Today is International Migrants’ Day!
We at SaverAmericas are excited to celebrate it with migrant communities and reflect on the year that we have had. International Migrants’ Day was established by the United Nations in 2000 to highlight the experiences and contribution of the large numbers of migrants around the world. As of 2020, there were 281 million migrants around the world, which is 3.6% of the global population.
This year the COVID-19 Delta waves have changed things for migrants and deepened the impacts of the pandemic on migrant workers’ health and livelihoods. Many migrant workers have returned to their countries of origin to be with their families but are often facing unemployment at home. Migrant workers are facing hardship in destination countries too, but those who are lucky enough to still have a job are working even harder and longer hours to support their families back home through the times of insecurity. As we come to know migrant communities more deeply, we are inspired by their spirit, resilience, and commitment in the times of crisis and feel renewed in our convictions. We want to keep building on the ambition and determination of migrants by equipping people with the skills and resources they need to be able to manage their finances in a foreign country and send money home to their loved ones.
That is why we launched SaverAmericas this year; to start connecting with Latin American diaspora and providing a clear and accurate summary of remittance options to family and friends back home. We have been pleased to be able to partner with several money transfer operators in the last few months to be able to provide live service and pricing data, meaning that we can provide the most accurate information available. We’ve been creating videos and resources that explain the processes involved in sending money – foreign exchange rates, fees and methods of sending – and made them available in Spanish on our website and app.
We’re only just getting started, stay tuned for more updates! Let us at SaverAmericas know what you’d like to see and how we can keep providing information and support to help with migration challenges.
Happy International Migrants Day!