La OIM y el Instituto Vakinha impulsan la respuesta a desastres | ONU Migración Americas

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Instituto Vakinha have launched a new humanitarian financing model in Brazil designed to provide real-time support to families affected by disasters.

Announced on May 12, 2026, the alliance integrates Instituto Vakinha, Brazil’s largest crowdfunding platform, into the IOM’s disaster preparedness and response system. This mechanism allows for the activation of emergency fundraising campaigns within a few hours of a disaster, directing public donations toward humanitarian assistance for displaced and affected communities across the country.

This partnership marks the first time globally that a crowdfunding platform has been formally integrated into an IOM response system. The goal is to create a scalable and transparent method for mobilizing civil society support during large-scale emergencies.

Paolo Caputo, the IOM Chief of Mission in Brazil, stated that the alliance represents a significant shift in the financing of humanitarian responses within the country.

“Al conectar la solidaridad de la ciudadanía con la capacidad operativa de respuesta de la OIM, la asistencia puede llegar a las comunidades afectadas de forma más rápida y transparente durante las emergencias.” Paolo Caputo, Jefe de Misión de la OIM en Brasil

Under the terms of the agreement, Instituto Vakinha will serve as a strategic fundraising partner for the IOM. When disasters occur, the platform can immediately initiate crowdfunding campaigns to provide direct financial support for humanitarian operations implemented by the IOM in Brazil.

Renata Fehlauer, the Executive Director of Instituto Vakinha, described the partnership as both an honor and a strategic opportunity for the organization.

“Para el Instituto Vakinha, es tanto un honor como una oportunidad estratégica trabajar en alianza con la OIM” Renata Fehlauer, Directora Ejecutiva del Instituto Vakinha

The initiative comes as Brazil continues to manage the impact of climate-related disasters. In 2026, floods devastated the cities of Juiz de Fora and Ubá in southeast Brazil, resulting in the displacement of more than 3,500 people.

The IOM and Instituto Vakinha have indicated that the model is designed to be reproducible. The organizations suggest that this framework for real-time humanitarian financing could be replicated in other countries facing similar disaster response challenges.