CRIPDES and Sister Cities respond to Hurricane Ida, Nov 09

As soon as Hurricane Ida hit El Salvador on November 7, all the different areas that make up CRIPDES: the organized communities, the CRIPDES regions, and the CRIPDES national board, activated. At the same time, Sister Cities committees in the U.S. and their families and friends all responded in solidarity with concern and funds for CRIPDES aid distribution.
In the CRIPDES communities that had not been affected by flooding and landslides, the town councils immediately began organizing community members to donate clothes, blankets, and food. In the communities that were hit, people worked to make sure that the families who lived in areas at risk were safely staying with other families on stronger ground.

On a regional level, the CRIPDES regional teams in La Libertad and San Vicente received calls from the affected communities they work with, communicating the damages and needs in each of the communities.

On a national level, CRIPDES put out a call out for funds, and Sister Cities committees responded at once. Because of the trust between Sister Cities, CRIPDES and our committees, we were able to advance $1500 for flood relief less than 12 hours after the call for funds went out.

Funds went directly to the regions of El Puerto in La Libertad, responding to the needs of the community of Chilama and others in the region, as well as to the region of Verapaz, in San Vicente, one of the areas that was hardest hit. Along with much needed supplies, CRIPDES brought pinatas and lead activities with the children from affected areas.

Together CRIPDES and Sister Cities responded to the disaster with incredible speed and efficiency. Our ability to do so comes from the relationships that have been built over the years, in times when there are no emergencies. It is also due to committee support for regional programs and regional CRIPDES promoters who have helped the communities to organize. This meant that there was an efficient and clear response network that was already in place and ready to be activated.
As staff, we accompanied CRIPDES organizers in aid distribution; first joining the entire office in packing up supplies, and then traveling over recently cleared roads to deliver them. The experiences of delivering aid to communities that had asked CRIPDES to help, even though they did not have long relationships with CRIPDES, showed how vital having a strong system of community organization is to disaster relief. When communities had not planned out how aid should be distributed it was very complicated. Some people were aggressive, while others avoided the lines, worried that they would get pushed out by the crowds.

In the organized communities, community members made sure that the pregnant women were the first to receive aid, along with the elderly and families with young children. The communities worked together to clean out the houses and make proposals to local and international institutions for help. In the communities that are organized, people respond to the emergencies together, ensuring that everyone is taken care of.

Sometimes people ask why organizing is so important, and wonder why it such a vital focus for CRIPDES. They question why committees are often asked to support organizing activities instead of infrastructure projects. This disaster was another example of why CRIPDES values organizing so much. Because organized communities are stronger, and they are more able to respond to the issues that come up, whatever they might be.

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