A Message from CARE President Peter D. Bell
Dear Friends:
This time last year, Hurricane Mitch made a whirlwind sweep through Central America, leaving massive flooding and devastation in its wake. I visited Honduras and Nicaragua twice since that time. The images of both brutal destruction and human resilience are still vivid in my mind.
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| CARE President Peter D. Bell (center) and CARE Honduras director Marc de Lamotte (right) meet with communities and survey the damage Hurricane Mitch inflicted on Honduras.
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After Mitch struck, CARE pledged to help the people of Central America recover from this terrible disaster and to turn Mitch from a tragedy into a catalyst for transformation. We wanted to be part of an effort that not only rehabilitated physical infrastructure, but also built more inclusive social organizations and societies that are better integrated. I write to you, on the anniversary of Hurricane Mitch, to update you on CARE's progress with respect to this pledge.
During the past year, CARE has partnered with local and national authorities, civil society and the international community to respond to urgent and demanding needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch. CARE has reached more than 1 million people and has so far allocated nearly $25 million out of the almost $30 million raised for the recovery effort. We have helped 533,000 people in Honduras, 211,000 in Nicaragua, 116,000 in El Salvador and 176,000 in Guatemala. To do this, we have had to significantly increase our staff in the region.
In implementing reconstruction and development programs, we have sought to help alter the social fabric that in the past reinforced poverty in Central America. We will continue to balance the need for rapid results with a longer-term perspective in our operations. We will continue to engage and build the capacity of local authorities.
We learned from the Mitch experience that when emergencies occur, nongovernmental organizations, local and national governments and citizens need to coordinate and cooperate closely to respond effectively. Only a strong, collective effort can attack the root causes of poverty in Central America.
Our efforts in Central America have not been without setbacks. In early October, tropical storms caused fatalities - 74 confirmed - and serious damage in Central America. Rivers that were filled up with mud and gravel during Mitch threatened to overflow their banks and undo the progress made during the past year. There were frequent mudslides, especially along high-risk slopes, where many of the most vulnerable people still live.
The floods serve as a reminder of the Mitch emergency and allow us to reflect on the commitments we made to Central America after the storm. In doing so, we reaffirm our pledge to work creatively and steadfastly toward regional transformation, helping the people of Central America to lead healthier, more productive lives.
I want to thank all of you who were involved in supporting CARE's response to Hurricane Mitch. Much of our work would not have been possible without your generosity and faith in CARE. On this anniversary, I also want to pay tribute to the thousands of people with whom CARE works. They have moved forward with courage and dignity to rebuild their lives. They are a source of strength and inspiration to us all.