AHAH Monthly Program Update - Mexico (January 2022) - English

MEXICO EARTHQUAKE RELIEF UPDATE JANUARY 2022

TOTAL IMPACT 2,437 1,413 23,273 20 1

STUDENTS IMPACTED VOLUNTEERS VOLUNTEER DAYS SCHOOLS REBUILT SCHOOL IN PROGRESS

Current Activities It has been a busy month for our team in Albarradas. At the beginning of December the team concentrated on completing the walls of the new building. In the second half of the month we focused on completing the concrete pour for the roof beams. With the assistance of five local carpenters, the formwork and rebar tying were completed by December 28th. Thanks to the hard work of all involved, the roof pour was completed on December 30th. A fantastic way to close out the year!

Meanwhile, work on the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) infrastructure is progressing well. Despite the challenges the team faced with large rocks obstructing the ability to dig foundations for the cistern, with the use of a jackhammer, the area was successfully excavated and the foundation slab has been poured.

Community Spotlight: Disaster Risk Reduction Training When serving disaster-affected communities, AHAH goes beyond building strong structures. We work with the community to provide Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) training to prepare them for future natural disasters.

In Albarradas, the parents and teachers of Guillermo Prieto Primary School completed the final DRR session at the end of December. During these sessions, AHAH facilitated interactive trainings and drills with students and adults to build awareness and confidence. The DRR sessions focused on risk assessment, community vulnerabilities and capacities, emergency kits, and evacuation routes.

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Photos: (Top) Volunteers tying rebar for the roof and gables of the new school building ; (Left) The School Committee receiving their DRR Training Certificates.

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 2007 after the Tabasco floods. When the 2017 earthquakes shook southern Mexico, we intensified support through the application of our unique volunteer model in the impacted areas. Volunteers began work in March 2018 in El Jicarero, Morelos, to reconstruct and retrofit two primary schools. Since then, we’ve run three volunteer programs in Oaxaca and have rebuilt another six schools, including playgrounds, libraries and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) facilities.

In addition to school reconstruction, our teams collaborate with local partners to identify Renewal Projects with an aim to build community resilience. To date, we’ve implemented three community Disaster Risk Reduction training programs, reactivated a community waste management system and piloted an agricultural education program.

We’re delighted to continue our work in Mexico on Escuela Primaria Guillermo Prieto, which will mark our 21st school rebuild in Mexico.

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.

Photos: (Top to bottom) Placement of rebar for the gables; Feliz Navidad; Celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe with festivities at a member of the community’s property.

Our Partners

We have earned a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator for the seventh year in a row.

This year only seven percent of rated nonprofits received this distinction for financial and operational efficiency.

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