Renewal Artisans

Vital Stats

Emily G

Silver Spring, MD

people helped20
People Doing It 3

The Problem

According to UNHCR, an estimated 144,000 Colombian forced migrants are currently residing in Ecuador, forced out of their home from an ongoing civil war. While aid organizations like the UN and Hebrew International Aid Society (HIAS) provide asylum seekers with food and help them find shelter, there is a gap in support for helping these individuals find work. The majority of Colombian immigrants enter Ecuador with no more than the clothes on their back, and rely on the support of others to secure access to basic necessities. Even opening a bank account is practically impossible given identification requirements. Since almost 80% of the Colombian refugees plan on staying in Ecuador for the foreseeable future (as the violence back home shows little sign of subsiding), providing a sustainable way for the new Ecuadorian residents to support themselves becomes ever more important.

Plan of Action

Renewal Artisans provides refugees and asylum seekers with product design support and access to markets with the goal of increasing their revenue from the artisania they create. All of the products made by artisans working with the organization incorporate reused and natural materials transported from local recycling centers Renewal Artisans established. The organization also provides refugees with english classes in an effort to provide them with skills for finding jobs, and hopes to provide financial literacy classes for refugees in the upcoming year.

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