Wednesday evening was an emotional one for Altona's Venezuelan immigrants, including Angelica and Suanny, who are raising money in support of their family's fight for refugee status.

The event was held at the Seeds of Life Community Church, and, with the help of local charity Build A Village, raised $8,200.

The other reason for the fund raiser was simply to raise awareness of the struggles that the citizens of Venezuela are experiencing.

Vic Loewen grabbing an arepa for the road. Arepas are a type of biscuit made with cooked corn flour and can be filled with a variety of ingredients. They are eaten daily in countires like Venezuela

Angelica was able to provide some specific examples that her family has personally experienced.

One of the main problems, she said, is that the government has censored the media. People are afraid to leave the house because they do not know what is happening outside.

"Last Sunday there was sort of a referendum, but organized by the people ... there was no national channel covering the event at all, because it was forbidden. If they do it then they get shut down."

Angelica also states that the government keeps an eye out for those who oppose them, like members of her family.

"If you are like, regular average people protesting because you don't have food, you are a target now. If you are protesting because you don't have medicine, you are a target now," she said.

People are also turning on each other government supporting sending in videos of those in opposition. The videos of the protesters are then used to identify and take people from their homes.

"They don't take you while you are protesting because there's many people ... but they come for you after," said Angelica.

The parents of Angelica had to quit their jobs and move across the country because others knew they opposed the government. Still, they were not safe.

Angelica describes a scenario that took place while she was on the phone with her father. She said 40 armed and masked men on motorcycles stopped outside of her father's house and robbed places in the area.

"They drove down the street and went into my aunt's place, stole everything, destroyed the property, and then left. And did that to another four business in the area, came back the next day and did the same thing to two other ones."

Earlier that same evening, Angelica lost a cousin who was killed in front of her Grandmother's house because he protested.

Suanny and Angelica are also concerned about education.

Angelica's nephews do not go to school anymore due to blocked roads and protesters. In the past, police have thrown tear-gas at schools, making her sister afraid to send her children there.

Suanny and Angelica believe that anyone can help the people in Venezuela by simply asking questions, researching, and talking to others about it.

"I personally want to ask the community just to reach out, maybe to their representatives, and ask 'what are you doing about Venezuela?'"

Angelica says there is a difference between being diplomatic and indifferent. She wonders what the death toll has to be before other countries step in and help defend their basic human rights.

$8,200 was raised at Wednesday's fundraiser