The Situation
Food and Supplies
Everyday life in Venezuela is a struggle for the ordinary person. Every aspect of their lives have been disturbed by the prevailing situation. Food, shelter, transportation, health and basic utility services all affect their every day. This along with the country's political unrest intertwine making it difficult to sustain a healthy life. Grace Relief Foundation cannot resolve their current circumstances but we strive to supply some hope with relief of food, clothing, medicines and toiletries. With your support we can do more.
Cost of Living
Doing What’s Needed
Cost of Living - These numbers in the category are provided by Caracas residence at NUMBEO.com
(As of July 2018, the Venezuelan Professors Association Center for Documentation and Social Analysis (CENDAS-FVM) states that the value of the family basic food basket has increased 30,385% since July 2017 and it takes 98 minimum wage salaries in order to acquire one month's food basket.)
31.62 $ = Salaries - Average Monthly Income Net (after taxes)
134.58 $ = Monthly Recommended Amount of Money for food per person (2400 calorie diet)
12.24 $ = Monthly basic utilities (electricity, water, garbage)
203 $ = Monthly rent 1 bedroom apartment (915 sq. ft.)
379 $ = Monthly rent 3 bedroom apartment
Overview
871.15 $ = 4 person family monthly cost with/out rent (Estimator)
308.21 $ = 1 person monthly cost with/out rent (Estimator)
Transportation
Moving About
Transportation issues are on the rise.
Average Monthly Salary 2.5 million bolivars = $32. A cab could cost twice that much.
Out of the 32 million people living in Venezuela, almost half are working (13,100,203 people have some sort of occupation), and all of them and their family members are being affected in different ways by the current transportation climate (inability to get to/from work place).
Caracas largest bus company Colectivos del Norte went from a 80 bus operation down to 2 for lack of spare parts.
Over 95 percent of cars, taxis, buses and other safe transportation have disappeared.
Alternative forms of transportation include the kennels (illegal delivery trucks), cargo vans, military trucks, and even a tiny train that was used to take children around the city a few years back.
There are at least 150,000 "kennels" operating in Venezuela. These are difficult for the elderly and challenged individuals to get in and out of as well as extremely dangerous for all.
Fuel shortages have lead to gas rationing and several hours to days long lines. Under a new census, car owners have to use a government-issued “fatherland card” to register details of their vehicle and gasoline consumption online.
Garbage service are no longer picking up trash from the streets compounding health hazards that already exist.
Health
Basic Survival (read more..)
1 Venezuelan dies every 18 minutes as a result of a violent event. This make Venezuela the second highest country homicide rate in the world.
23 million Venezuelans have trouble meeting their needs through their regular income. More than half of the country’s population does not have enough income to meet their basic food needs
75% of the individuals have referenced involuntary weight loss (20 lbs. in extreme cases). These results also showed that 9.6 million Venezuelans are eating twice or once per day
Shortage of medicines has reached 85%, and the shortage of basic products 80%. People spend up to 3 hours in line to access a limited number of products, which sometimes do not meet the needs of their families. There is a single day per week for purchasing these goods, depending on their ID number and customers are fingerprinted.
30% increase in mortality among children under one year of age. Hospitals and Medical Schools have been vandalized, equipment has been stolen or is in deplorable shape, and syringes and other surgical material are being re-used affecting not only patients but health care workers. To make matters worse, many hospitals are without running water and limited electricity.
205% increase in new Malaria cases resulting in over 400,000 cases of Malaria.