Hi!
My name is Mercedes Malavé, and I am the director of Etame Residence and Cultural Centre, a post I have held since October 2011. If you've already watched the video, you know our house. If not, take a look to see what our residence is all about. (The video is in Spanish, but we hope to have English subtitles up soon.) If you’d like to find out more about us, we also have an Instagram account at residencia_etame. I decided to return to my country, Venezuela, after completing a PhD in Institutional Communications in the city of Rome (Holy Cross University), for many reasons. One of them was to develop a project: to help young women finish their studies and become talented professionals in their respective fields, where they can make a substantial contribution in the future.
Why It Matters. Every year, hundreds of thousands of young people emigrate from Venezuela seeking better opportunities. Those who do not have the possibility of going abroad seek better education here in Venezuela, but far away from their families. Many of them come to Caracas, the capital city, where the best universities and institutes are located. (Unfortunately, it is also where the crime rate is highest.)
Etame residence has been offering a home away from home for university women for over 20 years. As a not-for-profit residence and cultural center, we support young women who seek excellence in their studies and a holistic development as persons of integrity. Etame provides a family environment, full of academic and social motivation. As a cultural center, Etame also promotes a positive pro-woman and pro-community culture, opening our doors to our residents’ friends for conferences, talks and individual lessons. Around 50 students visit our cultural center every month. We believe that supporting the potential of each young person is the best way to pave a brighter future for Venezuela, and for the world.
Our budget is facing a big challenge right now, because of the rampant hyperinflation in the country. Every year more families would like their daughters to stay in Etame, but are unable to afford it. Here’s where you can help. We plan to open a scholarship fund to assist families in financial difficulty, so that their daughters can continue to study in a safe and friendly environment. Your contribution will help not only the residents; it will also ease the economic burdens carried by their families, many of whom are supporting three or four children each.
In addition, with the rising crime rate in Venezuela thanks to the economic crisis, it is imperative that we improve our security system. Some of our residents have been victims of crime and theft when leaving or entering the residence, and installing cameras will enable us to better collaborate with police agencies in dealing with these cases. Finally, your contributions will also go toward house repairs that cannot presently be undertaken, such as repairing the leaking roof (the amount paid by residents’ families is insufficient to cover this cost).
Thank you for reading this. Any contribution, no matter how small, will be invaluable to us. We are grateful that you are supporting us in building a better future for Venezuela’s youth. Hopefully one day in the near future, we will be able to pay it forward.
If you have any questions or would like more information, I would be glad to answer them at [email protected].
