Specifications:
- Province: Santa Rosa de Lima Province | 2025–2026
- Area: Community Development
- Implemented by: Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation
Chile has experienced a significant increase in migrant arrivals over the past decade. According to the National Statistics Institute (INE) and the National Migration Service, in 2023 foreign nationals represented nearly 8% of the country’s population (more than 1.6 million people).
The Coquimbo Region, whose capital is La Serena, is among the areas with the highest concentration of migrants, particularly from Venezuela, Haiti, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia.
Many migrants enter through unofficial border crossings and settle without regularized documentation, creating multiple vulnerabilities:
- Employment-related: high levels of informal work, low wages, and arbitrary dismissals.
- Housing-related: rentals without contracts, abusive charges, and overcrowding.
- Social: lack of awareness of rights, discrimination, and difficulties with integration.
In response to this reality, the Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation of the Santa Rosa de Lima Province reaffirm their conviction that every person has the right to live a dignified life with equal opportunities, and that access to justice and regularized documentation is a fundamental step toward achieving this.
Within this context, the “Uniting Borders” Migrant Ministry supports migrant families through a free legal assistance service that is essential for accessing basic rights and building a dignified future.
The project
The “Uniting Borders” Migrant Ministry, run by the Dominican Sisters of the Annunciation, provides a free legal assistance service in La Serena to protect the rights of migrants and promote their full integration into society.
The project includes the support of a lawyer who assists migrants with:
- Documentation regularization.
- Guidance on rental agreements and labor claims.
- Access to basic services and citizens’ rights.
The service is provided two days per week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.) at the Ministry’s offices, offering personalized and ongoing support throughout the year.
De esta manera, se responde no solo a una necesidad práctica, sino también a la convicción de construir comunidades más justas e inclusivas, donde los migrantes encuentren oportunidades reales de desarrollo y vida digna.
General objective:
- Promote the social and labor integration of the migrant population in La Serena.
- Promover la defensa de derechos humanos y la integración cultural.
- Support migration regularization through legal assistance.
- Provide information on rights and responsibilities in Chile.
- Facilitate access to formal employment and decent housing conditions.
Beneficiaries:
Approximately 120 migrants per year (young mothers with children, families, and vulnerable adults).
Indirect beneficiaries: residents of Kpakpamè, neighboring communities, and users from nearby urban areas.
Total project budget: €2,000.00