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Chile is the 26th country to join our movement

Great news from South America! Chile has decided to join our movement, and The Human Safety Net is now operating in 26 countries.

PlanVital Chile, a Pension Fund Administrator, embraces diversity wholeheartedly. With 26% of their clients being migrants, they chose to participate in our For Refugees program, reaffirming their commitment to inclusivity and community support. The group highlighted the importance of collaborating with migrants who face various barriers, such as language, legal status, and labour market access. 

Chile has a challenging national immigration context, with a marked increase in irregular migration with little to no chance of regulating their status. The most significant difficulties are the need for more flexibility and the duration of the processes for a temporary (two years) or permanent (five years) visa. One and a half million foreigners live in Chile, which makes up approximately 8% of its population, and 900.000 are between 20 and 39 years old, a not insignificant economically active population. 

The Human Safety Net in Chile is partnering up with the Scalabrini Foundation, an NGO that has fought for the rights and integration of migrants in Chile for 17 years. It is a member of the Scalabrinian International Network (SIMN), with a global presence in more than 30 countries. Our Chilean colleagues will focus on two projects that will give migrants the opportunity to enhance their skills to start their businesses and support their employability. All of that will boost their integration into society and contribute to building a more sustainable Chile.

The first project The Human Safety Net Chile will work on has a planned duration of six months, and we will be helping 20 women develop their businesses. The project participants will be divided into groups, and every group will begin each month with the participation of five different entrepreneurs. The process starts with a series of trainings done by our mentors-volunteers.

During this period, we will devote the first weeks to trainings and workshops done by our volunteers. Our mentors will help the beneficiaries put together their business plans and then monitor the ventures fortnightly for five months once they begin to operate. The first group of beneficiaries will start on 25 September with their training and mentoring process.

The second project will strengthen the employability office of the Scalabrini Foundation by conducting employability workshops, preparing women for job interviews, and helping the administrative team to professionalise the employment pool and reach more companies.