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Perez-Virla family relocation fund

My name is Luis Virla, I am from Maracaibo, Venezuela. My wife Ines, and I were fortunate to move to Calgary, Canada four years ago to chase our dreams. I came here to do my PhD in Chemical Engineering, hoping to build a career as a researcher. Currently, I am in the final year of my studies.

Sadly, my parents and two sisters stayed back in Venezuela facing the challenges of living in a country on the verge of collapse. Social, political and economic chaos is now the rule. For regular citizens, life is becoming more and more unbearable. People are fighting for survival by any means possible. Read more here: Politico: What's like to see a democracy destroyed? 

Presently, my youngest sister Maria Alejandra (Ale), her husband Juan, and their son Santiago (Iago), have a small window of hope to move to Spain to start a new life. Juan and Iago are Spanish citizens and Ale is eligible for permanent residency. Also, Juan’s cousins in Santander (Spain), have offered support to help them settle. The only thing between them and their dream, is the money they don't have to be able to escape Venezuela to start a new life.

Ale is an Assistant Professor at a public university in Venezuela (University of Zulia) in the Department of Geomatic Engineering, and Juan founded his own business dedicated to landscaping and facility services. They are smart, honest, talented, caring and hard-working people. However, their income is barely enough to buy basic grocery products for their family every month. Inflation in Venezuela is out of control, with an estimated 2600 % in 2017. Read more here: REUTERS: Venezuela 2017 annual inflation at 2,616 percent: opposition lawmakersThe WSJ: Venezuela Is Starving Its People
 
I have created this fund to help Ale, Juan and Iago (the Perez-Virla family) receive the help they need to escape the ravages of the collapse of Venezuela. With the money you donate, we will help them to cover the costs of flight tickets, housing, food, transportation and unexpected expenses while they settle and find jobs in Spain (approx. 3 months). We expect to have raised all the money we need by March 2018, so the Perez-Virla can move away.

Once the funds has been collected, I will pay for the flight tickets from Canada and transfer the rest of the money to my sister's bank account in Spain.

We are widely aware that many people are far more in need of funds due to severe illnesses or family tragedies. However, the situation in Venezuela is worst that we can imagine. So, any help you can give to these three amazing human beings, will be a ray of light and a step closer in fulfilling their dream of a better life.

From my heart, I am deeply grateful to you for your help and support.

Donations 

  • Richard Wilson
    • $250 
    • 6 yrs

Organizer

Luis Virla
Organizer
Calgary, AB

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