Colombia Situation and Microcredits
Transcription
Colombia Situation and Microcredits
COLOMBIA SITUATION (Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela) Microcredits No. 3 © UNHCR/Ecuador order to achieve economic integration and selfreliance. Although banks are bound to recognize refugees as clients, they frequently use restrictive tools to hinder any opportunity to provide them financial assistance. Context Migration notoriously affects living conditions of refugees while adapting to new circumstances in other countries. In certain occasions, they are even forced to learn a new job or to work under unworthy circumstances in an effort to keep a good quality of life. Discrimination and ignorance of the legal status of refugee, as well as the required documentation that certifies it, hamper selfreliance. To encourage development of sustainable small businesses, UNHCR launched The limited or lack of access to financial services is one of the main problems refugees face in -1- a microcredit programme that provides refugees with an alternative. Under exceptional circumstances such as those seen in Venezuela, the programme benefits asylum-seekers who count with the provisional documentation required. to supply credits to people living in refugeehosting communities in border areas. BPS finances 100% of the loans. How does microcredit work? This instrument is developed to guarantee people in need of international protection fair access to financial services, by raising awareness among financial institutions. According to the local context, an agreement can be developed in each zone between UNHCR and a financial entity for the conditional donation by UNHCR of a credit revolving fund in order to promote an access to credits for refugees, locals and migrants. © UNHCR/Venezuela For two years now, this public institution has promoted the setting-up or strengthening of hairdressers, poultry and agricultural farms, handicraft workshops, carpenters shops, photography centres and food selling. Based on the needs of each person or group of people, a microcredit programme involves training, technical assistance, legal advice and formalization procedures that maximize the success of productive activities, and allows access to credit and other micro financial services. During the past two years, BPS granted microcredits for the amount of US$ 690,000 in Zulia, Táchira, Apure and the Amazon. As an unprecedented step, 40 per cent of this amount targeted projects of refugee families or asylumseekers, giving priority to women head of household. Microcredit programmes deal with existing vulnerabilities of refugees while improving the living conditions of beneficiaries, empower women and promote social cohesion. On a small scale, Fundesta, Fudep and other local micro-finance institutions have also joined Additionally, they enable the development of sustainable and permanent working entities. Microcredit benefits for refugees • Contribute to social integration of refugees and asylum-seekers under conditions of dignity and respect for human rights. • Create direct or indirect employment opportunities to provide comfort to each beneficiary family and improve their lives. • Facilitate coexistence between refugees and their host communities. Where are the programmes executed? Venezuela UNHCR launched a microcredit programme for refugees and asylum-seekers in Venezuela in 2005. Funds were limited, but the programme proved to be successful, and it has had a positive impact on beneficiaries. The program has been further developed by local institutions. the mircrocredit programme for refugees. Since 2008, Banco del Pueblo Soberano (BPS) ─ the largest micro-finance institution in the country ─ developed an agreement with UNHCR Four years ago, a Colombian teacher arrived in Apure, after being threatened by an armed group -2- of his locality. BPS granted him a microcredit that enabled him and his wife to purchase equipment to carve wood and make a living out of it. “This house, the fridge and everything we have, we owe it to our art crafts business”, said his wife. approximately US$ 52 million through almost 31,000 loans. Ecuador Ecuador hosts the largest refugee population in Latin America, many of whom are victims of the conflict in Colombia. It is estimated that more than 135,000 people may be in need of international protection, 40% of whom live in rural communities located in the northern border region. Panama Microcredit Programme for Refugees in Panama was implemented with funds provided by UNHCR for refugees recognized by the Panamanian government, and the assistance of Microserfin, a local institution that later on signed an agreement with Red Cross Panama to disburse the loans. Local integration is the long lasting solution for most of the refugees in Ecuador, and therefore the country needs to implement policies that generate employment opportunities to improve the social environment. In 2009, Ecuador set up revolving fund loans in urban areas that host the majority of those in need of international protection. Apart from receiving up to three microcredits by Microserfin, good payers may obtain a bank reference to ask regular banks for a bigger loan. Refugees who do not count with a bank reference do not have the same advantages. This is the case of a Colombian couple who owns a tourism business offering trips and transportation services in Panama. They were granted three microcredits, and thanks to Microserfin bank reference, a regular bank loan. Women count for at least 50% of every fund beneficiary. Specialized agencies and different financial entities support the microcredit programme in the states that shelter the majority of persons in need of international protection (Pichincha, Cuenca, Santo Domingo, Imbabura and Carchi, Esmeraldas and Sucumbíos). © UNHCR/Panama © UNHCR/Ecuador Costa Rica: In 2004 and 2005, UNHCR provided the initial capital and organized loan banks in Jaque and Puerto Obaldia, both still active. In Costa Rica, the microcredit programme emerged in response to the number of Colombians asylum-seekers between 2000 and 2002. Nowadays, there are more than 12,000 refugees and about 19,100 people of concern to UNHCR in the country. Monthly average of asylum-seekers (80 per month) has remained constant during the last two years. Microcredit Programme has been working with Microserfin in Panama City for two years (2008 and 2009). UNHCR contributed US$ 22,000 to the fund, providing loans to 60 refugees. On a national level, Microserfin has channelled -3- provides technical assistance and advice to mircrocredit projects, teamed up with ACAI, an NGO specialized in local integration programmes. By the end of 2009, this joint contribution benefited business women, who counted for 56 per cent of loan beneficiaries. Apart from this, 52 per cent of 36 new credits were supplied to women between January and March 2010. Region Ecuador Quito, Santo Domingo, Cuenca, Imbabura, Carchi, Sucumbíos, Esmeraldas 447 Venezuela Apure, Táchira, Zulia and Amazonia 148 Costa Rica San José, Desamparados, Heredia, Alajuela, Puntaneras, Guanacaste and Limón 563 (families) Panama Panama City, Darien © UNHCR/Costa Rica In 2004, UNHCR launched the programme as an integrated part of the strategy to facilitate local integration and auto-reliance of the population, and 823 loans were granted by March 2010. The training provided to women, and especially to single mothers, strengthens gender perspective. The microcredit programme turned out very successful. APRODE, a micro finance entity that Number of Beneficiaries Country 232 UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency mandated to protect more than 34 million refugees and displaced persons around the world. For more information contact in Colombia: Francesca Fontanini, telephone number: 571 6580600 ext 156, [email protected] – in Venezuela: Ligimat Pérez, telephone number: 58 212 286 3883 ext 133, [email protected] - in Ecuador: Andrea Durango, telephone number: 593 22 460 330 ext 1128 [email protected] - in Panama: José Euceda: [email protected] - in Costa Rica: Andrea Vasquez: [email protected]; or visit www.acnur.org. -4-