More than 2.3 million people in Guatemala and 3.5 million people in Honduras have been affected by the recent Hurricanes ETA and IOTA. These Central American countries were just returning to normal after almost 10 months of confinement as a preventive measure against the spread of COVID – 19.
Early November, hurricane ETA passed through Guatemala and Honduras affecting more than 3 million people and severely damaging the infrastructure (bridges and roads) and the economies of the eastern and northern part of the countries.
Two weeks later, when communities were still isolated and working to provide support and preparing shelters for people who had partially or totally lost their homes, hurricane Iota hit first Honduras and then Guatemala. This second Hurricane duplicated the number of people already affected, further damaging the already weak infrastructure and sending a direct hit to the economy.
Although Hurricane Iota has already left the country, a tropical depression continues leaving rain and destruction in Guatemala and Honduras, which prevents the rescue and rehabilitation of roads and highways to reach isolated communities.
Both natural phenomena have deepened the challenges in the economy, health, education and employment that the most vulnerable communities in Guatemala and Honduras faced. Guatemala shows the highest percentages of malnutrition in the communities affected by both hurricanes.
The heavy and constant rains added to the irregular topography, the soil conditions and the fragile infrastructure left communities isolated and thousands of families in shelters or living in inhumane conditions in small houses.
UNITED WAY HONDURAS and UNITED WAY GUATEMALA have allocated financial and human resources to support the affected people and have implemented, in collaboration with its private business partners, a platform that aims to raise financial resources to provide essential products to solve nutrition and hygiene necessities in these communities.
Our communities in Central America need your support as they recover and rebuild after these devastating natural disasters. You can learn more about the response efforts and how to support by visiting this site: www.elamorencaja.org
Now more than ever, lets come together and deliver hope.
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