Venezuelan refugee finds motivation and community at Teleperformance in Colombia

Tent’s podcast “Refugees at Work” celebrates the contributions of refugees to their communities and economies. Our fourth episode features Eduardo, who was a university student in Maracaibo, Venezuela when his country reached a boiling point. High levels of urban crime and violence, a deepening economic crisis, and chronic shortages of basic goods and services led millions of Venezuelans to protest against the government. Eduardo was worried about what his own future would look like if he stayed in Venezuela amid the chaos and insecurity. 

Eduardo became one of the more than six million Venezuelans who have been forced to leave their homeland due to what spiraled into a humanitarian crisis. Eduardo arrived in Bogota, Colombia in 2017, with little more than a strong motivation to succeed. Although Colombia is a neighboring country, he had to learn how to navigate a different job market and culture.

With the support of Teleperformance, a global business focused on providing customer care and technical support to some of the world’s largest brands, Eduardo found his professional niche in Bogota. He is now the supervisor at a call center for one of Teleperformance’s company clients.

“What I like most about Teleperformance is the importance it gives to its employees. Our leaders say that a company’s workforce is the gear that makes the business function. The company goes above and beyond its employees – when you join, the company draws up a career plan so that you can look forward to what you want to attain and where you want to go,” Eduardo said.

Listen and subscribe to “Refugees at Work” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Keep an eye out for future episodes to hear from refugees working at leading companies, running their own businesses, and more. You’ll be inspired by their stories of dedication, resilience, and courage.