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Supporting Hurricane Stan Relief Efforts  
March 1, 2006—When CEDPA’s Guatemala office graduated to become the new non-governmental organization Sinergia No’j, it faced an immediate challenge—Hurricane Stan. That Oct. 2006 hurricane devastated Guatemala’s western highlands and southern coast, areas with the greatest concentration of poor and marginalized people. It left over 200 people dead and more than 200,000 without homes. Sinergia No’j responded by channeling emergency aid through partner agencies to over 5,000 victims in the most severely affected areas. It organized the distribution of the food, clothing and medicines. This critical support helped the communities survive when official aid had not yet arrived. A major focus of Sinergia No’j is to provide technical assistance to ensure that Guatemalan organizations have the capacity to respond to the needs of women, particularly rural and indigenous women. Sinergia No’j advocated for other organizations to focus relief efforts on the critical needs of indigenous women. This is especially critical in the aftermath of a natural disaster, when the neediest populations may be furthest removed from resources to rebuild their lives and communities. Today, the organization continues to work hand-in-hand with partners to develop advocacy plans that ensure reconstruction efforts by the Guatemalan government will incorporate the needs of women and indigenous populations. Learn more about CEDPA’s partners. |
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