Nutrition programme for families in vulnerable conditions in Venezuela

The teaching profession has always been considered one of the noblest and most important in society, as it is responsible for educating future generations. However, in Venezuela, teachers serving in Marist schools affiliated with the AVEC (Venezuelan Association of Catholic Education) are facing an increasingly precarious and challenging situation. Despite the agreement made with the government, which promised adequate salaries and pension benefits, many of these commitments have not yet been fulfilled. This issue is having a devastating impact on the fundamental rights of those working in education and on the quality of education for Venezuelan children and youth. The situation is particularly critical: schools may request monthly contributions from parents to support the staff, but due to the country’s challenging economic situation and lack of resources, many families have even made the difficult decision to stop sending their children to school. They believe that the education offered is no longer sufficient and not worthwhile.

In this context, the agreement between the Marist schools and the government outlined provisions for adequate salaries, legal parafiscal contributions, and other benefits, including subsidies, bonuses, guaranteed severance payments, and pensions. However, in recent years, the government’s commitment has waned, with payments limited to salaries and some benefits provided arbitrarily, occasionally influenced by electoral interests. The outcome is a meager monthly salary of merely 130 bolivars, equivalent to approximately 4,017 euros at today’s exchange rate. Considering non-wage benefits, a teacher’s minimum wage barely reaches 450 bolivars (about 13.90 euros) in certain months, making it exceedingly challenging to cover daily expenses.

The project’s objective is to provide one month’s worth of food for the staff of the 9 Marist schools operating in conjunction with the Venezuelan government through AVEC or directly with the Ministry of Popular Power for Education. This initiative aims to assist families impacted by the economic crisis by furnishing them with food support during the 2023-2024 school year. While the project marks a positive step forward, continuous and coordinated efforts are required to ensure a brighter future for education in Venezuela. Only through collective action can quality education and a more promising future be secured for the nation’s youth.