DAYS before school reopens, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said it is prepared to double its financial support to ensure the Venezuelan refugee children here, are accommodated in the local education system.

In a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Guyana and Suriname’s UNICEF Representative, Sylvie Fouet said while UNICEF has initiated a Contingency Plan of US$30,000 to provide much needed relief supplies to Regions One, Seven and Nine where Venezuelans have crossed the borders in search of food and shelter, it stands ready to double and if needed triple its support.

“We started with the US$30,000 but we can triple that, it depends on the needs, we call this emergency relief. So far we have planned US$100,000 and then we can double, if needed,” the UNICEF Representative told this newspaper.

Fouet noted that UNICEF is helping the Education Ministry to put the necessary systems in place to accommodate the Venezuelan children in schools within Regions One, Seven and Nine.

“It is important to mention when we support one child coming from Venezuela we always support one child from the community, so it is one and one,” she pointed out.
As of June, 2018, 11 of the 74 schools in Region One (Barima-Waini) had accepted children from neighbouring Venezuela. Language barrier is among the challenges facing the Venezuelan children, and as such UNICEF will be offering support in the form of interpreters.

The Government through the Mabaruma Mayor and Town Council secured 5 acres of lease land from the Broomes Estate for the establishment of a homestead settlement area or humanitarian centre for registered Venezuelans, in Barima-Waini (Region One).

The land was owned by the late Dr. Edward Broomes. The plot of land is located next to the Atabani Creek, and within one mile of the Regional Administration Office, the Mabaruma Regional Hospital, the North-West Secondary School and the Mabaruma Primary School.
The economic turmoil facing Venezuela has resulted, in the past few months, in many Venezuelans seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Many are in search of food and housing.

A multi-agency coordinating committee has been working alongside UNICEF, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Human Rights’ Council (UNHRC) to determine areas of collaboration and support.