Note from the founder – Bethani King
My involvement in refugee work began in 2016 in Lebanon, where I volunteered in the refugee camps twelve kilometers from the Syrian border. In 2018 I worked on a boat landing crew, and with a children’s program for Afghan refugees on the Greek island of Lesvos. Both of these experiences endeared the refugee story to my heart.
In 2018 I began reading news stories every day about the collapse of the Venezuelan economy and rising humanitarian crisis. I spent hours online, searching for organizations providing aid to the Venezuelans flooding out of their country, but I couldn’t find anything. There were a handful of large NGOs that claimed to be supporting Venezuelan refugees in Colombia, but I couldn’t find any specific information on their projects, and my queries were unanswered.
I finally decided to go to Colombia myself to assess what is really happening – and how we can help. I was sure that there were already people here doing good work, I just needed to be on the ground to find them.
Just as I thought, there are good people here! And they are doing good work. Most of the aid available to Venezuelan refugees comes from small foundations, churches, and even individuals who have turned their lives around to assist the most desperate Venezuelans.
My goal with this website is to provide what I couldn’t find from home – a connection between those who are far away but want to help, and those who are on the ground. The organizations we sponsor here are all organizations I have spent time with myself, and I can vouch for the effectiveness of their work.
Thank you for being here, and for supporting our work on the ground!
-Bethani King
Our Team
Menna
From: Seattle, Washington
Role: Community Projects and Outreach Coordinator
Menna came to OTGI as a volunteer in 2022, and now is back as a coordinator. She has spent the last few years in California studying Public Health and working in outdoor education. Menna finds joy in exploring the mountains, sharing food, sampling local sweets, and befriending cats. Her favorite part of working at OTGI is getting to meet so many people and hear their stories.
Alice
From: England
Role: Volunteer Coordinator
Alice joined OTGI as a volunteer in 2023, and returned this year as a coordinator. Alice loves to explore new cultures, and has spent the last two years in Latin America, leaving her job at the British Red Cross in the UK. Her favourite part of working at OTGI is staying at La Laguna and teaching English to local children. When not on projects, Alice enjoys dancing in the square, playing tennis and swimming in lakes.
Loanna
From: Pamplona, Colombia
Role: Shelter and Community Projects Coordinator
Loanna studied psychology at the university in Pamplona, and began volunteering with OTGI while a student. After she graduated, we asked her to join our team, and she has been working as a coordinator for OTGI since 2022.
2024 – 2025 Intern
Gabrielle
From: Spokane, WA
Role: Intern – Kids program, English program, Purchaser
Gabrielle is studying to become an occupational therapist. She loves hiking and outdoor adventures. She chose to volunteer for a year at OTGI to learn Spanish and engage in helping others in a meaningful way.