Storm Eta Emergency Response in Guatemala

On Sunday, June 3, 2018, the Fuego Volcano, located 40 kilometres southwest of Guatemala City, erupted and swept away at least five of the surrounding communities, causing some 190 casualties and 250 missing individuals.  The subsequent mass evacuation displaced 12,575 from their homes, 50% of whom were children. Severe infrastructural damage caused by the volcano included preschools and primary schools, and further educational facilities had to be repurposed as shelters. This left some 16,000 children out of schools in the period immediately following the disaster.

Seven months later, the IsraAID team is still on the ground, offering essential assistance to people directly affected by the volcano eruption, and bolstering the ability of these communities to bounce back and rebuild should future disasters occur.

The IsraAID team began implementing a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) curriculum as a pilot program in five schools. Teachers and other staff members attended a series of seven workshops on promoting prevention cultural and developing school-specific emergency plans involving local actors and community members. This program seeks to improve local preparation for potential disasters, as studies show that communities with plans in place preceding a crisis, are better able to bounce back afterwards.

The pilot program came to a close at the end of November, with 23 participants completing their DRR facilitator certification, and an additional 38 completing the course. The IsraAID team undertook a full monitoring and evaluation process of the program with participants. Each participating school was given a booklet with four participatory sessions to continue independent programming.

During times of instability and volatility, providing developmentally appropriate spaces for children to express themselves is essential to compensate for a lack of educational frameworks and to prevent the long-term effects of trauma. To this end, IsraAID is currently building a Child-Friendly Space and playground within a transitional shelter, home to some 1,000 beneficiaries.

On November 19^th, the Fuego Volcano entered a new phase of eruptive activity, triggering another evacuation of an additional 3000 people. The IsraAID team arrived in the area to provide psychological first aid for evacuees.

Thank you for your ongoing support of these programs!