Mudslides and Hurricane Stan hit Guatemala
In early October, the Lake Atitlan region of Guatemala suffered severe flooding and mudslides caused by Hurricane Stan. Thousands of people died during the storm, hundreds of thousands of families were left homeless, and upwards of 90 percent of crops in the region were destroyed by the storm’s heavy rain. The tourism and agricultural industries, the main source of local employment, were devastated by the hurricane; leaving most families without income. Mudslides also destroyed most major roads in the region, further adding to the post-hurricane food crisis.
Within a week of the hurricane, Hands on Tzedakah partnered with Mercado Global, a nonprofit fair trade organization working in the Lake Atitlan region, to provide immediate relief to Hurricane Stan’s victims. Mercado Global put together a hurricane relief team comprising representatives of its partner community cooperatives and representatives of community-based organizations it partners with in the region.
This relief team oversaw a HOT-funded shipment of 6,000 lbs of food and 480 bars of soap. This shipment fed 1,325 people for a week, providing much needed nourishment to families left homeless by the flash flooding and mudslides. This shipment was especially important as it occurred before most roads were opened while a major food shortage left even families with homes still in tact hungry. The shipment also targeted smaller, isolated communities that did not benefit from later regional food donations.
