PORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland based Mercy Corps, Oregon’s largest nonprofit, is gearing up to help with the humanitarian crisis on the border of Venezuela.
Hundreds of thousands of people are leaving the country. A once prosperous, oil-rich nation now cannot even feed its own people.
“It is a humanitarian crisis,” said Provash Budden.
Budden is of the people leading the effort for Mercy Corps. He grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon, a long way from the desperation he's now trying to help.
Budden said the current exodus brought at least 500,000 people across the border and into Colombia in the past several months.
“There are a lot of women and young children that are coming over that are at high risk of being used by exploitative services in the labor force in Colombia, they may get involved in illegal gangs or prostitution,” he said.
And those who stay behind find little help, especially if they get sick.
“There is also an increase in problems with infectious diseases because the health care system is in ruins. There’s no medicine. The doctors don’t have supplies. They don’t have the tools at their disposal to have a good health system,” said Budden.
And then there is the crime.
“Security is very bad as well. Venezuela now has 10 times the global average murder rate. And people are fleeing very insecure situations because of the lack of resources,” he added.
Which is why Mercy Corps is setting up shop on the Colombian border, ready to hand out money to families who will then buy what they need at nearby markets, boosting the economy, and also helping with shelter while the immigrants get on their feet.