Credit: © Alejandra Kaiser

On the occasion of World Refugee Day 2019 (20 June), SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde mobilising from Luxembourg to support programmes responding to refugee and migrant crises.

Since 2015, the organisation SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde has been running programmes in response to such crises. Present in the countries of origin, transit and destination, its priority is to protect children, provide them with a secure environment and appropriate care and support families. With its public and private donors, SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde is thus mobilising from Luxembourg this World Refugee Day to support such programmes.

In 2018, SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde, with the support of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, consolidated its presence in the Middle East (Iraq, Lebanon, Syria) to support hundreds of bruised and uprooted children and accompany them in this long process. In addition, with the support of the European Investment Bank (EIB), the organisation has supported an emergency response in Colombia to support families from Venezuela and strengthen social cohesion between migrant and host communities.

Given the needs, SOS Children's Villages Colombia, active in the country since 1971, intends to continue this programme started in June 2018 and expand its activities. Indeed, SOS Children's Villages Colombia assists more than 11,500 young people and adults through its infrastructure (including seven SOS Children's Villages) in the four corners of the country. In addition to its alternative care programmes for children who find themselves alone, the organisation strives to strengthen communities, empower families and optimise the employability of young people. It manages emergency aid after natural disasters, such as the deadly mudslides in Mocoa in 2017. Since 2018, the organisation has been working for Venezuelan refugees and migrants.

Of the 3.4 million people who have fled Venezuela, 1.2 million arrived in Colombia. The programme set up with the authorities and humanitarian organisations helps unaccompanied minors and homeless families who will remain temporarily in the country. Above all, it aims to protect children and adolescents against violence, accompany the victims, welcome young people to child-friendly spaces and prevent the separation of families.

One year after starting the programme, SOS teams have cared for 112 unaccompanied Venezuelan children, with the support of the Colombian Institute for the Welfare of the Family (ICBF). All were referred to the local protection system and some were reunited with their families. Moreover, the organisation has opened eighteen child-friendly spaces in the La Guajira region (Riohacha, Maicao and Uribia municipalities). 750 young people, including 500 Venezuelans, and their 145 parents/guardians benefited from paedagogical and socio-cultural activities and learned about children's rights.

Faced with the enormous needs of the refugee and migrant crises, SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde has called for donations via bank transfer to the account CCPL IBAN LU65 1111 0050 0053 0000 (cite "Crises de réfugiés 2019") or on the website www.sosve.lu.