Hurricane Eta has caused widespread flooding across Central America, including the coffeelands where we work.
Within the Ixil region, the community of Chel has been most impacted by the hurricane.
So far, there have been no deaths due to the storm, but the land on either side of the only bridge to town has washed out, leaving it unusable.
There are about 50 families in Chel that have been impacted. Many have left their homes to stay with relatives. Ten of these families are in dire situations with dwindling food supplies—primarily lacking basic grains, like corn.
Our efforts right now are focused on getting basic grains to these ten families, and if possible, all 50 families most affected by this hurricane.
The problem is the bridge.
We are speaking with Chajulense de Mujeres to see if there is a way we can collaborate on getting food to these families. There may also also be the possibility of transporting food via helicopter.
The region's coffee and cardamom have been severely damaged, and some farms were completely washed out. We hope to know more about the situation, but are currently limited in the information we can receive, as these families tend to their immediate needs.
Please follow along on our social media, as we share more information on this developing situation.