Cuso International and its partners expand resources for migrants and refugees in Latin America

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, July 6, 2022 — Cuso International is set to expand a successful seven-year project for Venezuelan migrants in Latin America thanks to financial support from the Government of Canada. The project will target Venezuelan migrants in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru and increase their access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced at the Ninth Summit of the Americas, $26.9 million in additional funding for migration and protection-related projects in the Americas to better support Venezuelan migrants. This additional funding allows for the two-year expansion of Cuso International’s Sustainable Opportunities for Employment (SCOPE) project in Ecuador and Peru and a scaling-up of socioeconomic integration activities in Colombia.

SCOPE assists vulnerable groups such as youth, women, victims of conflict and Venezuelan migrants. The project has helped more than 16,000 individuals receive training and support and 8,100 have been linked to formal employment, 60 per cent being women.

By focusing on gender equality and social inclusion, the project works closely with public and private sectors, as well as civil society, to ensure migrants are included in Colombia’s formal labour market in ways that ensure the protection of the rights of migrants.

“At its core, SCOPE is about helping vulnerable immigrant populations and providing them with tools to gain a foothold. Most have had to leave their homes due to difficult situations and have encountered trauma. We are excited about the expansion into Ecuador and Peru and look forward to providing more Venezuelan people across Latin America with the tools to succeed long-term,” says Nicolas Moyer, Chief Executive Officer, Cuso International.

Nearly five million Venezuelan people have been displaced due to the country’s ongoing political crisis and violation of human rights, says Pilar Garcia, Cuso Country Representative, Peru. “The SCOPE project is ideal for Ecuador and Peru because these countries have a very high number of displaced people from Venezuela,” she says. “Once humanitarian needs are addressed, SCOPE addresses the long-term solutions for the socio-economic integration of Venezuelan people in their host countries.”

In the next two years, SCOPE in the three countries aims to provide 12,000 people with new employment and entrepreneurship skills, link 6,000 people to employment, strengthen 1,400 small businesses and inform 2,000 migrants and refugees of basic human and labour rights, and provide gender equality and social inclusion training to 40 companies.

About Cuso International:
Cuso International is a Canadian charity committed to ending poverty and inequality. Cuso works with local partners around the world to improve economic opportunities for all, enhance women’s and girls’ empowerment, and advance gender equality. By sharing skills, we are building sustainable futures. Each year, we amplify our impact by mobilizing hundreds of professionals who volunteer their time and share their experience. Learn more at: www.cusointernational.org