
venezuelan refugees arrive in brasilia with secured jobs
Migrants were living in reception centers in the state of Roraima and were resettled thanks to the PRM-funded project Welcomed Through Work
August 2, 2020
Migrants were living in reception centers in the state of Roraima and were resettled thanks to the PRM-funded project Welcomed Through Work
In August, a group of 27 Venezuelan refugees landed at the Juscelino Kubitscheck International Airport in Brasilia to start new jobs and begin a new life in the Brazilian capital. Eleven of the refugees were hired by the restaurant chain Levvo Group, the others were family members.
The jobs were made possible because of the strong partnership between the Levvo Group, which picked the candidates, the humanitarian organization Refúgio 343, responsible for conducting the interviews inside the reception centers in Roraima, and preparing candidates for a professional opportunity, and AVSI Brasil, responsible for the “interiorization” of the Venezuelan refugees thanks to the Welcomed Through Work project. As part of this project, funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), AVSI Brasil rents apartments for the refugees for three months. Beneficiaries and their families also receive social assistance for the first three months of living in the new city. A social worker helps families integrate into their new community and workplace.
"This support is essential because they have just left a reception center and cannot afford to pay rent or any other expense,"
Thais Braga, AVSI Brasil Project Manager Tweet
Laura Oliveira, president and founder of the Levvo Group, believes that inclusion is one of the most critical components of Welcomed Through Work, and this aligns with the company’s mission.
"The human factor is crucial at a time when the world is undergoing great transformation," says Laura Oliveira. "We're paying attention. We understand that incorporating employees from different cultures and life experiences can add value to our team, as well as professional and personal growth for each of us."
Ismenia Elena, 46, is one of the refugees who went through the selection process and moved to Brasilia with a guaranteed job. She arrived in Brazil in 2018, after crossing the border by herself.