Special Report LAST UPDATE August 9, 2010
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July 10, 2010 Aid Delivered to Storm Victims in Guatemala
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A staggering amount of goods were donated including hundreds of clothing items, pens, and tinned food.
Peace Boat has delivered much needed aid goods to the people of Guatemala following deadly rain which caused the deaths of scores of people throughout the Central American nation. Disaster struck the nation on May 29 when Tropical Storm Agatha hit the western shore of Guatemala, bringing torrential rain which caused widespread flooding and landslides. At least 150 people died during the storm which has left more than 20,000 others homeless. Heavy rain is also responsible for creating a huge hole 30 metres in diameter, which enveloped a three-story building in the heart of Guatemala City.

Those travelling on the 69th Voyage donated a vast collection of goods for Guatemalans affected by the storm, including clothes, toiletries, foodstuffs and medical items. Dozens of boxes laden with supplies were taken to the remote towns of Tecpan and Santa Apolonia where Peace Boat met with community representatives. Many people living in these areas are Mayans who suffer from discrimination and are economically disadvantaged. These remote towns suffered greatly after the disaster because damage to roads hindered the distribution of aid and supplies.
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Angelina Sacbaja (right) thanked Peace Boat and staff member Cho Misu (left) for the aid. She said that it would help to relieve the financial pressures on many families.

The storm is estimated to be the have cost Guatemala more than $1 billion USD and has destroyed much of the country's infrastructure. Agatha is the wettest known storm to have hit the nation, with more than 910 millimetres of rain falling in some areas of Guatemala. Peace Boat arrived in Guatemala on July 5, more than a month after the disaster, but many roads throughout the country were still damaged by the flooding. Participants saw the aftermath of the storm as they travelled throughout the country by bus. Frequent detours had to be taken taken to avoid areas which had been wrecked by recent landslides.

The first load of goods were delivered to Tecpan, where participants stayed overnight with local families to learn more about Guatemalan culture. Peace Boat staff member Cho Misu said that the supplies will help the community to recover and rebuild. "The aid goods are a token of our gratitude towards the families which were so hospitable despite struggling with the disaster," she said. The supplies mostly went to Mayan families which are living below the poverty line. Many participants gained an understanding of how little these people have, as many of the homes that they stayed in had dirt floors and lacked running water.
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Many families in rural areas rely on agriculture and have had their livelihoods destroyed by the disaster.
More than 100,000 people were evacuated from their homes because there were fears that Tropical Storm Agatha would have caused even more death and destruction. Life in rural areas of Guatemala appeared to be getting back to normal and there were signs of a massive reconstruction effort with many workers trying to rebuild damaged sections of roads. A second load of goods were delivered to the nearby community of Santa Apolonia which had also suffered because of landslides and heavy rain.

But despite aid efforts from groups such as Peace Boat, hundreds of families remain in need and face a difficult time ahead without help. The storm was particularly damaging for thousands of children whose schools were completely wrecked by the flooding. Guatemala is one of the poorest countries in Latin America with about half of the population living below the national poverty line. It is important that continued aid continues to be delivered to those who need it in order to survive.