We’re supporting artists making the world a better place through their music. And we’re kicking off our Music For Good series with Venezuelan singer/songwriter Danny Ocean.

Danny is standing up for refugees from his homeland and beyond through his lyrics and benefit concerts with the United Nations agency focused on refugees. He also frequently speaks up about what’s going on in Venezuela on his platforms, serving as a voice for the crisis in Venezuela and for refugees. The UNHCR estimates that over 7.7 million Venezuelans are currently displaced—that’s an estimated 20% of the nation’s total population. 
 

To support Danny’s cause, we caught up with a Cotopaxi Foundation impact partner to find out how they’ve been supporting Venezuelans as the situation evolves—and what you can do to help. 
 

How Mercy Corps Is Supporting Venezuelan Communities

Since 2020, we’ve been supporting Mercy Corps as it responds to the world’s greatest challenges.

Right now, Mercy Corps is supporting both Venezuelan communities within Venezuela and those who have migrated to Colombia. Their aid is focused on:

• Clean water, food & basic needs: Since 2019, Mercy Corps has helped 446,000+ refugees and migrants (many of whom are Venezuelans) with cash assistance to meet their most urgent needs.
• Healthcare: Mercy Corps is partnering with local orgs to support healthcare facilities. They're also financially incentivizing healthcare workers to remain in Venezuela. In 2022, they distributed 50,000+ medical supply items. 
• Maternal Health: Mercy Corps is working to ensure pregnant Venezuelan women receive the care they need, from prenatal to postpartum. For example, in Caracas, they did this by delivering neonatal intensive care equipment to a maternal hospital. The Cotopaxi Foundation is specifically supporting this initiative. 
• Resilience: Through services like job training, access to legal resources, psychosocial support, and employment opportunities, Mercy Corps is helping Venezuelans and communities in Colombia (where Venezuelans are migrating) boost resilience. 
• Supporting LGBTQ+ communities: Mercy Corps partners with local org Caribe Afirmativo to support Venezuelan and Colombian LGBTQ+ communities, which face greater challenges in receiving aid.

Mercy Corps has been working with Venezuelan refugees in Colombia, who struggle to receive healthcare. Here, Dinoska Bexay Garay Perez holds her daughter as she talks with Mercy Corps staff at a health clinic in Colombia. She doesn’t have a strong support system, given that most of her family is still in Venezuela. Through Mercy Corps, Dinoska has received free medical care for herself and her daughter.

How You Can Support Refugees From Venezuela & Beyond

1. Learn more about the crisis so you can engage in informed public discourse about what’s going on and effectively serve as an advocate for Venezuelans. This BBC story does a good job providing the facts.
2. Speak up! Whether you share social content, comment on social posts, or write a letter to the editor, use your voice to shed light on what’s going on and keep global pressure up for a resolution to the crisis. 
3. Sign petitions advocating for more foreign aid, like this one from Mercy Corps. 
4. Support nonprofits working on this issue by donating, volunteering, or even just following their social channels to stay informed and share their updates. You can follow our impact partner Mercy Corps @mercycorps. This social ambassador toolkit from Mercy Corps is also a great place to start.