Responding to Hurricane Stan

Isabel Guarchaj, pictured below, is from one of the regions most affected by landslides following the landfall of Hurricane Stan. Below are emails and photos from Roland Elf, the Swedish volunteer who helps to lead Project Victoria, describing the recovery efforts that he, Isabel, and many others are engaged in.

"On Monday, the 24th of October, we went to Pacutamá
sector 1, where the villages Pacutama 1 and Chuicutamá
are located, and we provided food and potable water to all 305 people living there.

"Isabel Guarchaj, a Mayan K'iche' woman who has
coordinated much of the relief effort in this area, knew of another village nearby that she had yet to visit since the storm. We went on foot to look for this village, and after searching we found a group of people at the top of a hill surrounded by fog. The people were in a very bad state. They are in absolute need of urgent help—I saw the most extreme poverty there; the people are in a desperate situation. It was difficult to see the things I saw, there were many children who are very sick.

"We gave them what food and water we had, which may last them for 5 or six days. They have nothing.

"Here are some notes I took down about the situation:

"The villagers from Pacutamá 2, which was destroyed, are now staying in a camp in village of Pacorral 1, near Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán. They are 24 families and 117 people. I hope to be able to take photos in this community on Friday.

"They need: aluminum sheets, nylon, wooden planks, cement blocks, construction tools and other materials to build huts and Mayan saunas used for bathing. They have not been able to bathe, and I could see that they are dealing with filthy conditions.

"There is no source of water nearby—no river, lake, or stream. To get to a source of water takes three hours round-trip on foot, and there are not sufficient containers for carrying water.

"Soon they will need a pump to bring water uphill. The people do not want to return to where their village was because they are afraid that the same thing will happen again. It is a very steep hillside, and all the houses in the village were destroyed by landslides.

"People don't have enough clothing, we saw children, teenagers, and adults with shoes in very bad condition and torn clothes. Four teenage girls asked me if there was a way I could obtain güipiles and cortes (Mayan blouses and skirts) and shoes for them. They all lack sufficient clothing.

"They have been sleeping on the ground because there are no mattress pads. They also need mills to grind corn and cooking materials to make tortillas. Sicknesses: The children are suffering from diarrhea, malnutrition, thirst, colds and coughing, and fever. A young woman named Maria had a very sore throat, cracked lips and skin as well as other skin infections, burns, conjunctivitis and other eye problems. I also saw another little girl whose eyes were causing her a great deal of pain.

"The four of us—Isabel, Andrew, Daniel, and I—went to this community with two portions of food for each family, I think it may last for five or six days. When we arrived a lot of the children were very thirsty. One young girl was struggling to get a bag of water open until her mother helped her.

"The whole village was destroyed by landslides—all houses and fields. The corn, beans, malanga, and other crops are gone. The animals died—horses, hens, dogs, cats, etc. They are totally without any income. The situation is terrible.

"Where they are now the climate is very cold. The sun is strong in the morning, but by one o'clock in the afternoon it is cold, and there is daily mist which makes it almost impossible to see the few huts that are there. As I understand it, they have received practically no help."

10/14/05 from Roland Elf

"Hi Chris,

"Thanks!!!, Unfortunately I have bad news about the village of the Victoria scholarship student: Oralia Chopen Churunel´s village Churunel, Pujujil 3, Sololá, 24 houses are destroyed and many more houses are damaged and some are close to falling down, among them Oralia's house. The roads are also in bad condition, all cornfields are destroyed and many children are sick. I have all this week been working on to get help to them, and I have written to two organizations, e-mails and faxes, and I hope to receive answers soon. I have some photos that show some of the destruction in jpg format. I have given them money to food and medicine. several members of Oralias weaving group Kusamej Junam have lost their houses, i have jpg photos of her group.

"I’m also working with Isabel Guarchaj, Victoria scholarship student from Chirijox, Nahualá. She is working to get help to 524 persons mostly children from two Mayan villages which were completely destroyed, and she is doing a great job!! For these people she is also working as a nurse in a centro de salud in Chirijox, and study in the Saturdays and I will give her more money to help her. On Saturday I will go with her to Nahualá early in the morning to take photos of the people who suffer... to look for help…….I’m so happy that these two lovely women receives scholarships from project Victoria!

"Geovanni, PV scholarship student from Momostenango has lost his room, the wall fell down.

