Manaus, Brazil, March 23, 2021 – With the financial support of the government of Japan and the institutional support of UNHCR and Caritas Archdiocesan of Manaus, the Casa do Migrante Beato Jaõ Batista Scalabrini in Manaus, Brazil has been renovated to welcome more migrants and provide them with all the necessary support.

The reopening ceremony was attended by Archbishop Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, Executive Director of Caritas Archdiocesan of Manaus; P. Marco Antônio Alves Ribeiro, Scalabrinian Priest; Heiko Nakamura, Deputy Consul General of Japan in Manaus, Catarina Sampaio, who represented the UNHCR office in Manaus, among others.

The Scalabrinian migrant center had been closed since January 2020 to be renovated and expanded. The expansion includes a new wing with 9 rooms, bathrooms, laundry, kitchen, and administrative area. This new structure has solar panels that generate 60% of the energy necessary for the operation of the House.

This Scalabrinian center reopened its doors on March 23, 2021, and with the new expansion it will be possible to accommodate 70 people, however, following the protocols and security measures of the Covid-19, it is planned to accommodate up to 100 people by the end of 2021.