AHAH Monthly Program Update - Mexico (May 2021) - English

MEXICO EARTHQUAKE RELIEF UPDATE MAY 2021

TOTAL PROGRAM IMPACT

247 34 3,119 2

STUDENTS IMPACTED VOLUNTEERS VOLUNTEER DAYS SCHOOLS IN PROGRESS

Current Activities Our second cohort of DM12 volunteers arrived last month and started working on site on April 26, following a mandatory quarantine period and a negative PCR test. Thanks to our DM12 syllabus and our wonderful DM12 Training Coordinator, the volunteers were kept busy throughout quarantine with a number of engaging workshops and training sessions.

On site, progress at both Paulo Freire Secondary School and Vicente Guerrero Primary School continues to speed ahead and the team reached a huge milestone recently by pouring all of the new concrete roofs. Whilst the concrete is curing, work on the septic tank and absorption pit for the WASH is underway, and plastering in the classrooms has been started.

Community Stories This year our Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) training was presented in the form of a podcast so that the local community could safely participate. Each of the six episodes received over 140 listeners, and upon completion, the team decided to run a contest for the students.

“Heroes of Prevention" involved sending questions about the DRR training to the WhatsApp radio group over the course of one week. The student that got the most correct answers was Amairany from Vicente Guerrero Primary School (pictured left). Amairany was delighted to be crowned the winner, and instead of a trophy, she appropriately won a customized construction helmet!

Photos: (top) progress at Paulo Freire Secondary School, (left) Amairany, winner of our “Heroes of Prevention” radio contest.

Learn about our programs at

allhandsandhearts.org

Disaster Profile In September 2017, one of the most lethal earthquakes in Mexican history hit close to the southern state of Chiapas, with a devastating magnitude of 8.2. Just 12 days later and a few hundred miles away, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocked central Mexico, toppling buildings, breaking gas mains, knocking out electricity and sparking fires across the city and other towns in central Mexico.

Our Work Our efforts in Mexico began in March 2018 in El Jicarero, Morelos, where we partnered with Happy Hearts Fund (now All Hands and Hearts Mexico) to reconstruct and retrofit two primary schools. Since then, we’ve run two volunteer programs in Oaxaca and have rebuilt another four schools, including playgrounds, libraries and WaSH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) facilities. In addition to our construction work on the schools, our teams collaborate with local partners to identify Renewal Projects with an aim to build community resilience. To date, we’ve implemented a community Disaster Risk Reduction Training program, reactivated a community waste management system and piloted an agricultural education program.

In 2021, we’re excited to be working on Paulo Freire Secondary School and Vicente Guerrero Primary School in Oaxaca.

About All Hands and Hearts We effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. We communicate directly with local leaders and community members and then deploy our unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, helping to build safer, more resilient schools, homes and infrastructure.

We have earned a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator for the seventh year in a row. This year only seven percent of rated non-profits received this distinction for financial and operational efficiency.

Photos: (top, middle, bottom) the roofs of the new buildings before and during the recent concrete pours.

Our Partners

info@allhandsandhearts.org (508) 758-8211