Venezuelan organizations providing frontline services

Venezuela | 2024 | CBPF

Venezuela, Apure. The Venezuela Humanitarian Fund has always put Venezuelan organizations at the centre of its funding and outreach strategy. In 2024, 75% of its funding was allocated to national organizations, with 15 out of 21 projects funded this year led by Venezuelan organizations.

Venezuela faces major humanitarian challenges driven by structural bottlenecks to economic growth, political and social challenges, and recurrent climate-related events. With gaps in basic service provision—healthcare, water, education, and energy—about 7.6 million people need humanitarian assistance.

For example, Venezuelan NGO Fudep is leading a health, wash, and food security project in Zula, a remote area. Their collaboration with the Danish Refugee Council evolved from prior VHF-funded projects funded by the Venezuela Humanitarian Fund (VHF) in the same region.

"This support has shaped our future work. We have more responsibility now, and more confidence to get the work done," says Maria Teresea Nordelo, a health and nutrition coordinator with Fudep.

Beyond the numbers, VHF has fostered innovative partnerships, leveraging organizational strengths for impactful collaboration.

Tinta Violeta, a woman-led organization specializing in protection, leads a gender-based violence response in Apure, where international and local organizations provide technical support side-by-side, according to their specific expertise.

Daniella Inojosa, Tinta Violeta’s director, explains that, “VHF is financing and supporting our consortium, highlighting the importance of local organizations’ expertise. For example, international organization ACTED is leading on technical WASH work, while Venezuelan NGO REPAS is supporting livelihood activities in Apure.”

Ms. Inojosa also notes that, “Venezuelan organizations can ensure the humanitarian response is framed in the cultural, economic, social – and Venezuelan context.”

VHF’s relentless focus on local organizations has influenced the overall response.

HIAS, an international organization, partnered with A.C. El Paragüero on a VHF-funded project in Delta Amacuro, focusing on protection, livelihoods, and health.

“Our alliance with HIAS maximized the positive impact for the communities we serve,” says Milangela Villarroel, A.C. El Paragüero project director.

After multiple VHF-funded partnerships with national NGOs, HIAS now applies this approach to their other donor-funded projects, reinforcing grassroots organizations’ roles in humanitarian response.

The VHF will continue to work to ensure the humanitarian response in Venezuela stays as local as possible, and as international as necessary.

Posted May 2025.

Pooled Fund impact stories

For more information on the Venezuela Humanitarian Fund.

Based on an original story from OCHA Venezuela.