Carmen, Marcela and Jenny Until a month ago they lived in Catarroja (Valencia). there are three of them migrant women from Latin America who do not have their administrative status regularizedBut they survived with a precarious job (in B) and rented in humble basements; they lived as boarders in a full-time job in a private home and even in a room in a garage ‘converted’ into ‘accomodation’ which they paid to the owner with the little money they earned and without a rental contract.
Now, after having fully devastated DANA (with a flood that they will never forget, given that in some cases it meant spending eight hours in water up to their necks), they are alone.helpless They have no home, job, insurance, documentation, savings becuase “everything has been swept away”. Nor proper documents and things like that In this system it is essential to start over.
They will not be able to access aid from the Consell or the Government of any kind as they are not included in the rental contracts and have an irregular administrative situation.
They are invisible. They are there but they don’t appear. They will not be able to access help from the Consell or the Government of any kind because they do not have any contract. and many did lost They precarious jobs in the cleaning or elderly care sectorfor some have died in DANA and others are cleaning up and putting their lives in order. Though, they are there standby.
A month after the DANA devastated the town where they lived, Catarroja, and after passing through the municipal emergency pavilions, they found themselves in a nuns’ hospice. They say they are well looked after and feel “privileged” because they know that many people in their situation live on the streets. however,they are very worried about what will become of them from now on.
Fears, claustrophobia and sleeping pills
Carmen ran a business in her home country. Since arriving in Spain, she has worked taking care of the elderly. DANA took the life of the woman she cared for,but also the room where she lived with her son and daughter-in-law. Carmen paid 400 euros (350 per month and fifty in expenses) for a room in a garage converted into four rooms without windows to the outside in Catarroja.
his story on the afternoon of October 29th is hell and he assures us that the trauma is so great brings fears,claustrophobia and anxiety and panic attacks. Take two pills a day for sleep and he doesn’t know if he will ever be able to return to Catarroja. “thinking about going makes my hands sweat.”
The trauma is so great that it brings with it fears, claustrophobia, anxiety and panic attacks. He takes two pills a day to sleep and doesn’t know if he will ever be able to return to Catarroja. ”Thinking about
The water suddenly rose and covered them up to their necks in the shallows where they found themselves within five minutes.”My daughter-in-law is so short she couldn’t put her head out and my son and I climbed onto a table and she leaned on our legs to stand taller. We spent the whole night there, with the water running until the neck level, with the weight of my daughter-in-law and the fact of not being able to go out,” explains Carmen. Some cars blocked the gate,preventing them from escaping. At some point, the next morning, they are rescued but Carmen loses sight of her family and will not see them again until two days later.
“When I came out, with hypothermia, I couldn’t even move, my whole body hurt,” Remember. With the ravine everything I had was gone. Your personal belongings, your savings and your documentation.The bass owner blocked them the next day and refused to return the deposit money. “I lost everything I worked so hard to achieve, everything I had here,” he laments.
When you emigrate, Carmen explains, you work sixteen hours a day if necesary, you take food out of your mouth to save “whatever” because ”you never know what can happen to you.” Not only that.With the little money they earn working in B – “
In the room next to Carmen lived Andrés, Marcela’s husband, who had just emigrated to Spain just 20 days before the ravine disaster.He spent the whole week as a boarder in a woman’s house and on Sunday he went to visit her daughter and her husband. The little girl was with her grandparents in an apartment, also in Catarroja.The family of three ended up in a municipal pavilion and then at home, but now they are worried about where they will live and above all what they will do for work. “There is no one to protect us, to think of us, there are many of us who have lost everything and have nowhere to take refuge.“Marcela complains.”They ask me 700 or 800 euros for an apartment, but we can’t work as we don’t have the documents and if we work outside the system we are totally illegal. “They exploit us though they want.”underlines.
“They ask me 700 or 800 euros for an apartment, but we can’t work because we don’t have the documents and if we work outside the system we are totally illegal. They exploit us as they want”
The main statement of Carmen, Marcela and also Jenny is this they need to regularize their administrative situation. “Why does the state treat us so cruelly?”, they ask. They cannot get a job if they do not have the documents and they cannot get the documents without commitment to an employment contract. However
They work a lot. Amount. But they cannot do so within the labor system and rights enjoyed by the majority of the population.” Nobody cares about us, we are alone and we can’t even go out to visit our families. We are imprisoned in the country and we also don’t want to do anything illegal, on the contrary, we want to work,” Jenny complains.
