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Flood Emergency in Guatemala

Lauren Pasche

In October-November 2020, hurricanes ETA and IOTA hit Guatemala. The department of Alta Verapaz suffers severe flooding. From January 2021, Enfants du Monde provides food and psychological assistance to 400 families with 1,200 children in 14 communities. 

Destruction of Infrastructure

The torrential rains not only flooded and destroyed infrastructure such as bridges, access roads, housing, and schools but also devastated fields and crops. 

As a result, the populations of 7 rural municipalities have lost everything, including their sources of income and means of livelihood. 

Essential Aid

In this mountainous and hard-to-reach region, humanitarian aid organizations are very scarce, and local governments are unable to cope with this emergency situation. Enfants du Monde has been running an education project in this region since 2001, and we have therefore decided to take action to assist the population of Alta Verapaz, in collaboration with our NGO partner  CIPREVICA and the financial support of Swiss Solidarity . 

Securing People’s Livelihoods

Following a needs assessment, we provided families with a monthly package of 15 kg containing essentials for food, hygiene, and COVID-19 protection (corn, beans, oil, flour, pasta, Incaparina, sugar, coffee, soap, and detergent). 

To promote medium-term food self-sufficiency, we also distributed a kit of local vegetable and legume seeds from an indigenous association in Baja Verapaz. 

Protecting the Children

To help children overcome the trauma of the disaster, they received psychological support and were able to take part in recreational activities. 

Two little girls from the community of La Isla, in Santa Cruz Verapaz

We are in the sixth year of primary school, and we are trying to continue our education, but we no longer have supplies, and cannot go to school. 

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