Elizabeth Cadenas, a resident of Tomares, has spearheaded a solidarity collection that has gathered 1,600 kilos of humanitarian aid for the victims of the tragedy in Venezuela. The initiative, without NGO support, seeks funds to send the materials.
The tragedy affecting Venezuela has mobilised the Venezuelan community in Seville. Elizabeth Cadenas, a resident of Tomares, has led a humanitarian aid collection that has already amassed 1,600 kilos of food, medicine, and other supplies. The goal is to deliver them directly to the affected families, bypassing logistical difficulties.
Cadenas, who does not belong to any humanitarian organisation, began to organise with a group of compatriots after learning about the magnitude of the disaster. “We are not an NGO; we are normal people, mothers, fathers, working individuals who want to feel useful,” she explains.
The anguish of the first days
During the first days after the tragedy, Cadenas experienced moments of great uncertainty. Her sister lives in Venezuela, and she could not contact her. “It was horrible not being able to communicate, not knowing anything. We feared the worst,” she recounts. Finally, a brother who lives in Punta Cana travelled to Venezuela and located her after nearly 48 hours of searching.
This experience drove her to take action. Together with other Venezuelans in Seville, she decided to organise a collection of aid. The response has been overwhelming: in just a few weeks, they have gathered more than a tonne and a half of materials.
Logistics and funding, the main challenges
The main obstacle now is the cost of shipping. The company Liberty Express collaborates by making direct “door-to-door” shipments, without intermediaries, ensuring that the aid reaches the recipients. However, each box costs about 140 euros, and the group needs funding to send everything collected.
Solidarity without borders
The initiative adds to other displays of solidarity that have emerged in Andalusia. Cadenas, who is not active on social media, acknowledges that she has never asked for help in this way before. “I am not into social media, nor into asking for help, but this time it was necessary to do something,” she states.
For the residents of Tomares and the Aljarafe, this is an opportunity to collaborate with a cause that transcends borders. Cadenas insists on the transparency of the process: the money is entirely allocated to transportation, and the aid goes directly to the families. “Trying to help our people in any way we can,” she sums up.
Those wishing to contribute can visit the Liberty Express office in Seville or contact the group through social media. Next week, they hope to close the first shipment, which will head to Venezuela with the hope of alleviating, even if just a little, the suffering of those who need it most.
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