He also lived in Catarroja. Even though she was a nurse in her country, she worked by the hour and on demand. Her husband,who was also a migrant and lived with her in a small apartment,worked in a warehouse in Albal who disappeared after the catastrophe. “We are enduring deplorable working conditions because we are unable to progress through the work authorization process,” he laments. “We are exploited, we earn less than five euros an hour and of course they can fire us whenever they want.“.
“we don’t feel like we belong anywhere, we’re in limbo”
How has DANA influenced you? “I’ve been here for two years and I’ve lost everything I had.Including the savings I managed to accumulate.Now we have to start over again and not like when I arrived, it’s even worse because we don’t even have our clothes, our memories, home, our identity. Don’t sit anywhere, we are in limbo and we don’t know where to start”, concludes Jenny. Carmen and Marcela nod.
#thinks #dont #start
What immediate support is available for undocumented migrant communities affected by natural disasters?
Interviewer: welcome to Time.news, where we explore the pressing issues of today through personal stories that highlight the human experience. I’m here wiht Dr. Elena Ruiz, an expert in social work and migration. today, we’re discussing the heartbreaking aftermath of the recent floods in Catarroja, wich have had a devastating impact on vulnerable communities, particularly migrant women like Carmen, Marcela, and Jenny. Thank you for joining us, Dr. Ruiz.
Dr. Ruiz: Thank you for having me. This is an important topic, and I’m glad we can shed light on the stories of those affected.
Interviewer: Let’s begin with the current situation of Carmen, Marcela, and Jenny.They lost everything during the floods, including their homes, jobs, and vital documentation. What does this tell us about the challenges faced by undocumented migrants in crisis situations?
Dr. Ruiz: their situation is a stark reminder of how systemic vulnerabilities can be exacerbated by natural disasters. Undocumented migrants already live on the fringes of society,without access to basic resources or safety nets. When a disaster strikes, they are often left invisible—unable to secure help due to their lack of legal status. This creates a vicious cycle of marginalization, leaving them with little hope for recovery.
Interviewer: It’s shocking. Carmen described spending hours trapped in rising waters, fearing for her family’s safety. How can such traumatic experiences affect a person’s mental health, especially in the context of their precarious living conditions?
Dr. Ruiz: absolutely. Experiencing a traumatic event like that can lead to long-term psychological effects, including PTSD, anxiety, and panic attacks, as we see in Carmen’s case.The compounded stress of not having stable housing or a job further intensifies the trauma. It’s crucial that we acknowledge these mental health implications and provide targeted support for individuals like Carmen, who are struggling not only with the trauma of the disaster but also the daily challenges of their circumstances.
Interviewer: After the floods, Carmen and her companions found temporary refuge in a nuns’ hospice. While they feel lucky to have shelter,ther are still significant concerns about their future. What kind of support systems should be in place for people in their situation?
Dr.Ruiz: It’s vital that we establish inclusive support systems that specifically address the needs of undocumented migrants. This can include access to mental health services, legal aid to help them regularize their status, and social services that provide food, clothing, and emergency housing.Community-based organizations frequently enough play a key role in these efforts,bridging the gap between vulnerable populations and the government resources that are or else inaccessible.
Interviewer: You mentioned the concept of invisibility earlier. With such hardships, many migrants frequently enough feel isolated. What can communities do to ensure that these voices are heard and included in recovery efforts?
Dr. Ruiz: Community engagement is essential. We need to create platforms for migrants to share their stories and experiences. This can foster empathy and understanding among the local population. Advocacy groups can work to ensure that the voices of marginalized communities are represented in decision-making processes, particularly in times of disaster recovery. Ultimately, the goal should be to create inclusive policies that consider the unique needs of all community members, regardless of their immigration status.
Interviewer: Thank you, Dr. Ruiz. what message do you have for our readers regarding the ongoing challenges faced by migrant communities considering such devastating events?
Dr. Ruiz: It’s critically important for all of us to recognize the humanity of migrants and their contributions to society. In crises, we should advocate for their rights and ensure that they have the necessary support to rebuild their lives. Together, we can work towards a more inclusive society that values every individual and prioritizes recovery for all, especially those who are most vulnerable.
Interviewer: Thank you for your insights,Dr. Ruiz. It’s crucial to keep these discussions alive as we work towards understanding and addressing the challenges faced by those affected by such tragedies.