In Solidarity with Venezuela

There are moments when words simply don’t feel enough.

As many of you know, I’m Van Kirsch, co-founder of The Progspace. I am from Caracas, Venezuela. Although I have lived in Germany for many years, Venezuela will always be home. Watching the devastation caused by the recent earthquakes has been heartbreaking. Seeing familiar places reduced to rubble, reading the names of those who have lost their lives, and hearing the stories of families searching for loved ones is something that is difficult to put into words. The grief is shared by all of us, whether we are directly affected or not – in truth, all Venezuelans are directly hit.

A week after the events, I can finally manage to write these lines. The pain, grief and disbelief are still too strong, . One constant question pops in my head: “What’s next? Isn’t it enough with everything Venezuelans have suffered and continue suffering?”  Those are questions no one can answer. Resilient as we are, Venezuela will get up again.

On behalf of everyone at The Progspace, we extend our deepest condolences to every person affected by this tragedy. Our warmest thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones, those who have been injured, everyone who has lost their homes, and the countless people whose lives have changed forever in just a matter of seconds.

We also want to express our deepest respect and gratitude to the rescue teams, firefighters, medical personnel, volunteers, humanitarian workers, and emergency responders from Venezuela and around the world who continue to work tirelessly under incredibly difficult conditions. Their courage and commitment have become a source of life and hope for so many.

This tragedy has also deeply affected Venezuela’s rock and metal community. We mourn the loss of the members of the band Van Der Dijs (they were rehearsing when the building collapsed). Our hearts are with every musician, promoter, photographer, venue worker, fan, and friends who has been impacted. Friends in the music business, close to me, have also been affected, making this loss feel painfully close to home.

The destruction extends far beyond what many international headlines are showing. Entire towns and neighbourhoods have suffered catastrophic damage. Roads, hospitals, schools, utilities, and essential infrastructure have been severely affected, leaving countless communities struggling to access even the most basic necessities.

Recovery will not be easy. Venezuela was already facing an extraordinarily difficult political, economic, and humanitarian situation before this disaster. For millions of people, rebuilding homes, businesses, and entire communities will require years of continuous effort and international support.

If you would like to help, we encourage you to support trusted relief initiatives. Please check the following page to find verified organizations where you can help:

https://donarseguro.com/en

Please take a few minutes to verify where your donation is going before contributing. Supporting transparent and reliable organizations helps ensure that aid reaches the people who need it most.

To donate money: https://donarseguro.com/en/money

To volunteer from abroad: https://donarseguro.com/en/volunteer

To help with Supplies – drop off centers: https://donarseguro.com/en/supplies

To every Venezuelan reading this, whether you are in the affected areas, elsewhere in the country, or watching from another part of the world with a heavy heart, you are in our thoughts. 

From all of us at The Progspace, THANK YOU
to everyone who has reached out, shared information responsibly, offered support, and stood in solidarity with the people of Venezuela.