Rede Refugia will be launched at Coppe, connecting migrants, refugees and humanitarian organizations
Planeta COPPE / Industrial Engineering
Date: 27/06/2024
On Friday, June 28th, a digital platform called Rede Refugia will be launched which consists of an innovative initiative destined to transform the way migrants, refugees and organizations connect and collaborate with each other in Brazil. Developed from research carried out at the Center for Engineering Studies and Research on Disasters (Ceped) from Coppe’s Industrial Engineering Program (PEP), Rede Refugia is another example of an initiative that was born in the academic environment, evolved itself and is now having an impact on society.
“Rede Refugia materializes the knowledge developed at the institution. The university is working towards coming up with solutions to humanitarian and social issues” explained Estevão Leite, Coppe’s doctoral student. “The tool’s goal is to potentialize the mutual collaboration between migrants, refugees and other actors involved in the refugee crisis in Brazil”.
According to data disclosed by the National Committee for Refugees (Conare), 58.628 applications for refugee status were filed in 2023, coming from 150 countries. The main applicant nationalities were Venezuelan (50,3%), Cuban (19,6%) and Angolan (6,7%).
Research carried out in 2021 by the UN Refugee Agency (ACNUR) identified that the main challenges faced by refugees in Brazil are: generating income, insecurity, violence, access to housing, water, sanitation, hygiene, healthcare and education. Hundreds of refugees were interviewed for the research and reported a lack of information on opening a microenterprise, accessing specialized health services and about available vacancies in the education system, among others.
“Mutual collaboration between refugees, asylum seekers and migrants is a process that already occurs to a greater or lesser extent, according to the interpersonal relationships established between the subjects. Rede Refugia innovates with the purpose of boosting community integration and collaboration, making it easier to access information regarding shelter, public services and humanitarian aid from non-governmental organizations” explains Estevão.
The launching event will be carried out in the Alberto Luiz Coimbra Auditorium, in classroom G-122, G block, at UFRJ’s Technology Center (CT) at 9a.m., and will feature conversation circles, cultural presentations and gastronomical experiences by migrants and refugees from several different countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Venezuela and Syria.
Subscription is required to participate, which can be done free of charge through the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_1gOEksriKnPR5wQzwEI8FcepB6CCX-o9nyxcNkV2_ZJefA/viewform
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