LIMA – Adriana Marero dropped out of college in her native Venezuela in 2017 as anti-government protests turned violent amid worsening economic problems and she fled to Peru looking for a place where she could earn a decent living.
She delivered food on her bike, played hostess at a casino and worked at various restaurants. Then the coronavirus pandemic came, hitting Peru particularly hard, and Marero found herself out of work as did countless other migrants.
Determined to provide for herself, Marero learned to make natural skincare products and sold her wares at a crafts market with dozens of other Venezuelans who have started their own businesses.