Erwin Barreto Vazquez was 21 years old when a car crash in Maracaibo, Venezuela left him paralyzed from the waist down in 2005. Thankfully, Erwin had the support of his friends and family in Venezuela to help him persevere through this devastating ordeal.   Over a decade after this accident, Erwin’s ability to live and survive became severely challenged. Worsening socioeconomic conditions and insecurity in his home country made it extremely difficult for him and his family to survive. “Every month I had to make a choice of whether I would buy food, diapers or medical supplies” he said.   In desperation, Erwin fled to nearby Trinidad and Tobago in 2019, with his wife Yenitza and their son Emanuel following soon after. “Many people helped me along that dangerous journey to get here, and when I got here, thankfully I had the support of my brother, Johan who had come to Trinidad a few months earlier.” Erwin is a recognized refugee, and his family are still asylum seekers.   The family lived in Penal before moving to a small apartment in El Dorado, at the start of 2021. Unfortunately, inconsistent access to basic needs continued to plague the family in Trinidad and Tobago, with the limited livelihood opportunities available to them further negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Having a debilitating condition with little opportunity available to achieve self-reliance, Erwin was approved for longer-term assistance from the UNHCR cash assistance programme funded by the EU’s European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, ECHO. The goal of this programme is to provide cash assistance to address the serious protection needs faced by individuals and households that have been heightened by their loss of income and livelihoods opportunities and resultant inability to self-manage. The programme is administered through the delivery of Visa Gift Cards by implementing partner, Living Water Community, to persons who are approved for assistance.   As he is unable to walk or move easily over long distances, Erwin’s brother, Johan is usually the one who assists him to get the things he needs with the gift card.   Through the withdrawal of cash from the gift card at an ATM, Erwin has been able to use the assistance to buy medicine, medical supplies and food for himself and his now five-year-old son, Emanuel del Jesus.   “I am also so thankful to UNHCR and ECHO for the assistance they have provided because I don’t know what I would have done without it” he said. “My only hope is that one day my son will be able to go to school so that he can have a better life than mine.”   Trinidad and Tobago hosts over 24,000 refugees and migrants from Venezuela who have left their country fleeing from widespread shortages of basic items, like medicine, and insecurity. Many of them struggle to integrate in their new communities, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated their dire needs. 

On Thursday 30th December 2021, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Port of Spain Office distributed 200 electronic tablets to selected schools, Government Agencies and non-governmental organsations, who have been working diligently to narrow the digital divide for students. The IOM expects that the devices would benefit youth from local at-risk communities and within the Venezuelan migrant community by facilitating and enhancing virtual educational opportunities. Representatives from the Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ), the Office of Law Enforcement Policy (OLEP) of the Ministry of National Security, and the TTV Solidarity Network (TTVSOLNET) were present at the UN House, Port of Spain to receive the devices. Five identified schools and two homes would also benefit from this donation. The initiative was funded by the US Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).   Speaking at the distribution ceremony, Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Port of Spain, Shante Moore, pointed out that education, like so many other aspects of life under COVID19, has changed dramatically and said it is important that all children, whether local or a Venezuelan migrant, have access to remote education. Moore indicated that local and migrant children having access to education is a priority for the US Government. He added that, “…it’s important that all of our children, whether they are Venezuelan refugees or Trinbagonian children, have the opportunity to study, to make sure they have all access to educational tools”. “Today’s donation just reiterates our commitment to Trinidad and Tobago, the Venezuelan refugee community, and to the United Nations, the IOM in particular, to do all that we can to help in this area.” Moore thanked the Embassy’s partners at UNHCR, UNICEF, Living Water Community and TTVSOLNET for providing “this invaluable service”. IOM Port of Spain Head of Office, Jewel Ali recalled in March 2021, there was a round of consultations with Government, NGOs and other local partners on what they saw as priorities for the next three years. “When we discussed education, it came up there is still quite a digital divide and students are still not accessing virtual learning platforms.” She recalled the initiative began earlier this year with the distribution of 160 tablets. “We certainly hope to continue investing not just in tablets but any other supporting devices, possibly internet access, and even things beyond education but that supports it such as mental health and psychosocial support.”   Ali said the initiative also responds to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 which speaks of equality in education and responds to the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) Objective 15 which seeks to provide inclusive and equitable quality education to migrant children and youth. The Head of Office added that “it is quite important for IOM with the assistance of the US State Department, to provide tablets, not just to migrant children but to Trinidad and Tobago children as well, or what we call our ‘host community’.” OLEP Director Gale Charles described the donation as a “godsend” for the organisation’s work to assist the vulnerable in the East Port of Spain community. “We would have done programmes face-to-face prior, and were wondering how we were going to get to those persons. This was sent by God. Everything just fell into place. And so we are indeed thankful for this gift.” Darrion Narine, programme manager at the Archdiocesan Ministry for Migrants and Refugees (AMMR) under the CCSJ, said they do a lot of work with children in the areas of education and psychosocial aid and development. “This now offers an opportunity for those who don’t have access to educational material… and is going to be a big help for us in reaching that vulnerable community and ensuring that our next generation is fully prepped and ready.” Founder and director of TTVSOLNET Lorennys Mendoza said TTVSOLNET has been working with many organisations over the years, but IOM has been the key one. “They were very quick to understand the needs and the actions they had to take in that moment and over these years. So we work very closely with them not only with our educational programme but also empowerment trainings for Venezuelan women and other aid programmes in Trinidad.”

