to leave the days of extreme poverty behind her. To do so, she needs to travel to Venezuela to have her degree legalized by a lawyer. This will cost her 250 U.S. dollars. She would also need some money to travel and for the loss of income for the days spent in Venezuela.

A little financial aid from you- friends and family-- can lift this family out of poverty as she is one of the 'luckier' ones fleeing Venezuela because of her degree in nursing. If we can raise even more than what is needed for the trip, it will only ensure that her family will have food security until she finds stable work in her field.

Once the funds are raised, I will send a picture of the money transferred to her name via Western Union. I am sure that Jhoce will send us pictures of her degree and groceries.

Thanks, in advance, for any support you can provide.

Warm regards,

Sophia and Kevyn