Abel, Melissa, Miguel and Aaron’s family left AIRE in the first half of 2024 after finishing their cycle with us. At first they rented a small house in Diadema (city where AIRE is located), and now they have managed to move to a slightly larger house, offering more comfort for the family. Just like all families who leave and rent a house, they received furniture, appliances, kitchen utensils, bed linen and towels that are donated to AIRE and passed on to families when they leave.
They say that the period they spent with us, immediately after arriving in Brazil, was a great learning experience. They not only learned about Brazilian culture, but also about empathy and respect. They met people from very different cultures, who, like them, were forced to leave their countries and found in Brazil the opportunity to start over.
With the help of AIRE, Aaron, who has a very delicate health situation, was referred to specialist doctors by the SUS (Brazilian public health system). Today he has had the surgery that he had hoped to get since childhood in Venezuela, but was never able to, and continues to receive support from a multidisciplinary team. Abel and Miguel were referred to jobs and are now responsible for the family income.
Melissa says she can’t even imagine where they would be if they hadn’t received our support – possibly in a much more critical situation, like that of the majority of Venezuelans in Brazil.
They are also very grateful for the kindness they have received from the Brazilian people, not only from the AIRE team, but neighbors, doctors, teachers and everyone around them. Brazil is a country that is accustomed to receiving immigrants and the receptivity and warmth of Brazilians always impress those who arrive here in search of their dream of starting over.
And they have seized every opportunity that comes their way. Abel has already taken a logistics course offered by the company where he works, and Miguel took a light and sound technician course related to his current job. Aaron takes part in music classes offered by “Casa da Música”, an institution that belongs to the city of Diadema, and has found a new passion in them.
They hope to continue studying, learning and growing professionally and personally. They celebrate each achievement and are always grateful for what was once just a dream in Venezuela, but which with work and effort has become a reality in Brazil.