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Port of Spain Office hosted the Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) on December 11 in recognition of International Migrants Day, which is celebrated globally on December 18. The film festival was held at Estate 101, Maraval and IOM Port of Spain Head of Office Jewel Ali brought opening remarks. “For decades, the IOM has been working with migrants and host communities to reduce prejudice and prevent xenophobia through the facilitation of positive interaction between the two groups, as well as working on targeted campaigns to promote a more balanced narrative on migration,” said Ali. “As such, IOM strives to create safe spaces for discussion to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in an accessible way through storytelling; and to reinforce the positive impact that film institutions can make. It is hoped that through this screening here in Trinidad and Tobago we collectively continue to positively shape the perception of migrants, promote diversity and deeper and wider policy integration as well as address and counter misinformation, xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance towards migrants.” Also bringing remarks on the evening was US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago Political Officer John Miller. “The history of the world includes stories of migration in every era. Our collective history is one of migration and of change. As the world has grown more sophisticated, migration patterns have changed. We find ourselves at a crossroads here with the Venezuelan crisis. The United States remains committed to improving the respect for human rights in Trinidad and Tobago and will continue focusing attention on refugees, vulnerable migrants, people with disabilities, people living with HIV, the LGBTQI + community and other marginalised groups,” said Miller. IOM, having recognised the vital role that films play in highlighting relevant issues within our international and national landscapes, launched the first GMFF in 2016. Since then, the festival has been held annually in 100 countries, to showcase the promise and challenges of migration through films and documentaries. The film selected for the local edition was 2019 Trinidad and Tobago documentary Nearest Neighbours. The short film tells the story of Venezuelan migrants who are forced from their homeland to TT, with hopes of bettering their own lives and that of their families, while confronting various hurdles. Following the screening a panel discussion was moderated by Institute of International Relations, at The UWI lecturer Dr. Michal Pawinski and the panelists were Archbishop of Port of Spain Dr. Charles Jason Gordon, Chief Immigration Officer Charmaine Gandhi-Andrews, Co-Chair of the R4V Platform Miriam Aertker, and Nearest Neighbours director Rhonda Chan Soo. Archbishop Gordon in his opening statement said a touchpoint of the movie for him is the “lost opportunity”. “We’ve been talking about a pivot to the South. I really believe if we brought migrant children speaking Spanish into our English classrooms, we would have a bilingual nation in the next ten years. We’ve been talking about Spanish, we’ve put the names on the streets and the single, easiest way to move Spanish through the next generation – we don’t want to do it.” Gandhi-Andrews in her opening statement said the influx of migrants and in particular Venezuelan migrants was something unique to Trinidad and Tobago.

“It was unprecedented. The 2019 registration exercise was a recognition that we needed to do something to assist Venezuelan nationals – to help them to work legally so that fear of being jailed would be eliminated. We registered over 16,000 people in two weeks. The registration exercise conducted this year was also meant to keep those persons in a legal state.” Among those in attendance at the Festival were Minister in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Laventille East/Morvant MP Adrian Leonce, senior technocrats from the government, members of the diplomatic community, representatives of UN Agencies, members of the Gender-Based Violence Unit of TT Police Service, members of the TT Coast Guard, members of the Scout Association of TT, civil society representatives, and representatives of the migrant community including students. The Festival was made possible through the continued support of the U.S. Department of State: Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. The GMFF is being hosted by IOM Offices in various countries from November 28th to December 18th, when it culminates on International Migrants Day. On December 4, 2020 the United Nations General Assembly, taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, proclaimed 18 December International Migrants Day. On that day, in 1990, the Assembly also adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrants Workers and Members of Their Families. This year’s theme for International Migrants Day is “Harnessing the Potential for Human Mobility”.  

