In early June, the eruption of the Volcano of Fire near Antigua, Guatemala caught residents living nearby by surprise. By the time the eruption was over, more than one million people were affected; approximately 3,000 people had been displaced from their homes, and about 250 people were missing. The eruption caused direct damage to five villages in the surround area of the volcano, including the town of Antigua, where our affiliated project the Sagrada Familia Center is located. The aftermath of the eruption not only engulfed the neighboring towns in thick smoke, but heavy ash, hot gases, and rocks ran down the volcano, blocking roads and destroying homes along its path.
The Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Disasters (CONRED), a Guatemalan government agency for disaster reduction, quickly set up fifteen shelters after the disaster to help displaced residents, who were in need with food, cleaning supplies, hygiene items, and bedding in their time of crisis. As soon as we heard news of the volcanic eruption, we at Children Incorporated asked our amazing supporters to donate emergency relief funds that we could send directly to the Sagrada Failmila Center, where our volunteer coordinators were working hard to provide daily support for families who have lost their homes and who were living in these shelters.
Thank you to all of our donors who have donated to our Guatemala Relief Fund to help those affected by this natural disaster. Funds went to, and are still going toward, purchasing items such as oil, sugar, flour, rice, beans, nutritional drinks, salt, canned vegetables, beans, soups, baby food, filtered water, and canned and bagged fruit juices to feed families, mops and brooms, bleach and disinfectants, soaps, rags, latex gloves, and buckets for water and sanitation, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, and towels, and diapers. We are so grateful for your support!
https://childrenincorporated.org/emergency-relief-after-a-volcanic-eruption/