LET ME TELL YOU

Girls and Boys Fleeing the Venezuelan Regional Crisis Share their Experiences Through a Story Telling Contest

By Education Cannot Wait

September 7^th, 2021

Story from the field. Special contribution by RET Americas and UNICEF Peru.

Just take a moment to look around the room you are sitting in. You may see your family sitting around a kitchen table. A child playing with toys on the floor. A cat stretched out in the sun. A quiet yet peaceful home and a comfortable, happy life all around you.

Now imagine having to leave it all behind and not being able to look back.

Emma, Isabella and Yelianny are three children who did just that. A few of the 5.6 million people impacted by the Venezuelan crisis, these girls said goodbye to the life they knew – close friends, family members, beloved pets and their communities– and became part of the largest forced displacement of people in modern Latin American history. Like many others, they fled their home country and started a new chapter for themselves and their families abroad.

I.J., one of the contest participants, is all smiles after the award ceremony for the entrants. Photo Credit: RET Americas

Sharing Their Experiences

Emma was just a child when her mother left Venezuela for Peru. For a while, they were separated, until the rest of the family made the journey. When she arrived, she felt like an outsider, and when she went to school, she struggled to make friends. Peru was very different and adjusting was a challenge.

Today, Emma, Isabella and Yelianny share with us their stories and experiences thanks to a story contest called “Déjame que te Cuente” (Let Me Tell You). The innovative storytelling contest was launched by RET Americas and supported by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), Plan International, UNESCO Peru and UNICEF. More than 100 participants, all children between 6 and 16 years old, shared powerful written accounts and creative artwork detailing their experiences.

"Upon arriving to Peru, Emma finally got to run into her mother's arms... her family was newly reunited and they were happy."- Emma and the Magic Whirlpool (Emma)

Each of the stories submitted into the contest shed a light on the courage and resiliency that many girls and boys demonstrated in their difficult transition. Many of them were, and still are, too young to understand the reasons why they left. But they can still feel the pain of leaving.

Saying Goodbye to Home

Their parents told them that they needed to relocate for a better life. Of course, we all know that for any child the best life is with friends and family. The best life happens at schools with beloved teachers and classmates. The best life happens with the hope and opportunity of nurturing and safe learning environments.

Isabella was only three years old when her family made the decision to leave. As a small child, she thought it was a vacation and it was fun, but each day got harder and harder. They travelled by bus through the mountains for seven days. Her mom worked hard to comfort her, but she missed her life at home.

"...there are days where I really miss my family, going to the beach to sleep with my cousins and other things..."- My Grand Adventure (Isabella)

Closing Doors

To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to isolate in their homes, restricting integration and taking away opportunities to make vital community ties and friendships. With their schools moving online, educational access and a sense of normalcy were challenged.

Yelianny found school to be her happy place and an escape from her pre-COVID-19 situation. She and her family left Venezuela in 2018. They got to Peru after a multiple-day trip, and they arrived to a space too small for their family.

They worked with what they had to make ends meet, but it was difficult. The students, teachers and learning were “some of the only things that made her happy.” Now, only her mom can leave the house, and her school is fully remote.

Looking to a Brighter Tomorrow

Despite the difficulties, these children hold an optimism for their future. They see the good in the world and in their host communities. They believe in a better tomorrow and in their ability to achieve success.

"...we have faith in God that we can move forward given this country has opened its doors for us. We have celebrated its culture, the people, food, and all that it has provided us to continue our lives and love this country."- My Odyssey to Peru (Yelianny)

Communities all over Latin and South America have stepped in to help the refugees and migrants leaving Venezuela. Their support has helped them rebuild and move forward in their lives. Governments, communities, individuals and institutions have aided and embraced these people during one of the most difficult times of their lives. ECW and our partners call on our counterparts to accelerate this support to ensure no child is left behind.

ECW has active programs in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela to ensure more than 350,000 girls and boys impacted by the ongoing crisis are in school and receiving a quality education. These refugee and migrant children need this continuity to keep them on positive paths forward. The programmes provide children and youth with equitable, safe and inclusive environments for learning. You can guarantee that, as long as the crisis continues, ECW and its incredible partners will be working for these children.

These three girls, along with the other story contest participants, are some of the many children to share their stories. To read more from the children of the Venezuelan crisis, another ECW-backed initiative called El Libro Viajero (The Traveling Book) captures heartfelt stories from refugee and migrant children and highlights their remarkable resilience, strength and love for one another.

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