Polish Aid and UNICEF support Venezuelan children

21.04.2020

The Polish government has allocated PLN 400,000 to support efforts that address the educational challenges in Venezuela. Poland’s contribution is enabling UNICEF and its partners to implement interventions that aim at identifying children at risk of dropping out from school as well as procuring and distributing educational kits to conduct recreational, psychosocial, and training activities.

Valeria and Manuel on their way to school,

Venezuela’s socio-economic and political environment deteriorated in 2019 with hyperinflation, shortage of food and medical supplies, under-investment in infrastructure maintenance and human capital, a sharp reduction in access to, and quality of social services, and a massive emigration of around 4.9 million individuals. UNICEF identified vulnerable populations such as children as those who need humanitarian interventions the most.

Valeria and Manuel Altamiranda live in Manzanillo, a neighborhood in Maracaibo. UNICEF followed them during their school day to find out about their needs and dreams.

Where education depends on power

Valeria (10) and her brother Manuel (8) go to school in the afternoon when power cuts affect their home. For them, a 30-minute-walk under the scorching sun is the only way to get to school. Because of fuel shortages transportation is rare or even unavailable.

Their school, Fe y Alegría Manzanillo in Maracaibo, is also affected by local power rationing. As a result, teachers have shortened the school day so children can go back home early and avoid blackouts and extreme heats inside classrooms. “Teachers changed our school schedule so we only study from 1 pm to 4 pm. We only have two courses. Before, we used to study until 6, but without electricity it became too dark to walk safely,” says Valeria.

No environment for learning

When power cuts occur at night, the heat is so intense that the family take mattresses outside the house so they can sleep. Oftentimes, children feel so tired because of sleep deprivation that their mothers decide to leave them at home at least once a week.

The siblings Valeria and Manuel play outdoors after school in the extremely warm city of Maracaibo, where temperatures reach even 45° Celsius. Water shortages are common. In their house, water is supplied only once a month.

A smile says everything

Valeria smiles, after receiving UNICEF’s school kit also co-financed by Polish Aid. She wants to fill the pages of her notebook with “hundreds of paintings” and words in English, as she wants to speak a second language to learn more about the world. Her teacher gives Valeria a complete school kit including notebooks, coloured pencils, and other basic items for the new school year. These kits will help to reduce dropout rates in the country by giving children the basic materials to attend classes.

UNICEF’s work is funded entirely through the voluntary support of millions of people around the world and our partners in government, civil society and the private sector. Thanks to Poland’s support, UNICEF – together with the implementing partner FUNDANA – has delivered educational materials for almost 300,000 Venezuelan children.

Article based on “A backpack full of potential” by Enrique Patiño published on https://www.unicef.org/stories/backpack-full-potential

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