Urgent relief for victims of Guatemalan volcano

I wanted to share a few updates on the Fuego disaster response activities that your gift is supporting:

There are over 3,600 people, mostly families of single mothers and children, who are living in 20 shelters closest to the disaster area. Our partners Asociación Generando (ASOGEN) and Asociación Defiende have been providing critical assistance to these disaster survivors. 

• ASOGEN is providing much-needed household, hygiene, and nutrition items to mothers and their children who are most vulnerable within the shelters. There are adolescent mothers with newborns, and mothers widowed by the volcano with multiple children that ASOGEN is supporting with medicines, hygiene kits, cleaning kits, and diapers—everyday items often overlooked as critical for mothers and families. As the crisis period begins to transition towards recovery, they are helping families build plans to recover and find pathways forward to what’s next. 

• ASOGEN is lobbying the local government and CONRED (Guatemala’s emergency response agency) for permission to receive families in their shelter space where they can provide more specialized support, privacy, and safety for vulnerable women and girls. They are also developing a psychosocial recovery program for women and children, in which a group of psychologies will help survivor work towards healing, social reintegration, and a positive attitude towards their lives ahead. 

• Asociación Defiende has sent a rapid response team to multiple shelters in impacted areas. They are facilitating therapeutic art/play activities & providing shelter management guidance to protect vulnerable women and girls.  

Global Fund for Children has begun releasing emergency funding and continues to support our partners, liaise with and leverage funding sources, and keep donors like you apprised of the situation. This relief and recovery effort is expected to continue for many months.  

But it's times like these, that we're moved by friends like you who show the world what compassion in action truly means. Thank you for your support!  

We will continue to keep you informed about the progress of this critical work. If you have any comments or questions, contact me at fgomez@globalfundforchildren.org. Gracias!