Through carefully examining each submitted piece and a thorough judging panel, winners have been chosen for the five categories. Rights of children: 1st Place: Irshaad Ali Irshaad's piece depicts the desire that a child has, filled with dreams, imagination, full of wonder and hope. A child should be free to have choices, a voice to be heard and the right to enjoy the best quality of life 2nd Place: Christine Mahabir Christine's painting is about a woman (Charlotte), now successful, telling her adoption story. Originally, Charlotte came from an abusive birth family but was soon adopted by her foster parents who changed her life for the better. In the artwork, her parents watering and maintaining the delicate flowers of the garden symbolizes the nurturing and protection of her innocence. It also highlights the importance of creating a healthy, loving environment and support system for your child to grow and reach their full potential represented by the little girl lying on the flower. The book she reads also emphasises the right to proper education as it plays a key role to her brighter future at the end. 3rd Place: Sarah Persad Sarah's piece shows children of many different races and ages standing up to show off their rights, which can be seen on either side of the picture.This depicts the reality that no matter age, no matter race, no matter whatever differences, all children are human, equal and are deserving of these rights.    Rights of persons with disabilities 1st Place: Jabari Hutchinson Jabari's art work illustrates two differently-abled persons: a wheelchair-bound female and a blind man. He chose to include a background and fonts exploding with colour in order to highlight the range of individuality disabled people possess. In the depiction, the shadow of the amputee shows her to be a graduate whilst the shadow of the blind man shows him to be a talented pianist. The shadows are symbolic; he used them as extensions of the theme (The Rights of People With Disabilities) that demonstrate how disabled persons are no different to persons without disabilities and they are capable of performing the same or similar activities/skills. The bold titles reinforce that we are "All Human, All Equal."  2nd Place: Jernice Downes Jernice portrays a few visible and learning disabilities (and some of its affects); deafness, blindness. Mutism or aphasia- can't speak yet forcing the boy to), ADHD- difficulty to focus and just like dylexia it's harder to do well in school like manage their grades- the words, letters the brain mixes up, he cries them out because of in adequacy, autism. Dyscalculia- (Maths. Numbers, shapes difficult to follow.)  But Despite these things that makes one "different"—seeing their disability and not the ability...is the reason why disabled people will feel as though they're missing a piece to them—like puzzels. 
One ability they resonated with to show is being creative. The ability to come up with bizarre, cool ideas, being able to create, etc. even with attached challenges, that's a gift!
  3rd Place: Anya Ammon Anya describes the path that a disabled person has to take is very different from everyone else. A path that when their rights are not respected, can be impossible and depicts this in their artwork Right to a healthy environment  1st Place: Daniella Mahabir Our world is in danger and we should help save our world. People litter  and pollute our waters everyday and don't think about the consequences that we may face if that continues. My art piece shows the healthy and the unhealthy environments and what it might become if we keep on polluting the environment. 2nd Place: Liezel Parris We should be able to appreciate what mother nature have in store for us! 3rd Place: Donnell Boodoo We humans deserve to be treated equally wherever we live in the world. We have a right to live in a clean, green, healthy environment. A world where everyone has access to clean drinking water; a world free from pollution, utilizing natural resources (solar, wind, hydropower) to generate energy for everyday life; a world free from garbage/waste; reusing, reducing and recycling,  making our world a happier place to live with cleaner, healthier air and landscape; a world for a healthier mind to function and appreciate all that God has given to us to live comfortably as humans. Gender equality  1st Place: Iyana Sorzano Iyana's piece depicts both a man and woman reaching for eachothers' "masks". These masks represent the way they see the world. In order to comprehend their struggles as the opposite sex in society, they must take a look at eachothers' hardship caused my discrimination and prejudice. To truly create change we must first understand and empathize with both parties. This is important to establish gender equality in today's society to secure a safer future for the generations to come. 2nd Place: Ambay Abhiraj Ambay's artwork depicts a reflection of society and treatment that women can be faced with and chose to display a woman being burnt at the stake 3rd Place: Adrienne Bonair This piece shows the struggle amongst the genders as they seek equal spaces for their voices and expressions. Nevertheless as the battle rages there are often hurts endured by all involved. Additionally, the chess symbols represent gender strengths whilst the scales are a reminder of the evident weaknesses. Hence it is necessary to advance equality through enlightenment and empowerment. 
  Rights of migrants and refugees  1st Place: Chelsea Darbasie Chelsea uses their artwork to depict stormy clouds and sea showing unsafety and anxiety contrasted to the sunny beaming sky which shows safety and light. The sun rises at the point where a helping hand is lent to the refugee while other citizens are also pulling their weight to help. There is an incoming boat filled with humans attempting to escape the storm and seeking asylum.    2nd Place: Anaya Felix Anaya's piece illustrates how different people of various backgrounds may look on the outside. but how similar we all truly are. 3rd Place: Azizah Mohammed Azizah's  painting depicts the current state of refugees i.e. camps and high-risk boat trips across the vast oceans. At the top, different symbols are used to represent the rights and needs of migrants. For example, freedom of expression, right to live without fear of persecution, safety and rights of children, labor rights, action against gender-based violence and last but not least the right to a safe home. The  flags represent some countries where migrants and refugees fled from to escape political conflicts, war and impovrished conditions as a result of natural disaster.