Humanitarian Aid For Honduras And Nicaragua (Updated Dec. 19)

Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota have made a bad situation in Central America worse. Many have been displaced from their homes and the COVID-19 pandemic has left the governments with scarce resources to respond to both storms. The effects of the pandemic will make rebuilding this time around even harder.

Destruction by Eta has caused lives lost in an instant, bridges to be washed away, homes buried in landslides, rivers, and flood canals overflowed so high that tens of thousands were trapped for days on rooftops without food or water. The total number of victims will likely never be known.

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch brought seven days of constant rain. Hurricane Eta poured rain for 48 hours and back to back came Iota to make a dire situation more challenging to deal with humanitarian and rebuilding efforts. The water from Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota have flooded areas that 22 years ago were not flooded by Mitch and left countless people who have lost everything. Economists believe the loss could be greater even than that inflicted in 1998 by Hurricane Mitch, the most destructive storm to ever hit Central America and the second most deadly Atlantic hurricane in recorded history.

Nicaragua and Honduras bore the brunt force of the storms, causing landslides and flooding. Local authorities in Honduras said they expect the death toll to continue to go up as floodwaters recede and cleanup efforts continue. It is estimated that Hurricane Eta caused more than $5 billion in damages, compared with $2 billion from Hurricane Mitch. Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast is home to the country’s indigenous ethnic Miskito American Indian and Afro-Nicaraguan population. These communities are some of the poorest in the country, cut off from many of the resources concentrated in the capital, Managua. Puerto Cabezas, a city of about 60,000 reachable after a 12-hour drive from the capital, was hit the hardest area hit by 70% of the hurricane. In most of the urban areas there was major destruction. About 177 houses were lost and approximately 803 had partial damage. Some 400 village communities lost everything including, housing and crops. In Karata, a village of 197 houses, only four were left standing.

Relief efforts have begun in our metro area, but in Kenner there are two organizations that have organized to aid with humanitarian aid.

Sobores Emergency Relief and Honduran American Emergency Fund (HAEF), a 501 (c)(3) corporation, in partnership with several civic and cultural organizations, will team up to send much needed humanitarian assistance to the victims of Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota in Honduras. Contributions go directly to the needed families and children who have lost everything. All cargo will be shipped and delivered to Honduras by Navivan Corporation, a company that provides transportation to Latin American countries.

Donations can be made by checks in the name of HAEF with a memo noted as Eta Hurricane. Direct money deposits can be made at Capital One Bank using the account name of Honduras American Emergency Fund and one ID of the person making a deposit.

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The following items are needed:

• toiletries
• non-perishable food
  • canned items, pasta and rice
• clothes
• toys
• shoes
• bed sheets
• diapers
• water
• feminine products
• disinfectant
• Advil or Tylenol

Due to limited transportation and hardship of reaching the affected areas, the Nicaraguan Association of Louisiana (ANDELA) and Nicaraguan Independent Committee for Assistance (NICA), a 501(c)(3) corporation, are calling on the community at large and Nicaraguans to make monetary donations to be able to bring emergency supplies to the affected communities.

Checks can be made out to NICA with a memo of Eta Hurricane. Direct money deposits can be made at Capital One Bank to the account of Nicaraguan Independent Committee for Assistance using the ID of the person making a deposit. Donations can be dropped off at JES & Associates located in Suite 2 at 1942 Williams Boulevard in Kenner. For more information or to accept your donation call 466-1483 or 487-4439.