Cali. The south-western state of Valle del Cauca is the leader in the group of Colombians migrating to countries like Spain and United States, according to a research of El Tiempo newspaper. The 25 percent of the Colombian migrants abroad come from this region, which capital is Cali, one of the main urban and industrial centers of the coffee nation. It is estimated that about 4 million Colombians are residing abroad.
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United States and Spain still the main destine for Colombian migrants. Most of them went to those countries in order to work, save money and return, but things do not go so easy. It is usual that parents let their small children and partners, while trying to make a living in hard works in most industrialized nations. The saving is sent back to Colombia to support studies, housing and other economical needs of their love ones.
The 2008-2009 financial global crisis made things difficult for migrants. In Europe, the raising of unemployment hit especially Spain and many Colombians had to return to their country home, many of them without a cent in the pockets. At the same time, the families that remained in the country became dependent of the regular economical support that used to come from abroad.
According with the research of El Tiempo, the Colombian states that receive most of the money orders from abroad in the last years were Valle del Cauca (28.6%), Antioquia (16.6%), Bogotá (15%) and Risaralda (12.2%). But though the financial crisis, many Colombians are still looking for best opportunities in other countries, according with AESCO, a Spaniard – Latin American Fund for cooperation. AESCO says that 1,300 potential migrants in Cali consulted the database of the foundation looking for opportunities of employment abroad. Only 30 Colombian migrants subscribed to the Spaniard program “Volunteer Return” (Retorno voluntario). It consists that the migrant applies to the program in order to return to his/her country and the Spaniard government gives them some benefits.
By its part, Colombia has some programs to receive the returned migrants. The Risaralda state – which capital is Pereira -, created an office to attend the migrants, because it is also one of the Colombian regions with more persons abroad (130,000). As for the Valle del Cauca, the local government signed an agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, AESCO and official RCI channel.
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The families of the migrants are the first beneficiary of their effort in the foreign country. While the migrant has to sacrifice many things in order to get the expected Euros or Dollars, their families in Colombia receive a good income that gives life and progress. This practice became in the last decade an important share in the GDP of Colombia. According to the studies, in 2008 Colombians living abroad sent to their country a total of 4,848 million of dollars. It means, for example, that migrants are sending to the Colombian economy more money than what it gains from coffee exports.
The secretary of government of the State of Valle del Cauca said to El Tiempo that it is very important to give advice to migrants through organizations like AESCO and the mass media.
‘Hay cantidad de compatriotas en condiciones difíciles, sobre todo en España. La idea es que cuando se toma la decisión de abandonar el país, por lo menos la gente esté informada, se requiere el compromiso del Estado’
‘There are a number of countrymen in difficult conditions, especially in Spain. The idea is that anyone who decides to abandon the country, at least gets a good information and it is necessary the compromise of the government.’
By other hand, Jorge Alberto Marín López, manager of the official RCI (Region International Channel), said that the 50% of Colombians abroad are in United States (La Florida and New York-New Jersey-Connecticut), Spain and Venezuela. Canada and Ecuador are second in number for their program of asylum (also Venezuela) and Argentina receives Colombians for studies.
Marín López underlines that the 30% of Colombians who abandon the country are professionals, a situation that is worrying, because most of them will not return.
But migration generates several problems as it has its benefits. In most of the cases, the migrant causes a familiar disintegration. According to the study, many of them let their small children with other relatives, a situation that causes side effects in the children like disobedience, depression and the feeling of abandonment. Many children of migrants have a low performance at school and the dialogue with their parents is reduced to Chat and phone calls.