VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

Three months after the earthquake, the emergency continues for people who lost their homes and are still living in camps and temporary shelters. The lack of privacy, difficulties accessing water, the loss of livelihoods, and uncertainty about the future continue to affect their daily lives and health.

“We’ve been here for three months now, and this is supposed to be temporary,” explains a woman displaced from La Guaira who lives in the El Ávila camp. She lost her home, has visual and mobility impairments, and suffers from chronic illnesses. She shares a tent with another family and says that the lack of space and the conditions at the shelter make it difficult for her to rest and live independently.

Her story reflects a reality that goes beyond the loss of a home: when temporary housing is prolonged, so too are the difficulties in accessing adequate food, maintaining medical treatments, and rebuilding livelihoods.

With different families living together under the same tent in these camps, people are forced to adapt even their most basic routines to the constant presence of others.

Access to water also shapes these people’s daily lives. In the camps, shower times are scheduled, and there have been times when they didn’t even have enough water to wash their faces or brush their teeth.

Food poses another challenge. Conditions such as type 2 diabetes -which she has-or cardiovascular problems require a diet tailored to one’s health. However, Aristigueta explains that the meals she typically receives do not meet her needs and that, at times, she must choose between eating what’s available or avoiding foods that could harm her health. “I often go hungry,” she says.

Links:

• a pregnant woman in the earthquake
• Venezuela coordinator