Account #6753
Amount: $150,000
SITUATION:
In recent weeks, Central American countries have been hit by a number of natural disasters. Heavy rains from tropical storm Stan lashed the Central American countries of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua in early October. Residents of Nicaragua have also experienced a plague of worms and rats destroying crops in the northeastern part of the country.
SPECIFICS:
GUATEMALA: In early October, heavy rains caused extensive flooding and mudslides in the highlands and southwestern departments of the country. Nine departments have been severely affected, most of these departments populated by indigenous people living at or below the poverty level. In the department of Solola, two communities with 1,400 residents were engulfed by a massive landslide and 12-meters of sludge.
The devastation in some communities is so bad that relief efforts have been called off and the areas are being declared graveyards. There are 654 dead, 841 missing, 381 wounded and 1,500,000 directly affected, the UN has reported. In all, 761 communities are impacted by the heavy rains, with more than 32,775 houses damaged or destroyed. Continued rain and heavy fog have delayed some rescue efforts those shelters have been set up for the displaced.
CWS, with support from several member denominations, has been working with partners, CIEDEG (Conference of Evangelical Churches of Guatemala) and CONAVIGUA (National Coordination of Widows of the civil war in Guatemala) on a Foods Resource Bank (FRB) funded project in several communities that experienced heavy rainfall and some flooding. While several families who participate in this project had home damage, in general, our FRB project areas were not among those most severely affected.
NICARAGUA: Heavy flooding in the western and southern parts of the country has caused the government of Nicaragua to declare a state of emergency. In addition to the severe weather, this Pacific coast region is suffering from a rat infestation combined with a worm plague that has devastated 14,224 hectares of harvests. The crops of 49,000 people have been totally destroyed. The situation is worsened by the high levels of malnutrition among the populations, particularly among women and children.
EL SALVADOR: Heavy rains caused extensive flooding and some 700 landslides. 46,500 persons were evacuated and agricultural losses are estimated at $40 million. According to the government, more than 70,000 people have been severely affected.
RESPONSE:
Church World Service is responding in Guatemala and Nicaragua through long-time partners and fellow members of the Action by Churches Together (ACT) International alliance.
GUATEMALA: The ACT Guatemala Forum, comprised of six international and 13 local NGOs, is providing food, water, medicines, clothing and hygiene kits to the affected population. Activities are based in areas not being served by other humanitarian agencies with priority going to the most vulnerable groups. The ACT Guatemala Forum will also facilitate the mobilization of local resources for transport and distribution of locally procured relief items. Initial budget for these efforts is $50,000, but will be expanded in coming weeks.
NICARAGUA: The Council of Protestant Churches of Nicaragua (CEPAD) is responding by assisting 168 families in seven affected communities - specifically, inputs needed for planting 73 acres of sorghum and 146 acres of corn to be harvested in January. The Interchurch Centre for Theological and Social Studies (CIEETS), a long-time CWS partner, and other members of the ACT Forum in Nicaragua are assisting 600 vulnerable families with food assistance for one month. This includes food items that include rice, oil, sugar and salt. Partners will also assist the government to apply rodenticides in the affected communities. The CEPAD budget for their project activities is: $17,234.
EL SALVADOR: ACT El Salvador Forum members, Christian Aid, Lutheran World Federation, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and the Salvadoran Lutheran Synod intend to assist 3,313 families with food aid, non-food items, psycho-social care and clean-up campaigns. The total budget for these activities is: $643,166
Please note that Church World Service is offering support to the CEPAD efforts which will be separate from the ACT Nicaragua Forum response because CEPAD is focusing its work on rehabilitation efforts; the ACT Nicaragua Forum is focusing its efforts on relief activities.
Contributions to support these efforts may be sent to your denomination or directly to:
Church World Service
CENTRAL AMERICA HURRICANE STAN RESPONSE
(Please designate Guatemala, Nicaragua or El Salvador, if preferred)
Account #6753
P.O. Box 968
Elkhart, IN 46515
Contributions may also be made by credit card by calling: (800) 297-1516, ext. 222, or online at www.churchworldservice.org.
For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is responding please visit us online or call the CWS Hotline, (800) 297-1516.