SALVAIDE Reaches $100,000 Campaign Goal for Flood Victims in El Salvador!

Storm's effects (October 2011):

• 150,000 people affected
• 85% of coast flooded
• Nearly one billion dollars in damage
• Thousands of homes destroyed
• Thousands of crops ruined

SalvAide and its Salvadoran Partners Respond:

Torrential rains in October 2011 devastated coastal areas with heavy flooding and mudslides. Poor hydroelectric dam management has only exacerbated the crisis. Salvadorans had not seen such devastation since Hurricane Mitch in the late 1990s.

SalvAide's Salvadoran sister organizations, CRIPDES and CORDES, were on the ground from the beginning of the flooding and mobilized relief efforts in two of the most affected flood zones - El Salvador's Lower Lempa River region (Bajo Lempa) and the coastal area of La Libertad.

With more than two decades of experience in grassroots community organizing and development in El Salvador, SalvAide's sister organizations were quick to respond with:

• evacuation and emergency shelter
• food and basic health needs
• rescue and further disaster mitigation
• plans for reconstruction, including reactivating a devastated agricultural sector

Mission Accomplished!

The Government of El Salvador estimates nearly a billion dollars in damage to the country, with much of that coming from lost agricultural production – this in a country already facing serious food security challenges. SalvAide answered the call from the Government and Salvadoran civil society for international solidarity and launched a campaign to raise $100,000 for emergency relief and reconstruction.

SalvAide's partners in El Salvador, CRIPDES and CORDES, as usual stretched to the limit every dollar received from SalvAide, assisting 242 families in six communities situated in three different municipalities - Tecoluca, La Libertad, and Comasagua.  Not only were emergency supplies provided, several families also benefitted from start-up materials for small-scale cooperative egg production to encourage local economic recovery in the aftermath of catastrophe.  This exemplefies the CRIPDES-CORDES approach to development in rural El Salvador - organized communities farming cooperatively.

Special Thanks to ALL our Supporters:

As with any SalvAide initiative, we could not have done it without the steadfast support of our nation-wide network of supporters.  We thank you all deeply and humbly!  While every donation is very much appreciated, we would be remiss not to mention a few very generous donors.  SalvAide sincerely thanks the following donors for their outstanding support:

• Juan Carranza
• Moira Gracey
• Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
• Injury Claims Services Inc.
• Salvadoran-Canadian Association of Toronto (ASALCA)
• Society of the Sacred Heart

When Will the Next Crisis Hit?

Although coastal communities affected by October 2011's rains have recovered, the need for vigilance remains.  Sadly, structural problems that affect the most disadvantaged Salvadorans continue to make life in rural El Salvador risky when rainfall amounts exceed the normal.  Much of this is due to poor state regulation and little investment in vital infrastructure.  SalvAide continues to support its partners in their struggles to not only prepare for and address emergencies as they occur but also mitigate risk by demanding that state authorities fulfill their obligations to communities most in danger of suffering losses during weather or earthquake related calamities.

Because of this, we ask you to kindly support our Disaster Emergency Response and Mitigation Program.  You can set up a regular monthly donation through CanadaHelps by clicking here.

Thank you all again for your support and solidarity!