JRS Ecuador & State PRM: Responding to Ecuador’s Migration Concerns

15 July 2024|Chloe Gunther

In early January, Ecuadorian officials declared a state of emergency, responding to overwhelming strain on migrant shelters. As these facilities reached full capacity, resources fell short of meeting the needs of refugees, asylum seekers, and other forcibly displaced individuals, forcing thousands to live on the streets.

As international support has dwindled, protection risks inside the shelters have grown. Reports of crime, forced recruitment by armed groups, and extortion have grown while natural disasters like earthquakes and flooding have further destabilized the country.

In response, Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) works in Ecuador’s shelters, providing emergency assistance, legal aid, and psychosocial support. Throughout the first quarter of 2024, JRS Ecuador, with the support of the United States Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (State PRM), has provided crucial assistance to nearly 4,000 individuals. This assistance includes home and hygiene kits, shelter, mobility assistance, and access to education.

This situation in Ecuador reflects the greater humanitarian concern throughout Latin America. Venezuelans fleeing systemic violence and Colombians escaping armed conflict constitute the majority of those seeking refuge at Ecuador’s border. Representing an average of 887 new arrivals daily, Venezuelan migrants make up the largest group.  Often, families migrate from Venezuela to Colombia, only to find the situation untenable there, so they continue on to Ecuador.

JRS Ecuador has reported a significant increase in what is referred to as “wandering migration”: individuals and families fleeing their homes without specific destinations in mind. That this is a trend speaks to the desperate circumstances of so many around this region.

Amidst these challenges and based on increased protection concerns, JRS prioritizes assisting female victims and survivors of gender-based violence, as well as children, adolescents.

Sofia*, a Colombian woman, is one of the thousands who are part of the JRS community. After facing threats, she fled to Ecuador. “Thank God I contacted organizations that informed us about the Jesuit Refugee Service, and we stayed at their shelter for 2 months,” she said.

Participating in JRS’s programs has helped Sol transform. With the support of a case worker and psychologist, and motivated by her son, she has developed healthy coping mechanisms to heal from her experiences.

“I am working on overcoming the things that happened to me with the psychological support and guidance from JRS,” she said. “I have a child who motivates me not to give up and to improve myself every day to give him a better future.”

To others she offered the following message: “I invite women, who fight daily, not to give up and to move forward despite the difficult situations that may arise each day. Violence will not stop reaching us as humans, so we have to become stronger with the situations we face.”

Our JRS community and State PRM walk alongside women like Sophia as they become stronger and bravely rebuild their lives. You can get involved and learn more about our programs in Latin America here.

*Name changed to protect safety and anonymity