Financial Biographies of Refugees in Ecuador

By: Kim Wilson et al. 

This collection of profiles from Ecuador explores stories that highlight refugee and migrant journeys and their efforts to adapt to new surroundings. The profiles, dubbed Financial Biographies, included in this publication depict the grit and resourcefulness required by refugees and migrants to survive and in some cases thrive as they move and settle.

In Quito, we interviewed mainly Venezuelans but also immigrants from Iran, Nepal, Bangladesh and Colombia. The Venezuelans on the whole expressed appreciation for the welcoming hospitality of Ecuadorans. They liked being able to earn a living in US dollars, a relief from the Venezuelan Bolivar, whose value had plummeted over the years. 

The biographies in this publication are intended to preserve the entire financial story of selected respondents and are meant to supplement our other publications, taking the reader into the depths of individual migrant experiences.

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