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Migrants come ashore from the Chucunaque River after crossing the Darién jungle.
A rising variety of migrants are trying the damaging journey throughout the Darién jungle spanning the Colombia-Panama border. For Etzaida Rios, 35, the affect of offering hope and assist runs deep.
She works as a Community Officer with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in a brief migrant reception centre in San Vicente, one of many first factors of arrival for migrants, who are sometimes exhausted, malnourished, dehydrated, or injured.
“People arrive with urgent wants and plenty of questions,” she mentioned, after attending to Zuleybis, who fractured her leg whereas crossing the Darién together with her husband José and 4 youngsters. The Venezuelan household obtained therapy on the centre earlier than persevering with their path north.
“The largest problem is witnessing struggling and listening to heartbreaking tales,” she mentioned. “While we see horrible issues on tv or examine them, it’s even tougher and extra irritating to see it together with your eyes because it unfolds earlier than you.”
Read extra about Ms. Rios’ story here.
