Due to US policies such as the Migrant Protection Protocols and Title 42, thousands of refugees, mainly from Central America and the Caribbean, are forced to wait in Mexico until their asylum cases are processed. The majority remain in the cities of Tapachula, Matamoros, and Reynosa and live in abysmal refugee encampments and shelters, where all services are provided via humanitarian aid. Asylum seekers have been displaced due to conflict, persecution, and natural disasters. In Reynosa alone, the number of documented asylum seekers has grown to over 5,000 people and is estimated to increase by 20-40 people per day. Without their basic human needs being met, many refugees are susceptible to preventable water-borne illnesses and Covid. They suffer from mental, emotional, and physical health decline.

As the pandemic and climate change exacerbate existing instability worldwide, forced migration to the US border is only anticipated to increase. Recognizing that humanitarian crises are products of complex global relations, this project aims to provide emergency relief to asylum seekers in Mexico while helping explain to an American audience, through a podcast, why people are forced to migrate to begin with. 

The work in Tamaulipas includes:

• Improving public health by increasing access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure.To accomplish this, the project focuses on providing drinking water (through potable water delivery, filtration systems, and/or distribution systems), bathroom facilities, shower facilities, hygiene products (soap, menstrual pads, condoms, shampoo, hand sanitizer, etc.), cleaning supplies to keep the WASH facilities sanitary (bleach, soap, brooms, gloves, masks, etc.), and the materials and labor for repairs and maintenance of WASH infrastructure.
• Addressing the lack of education by developing remote learning tools (using Raspberry Pi technology), building out curriculums, and teaching STEM classes to young people. Displacement disrupts educational access, which makes it difficult for children to keep up when entering the US school system.
• Establishing a community feedback loop, gaining the community’s trust, providing a critical language services, and addressing women-specific issues. The purpose of this project will be to host a Women’s Group with time for the women to get to know our team and give us unfiltered opinions about our work so that we can improve the projects and maximize impact.
• Sharing knowledge through SE’s existing podcast, Dignity Displaced, about the humanitarian crisis’ historical causes and current consequences.

• Shelter and Site Infrastructure

  Additional Info

  Due to the large population of asylum seekers, many of the shelters and camps are at or over capacity. As a result their infrastructure (both general and WASH) are often in need of repairs, improvements and expansions. Our team works to analyze and improve existing WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) and public health infrastructure as well as design and implement new systems.

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  Location

  outside US

  Dates

  1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022

  Public or Private

  Public Program (open to the public)

  Program Fee

  No charge to attend/participate in activity or program

• Hygiene Kits

  Additional Info

  Women and LGBTQ asylum seekers on the migrant trail are among the most vulnerable to being assaulted and becoming victims of gender-based violence, rape, and murder. To make their journey slightly more tolerable, our team has decided to assemble and distribute hygiene kits specifically geared towards the needs of women and LGBTQ people.

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  Location

  outside US

  Dates

  1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022

  Public or Private

  Public Program (open to the public)

  Program Fee

  No charge to attend/participate in activity or program

• STEM Classes

  Additional Info

  Our team creates and teaches STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) curricula to children living in the migrant communities in Reynosa. This curriculum includes at least 10 full lessons, with associated activities/experiments, to be taught in Spanish. Kids aged 7-12 are invited to participate.
  

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  Location

  outside US

  Dates

  1/1/2022 - 12/31/2022

  Public or Private

  Public Program (open to the public)

  Program Fee

  No charge to attend/participate in activity or program

• Community Meetings

  Additional Info

  To gauge the needs of the migrant communities in Reynosa, and to get feedback on our projects, our team works directly with asylum seekers and regularly hosts team meetings/ meets with leaders in the community. Through these discussions we hope to gain general knowledge about the migrant population, as well as discuss our projects to ensure our work is the most effective it can be.

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  Location

  outside US

  Dates

  Ongoing

  Public or Private

  Public Program (open to the public)

  Program Fee

  No charge to attend/participate in activity or program

• Hygiene and Sanitation Crews

  Additional Info

  Our team works directly with asylum seeker sanitation crews that maintain the toilet and washing facilities, and keep us updated on the populations' changing needs. We distribute supplies necessary to keep WASH facilities sanitary and the "free stores" at the bathrooms stocked (these "stores" provide hygiene items such as feminine products, soap, and toothbrushes at no cost to the community).

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  Location

  outside US

  Dates

  Ongoing

  Public or Private

  Public Program (open to the public)

  Program Fee

  No charge to attend/participate in activity or program

• Dignity Displaced Podcast

  Additional Info

  Dignity Displaced is a podcast produced by our team that focuses on explaining why so many people are making the dangerous journey to the southern US border and what exactly is happening at the border now through sharing stories directly from people living or working in humanitarian crises as well as interviews with experts, leaders, and advocates from all over the world.

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  Location

  online resource

  Dates

  Ongoing

  Public or Private

  Public Program (open to the public)

  Program Fee

  No charge to attend/participate in activity or program

• Playground and Children's Area

  Additional Info

  Solidarity Engineering has partnered with Global Design Initiative for Refugee Children and toy designer Cas Holman to design and construct a playground and safe play space for refugee children at a new shelter under construction in Reynosa, Mexico.

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  Location

  outside US

  Dates

  Ongoing

  Public or Private

  Public Program (open to the public)

  Program Fee

  No charge to attend/participate in activity or program

• Solidarity Pi

  Additional Info

  Among the consequences of displacement is the massive disruption of children's access to education. To address this our team has been developing a remote learning device using RasberryPi and Kolibri technology called the "Solidarity Pi". This device can be deployed in places with limited or no internet access and is being piloted in Reynosa.

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  Location

  outside US

  Dates

  Ongoing

  Public or Private

  Private Program (by request only or for a specific audience or group)

  Program Fee

  No charge to attend/participate in activity or program