From IFRC WEEKLY NEWS 04/00
The people of Honduras have mobilized
resources to help victims of the recent flooding in Venezuela. The Honduran
Red Cross organized a nine-hour non-stop event in Francisco Moraz=DFn Park,
in the centre of Tegucigalpa, where singers, well-known media personalities,
as well as staff and volunteers from the Honduran Red Cross encouraged
the public to donate whatever they could to help flood survivors.
The aim of this initiative was to highlight the need to help the victims of such a huge disaster. As Do=B1a Yolanda Vargas, of the Honduran Red Cross pointed out, it was also meant as a gesture of gratitude to thank the people of Venezuela and of other countries for the humanitarian assistance they provided Honduras in its hour of greatest need, after Mitch devastated Central America. Special bank accounts were opened to receive donations, information stands were set up and a truck was on standby to collect in-kind donations and medicines.
So far, more than 4,500 Swiss francs have been collected. Immediately following the disaster, the Honduran Red Cross sent the Venezuela Red Cross 3,000 Swiss francs and eight water purification plants, as well as personnel to operate the plants and train Venezuela Red Cross volunteers The Tegucigalpa event was supported by the Federation's Honduras delegation. In his speech at the opening of the event, head of delegation Marco Onorato underlined the international solidarity shown by National Societies around the world towards the flood victims in Venezuela. Also present were representatives of the Venezuelan embassy in Tegucigalpa and of the government emergency committee, co-organizers of the event.
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