"Victor Manuel’s in San Martin Chili Verde his home was filled with mud.

"None of the scholarship students have been hurt, well Felicia from Ixcan fell in the rain but she is now o.k.

"My friend Candelaria, a Kaqchikel girl from San Jorge la Laguna, as it seems now have lost her uncle and aunt, they disappeared and they have not heard of them,

"Another friend from San Marcos her name is Anna, I have many beautiful photos of her in her Mayan dress, have disappeared, I feel very sad, I hope she will appear alive soon.

"Now will the scholarships of Project Victoria be needed more than ever!, before the people were poor and now they are poorer.

"Thank you so very much for the Great job you are doing for these people!!!

Kawil awib´

Roland"

___________________

10/15/05 from Roland

Hi Chris

"Good news- Anna Iwrote about is alive and well!

"Tomorrow i going to Nahualá with Isabel Guarchaj, Victoria student, she is doing a great job!!! coordinating the help to 524 persons over 300 children, i hope to take about 40 photos of the people without homes, and then look for help.

"kawil awib'Roland"

10/16/05 from Roland

"Today I have been at various camps in Santa Maria Ixtahuacan and seen hundreds suffering people who have lost their entire villages, 13 villages....and i´m helping Isabel Guarchaj, coordinator, she is fantastic, she and other mayan women are giving food and medicine to the people, but they need much more help,... i took 44 photos today, and i will work hard the comig days to find help for these poor people now they almost have nothing...in this terrible situation still some of this wonderful people made jokes in k'iche' and smiled when i took the photos....they have not had a bath in over one week, we are going on Wednesday to build some tuj for them (traditional mayan saunas) their "houses" now are made of nylon.plastic and metal sheets and palos....hard to understand and it is pretty cold there, these now over 1000 persons are in desperate need of help, but i´m positive to find more help soon.

kawil awib'

Roland"

___________________
10/12/05 from Petronila

"Hello Chris:

"How are you? For me it’s a pleasure to write you, please receive my most sincere greetings and wishes for your success in the daily work that you do.

"Well, Chris, I’m glad to be able to communicate with you in light of the situation that’s going on here in Guatemala—the hurricane has passed through and affected many people, many of them lost their families and their homes, but the rain continues...

"But thank God we are fine without any big problems, I hope you’re well in the States with your parents and family…Here it’s a very sad thing to see so many people who have lost everything in their lives…Last week classes were suspended because the school was used as a shelter in order to save peoples’ lives, and although people are still staying there, we’re now back in school.

"May God bless you Chris, may God keep you safe today and always.

Petronila"

HOLA CRIS:

COMO ESTAS PARA MI ES UN GRAN GUSTO SSALUDARTE, RECIBAS MIS MAS SICEROS SALUDOS DESEANDOLE EXITOS EN TU TRABAJO QUE REALIZAS DIARIA.

BUENO CRIS ES UN GUSTO DE COMUNICARLE CON TIGO POR LA SINTUACION QUE PASA AQUI A GUATEMALA, AQUI A PASADO EL URACAN A AFECTADO MUCHA GENTE A PERDIDO TOTALMENTE SU FAMILIA COMO TAMBEN SUS CASAA, PERO LA LLUVIA SIGUE..............

PERO POR LA GRACIA DE DIOS NOSOTRAS ESTAMOS BIEN SIN NINGUNA NOVEDAD, ESPERO QUE TU ESTES BIEN AYA EN LOS ESTADOS CON TUS PADRES Y FAMILIA................LA MENTABLEMENTE ES UNA GRAN TRISTEZA AL VER LA GENTE PERDIENDO TOTALMENTE LA VIDA,,,,,,,,,,,,PERO LA SEMANA PASADA SE SUSPENDIO LAS CLASES PERO AHORA ESTAMOS DE NUEVO, PORQUE LA ESCUELA SE UTILIZÒ PARA QUE LA GENTE SE SALVA LA VIDA ALLI ESTUVIERON LAS GENTES AHORA TAMBIEN ESTAN AHI POR ESO HASTA AHORA ESTAMOS DE NUEVAMENTE.

QUE DIOS TEBENDIGA CRIS QUE DIOS TE GARDE HOY Y SIEMPRE.

ATT. PETRONILA.

 Tax-deductible contributions to Project Victoria may be made to:

Project Victoria Fund
Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
200 1st St. SW
Cedar Rapids IA 52404
319-366-2862