Hurricane Stan 2005
Responding to Hurricane Stan
Oxfam responded to help the thousands of people made homeless by Hurricane Stan in Guatemala.
Over 1,000 people died in a mudslide that hit Panabaj village. Maria Lacam Toj (72), survived; she is pictured with her grand-daughter Maria Luisa. "I was covered in mud to my neck. We were inside our home, but it was washed away, and we were washed away too.” (Nov 07)
Photo: Eduardo Garcia
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Providing water and sanitation
We provided portable latrines for thousands of survivors living in local churches, temporary shelters, and schools.
We also installed water tanks. These were subsequently handed over to the local government, who continued to provide water to affected people.
Here Oxfam staff load latrines on to a lorry.
Photo: Jimena Parra
Enabling community understanding
As well as providing facilities, our staff ensured that they were used properly.
Lucy Shirlaw, Oxfam’s Public Health Promoter, found many people disliked the taste of Oxfam’s chlorinated water and preferred to drink stream water.
“We have had to explain to the communities that drinking the purified water is important… locally-appropriate education is key to relief efforts.”
Photo: Karen Robinson
Promoting hygiene
We encouraged good hygiene practices; essential when people are forced to live close together in temporary shelters and camps.
Bars of soap (pictured) were distributed as part of Oxfam’s hygiene kits. We also trained hygiene promoters who visited families to give advice.
Booklets were produced in Spanish and local indigenous languages, to get health messages across to children.
Photo: Jane Beesley
Sufficient food
We tried to ensure that families had sufficient food, both through food distributions and encouraging families to grow their own.
We introduced a supplementary food ration to support those people most in need.
We also assisted families to set up kitchen gardens, like the one pictured, to grow vegetables. We provided seeds, seedlings, tools and fertiliser. Any surplus vegetables could be sold to provide a small income.
Photo: Gilvan Barreto
Supporting women
We helped women regain a way of making a living, by providing them with materials to weave traditional clothes.
Many donated clothes failed to take into account that, traditionally, Mayan women wear huipiles (embroidered blouses), like the one shown.
We provided women with kits to enable them to make their own huipiles, for themselves and to sell. Many lost their original tools in the storm.
Photo: Annie Bungeroth
Weaving a better future
Women who benefited from Oxfam’s weaving project were really positive about the kits.
Antonia Sosa Quic holds the materials she received. She says, "I am really happy with the project. This means a lot to me. I’m going to make huipiles for myself, and clothes for my family. If I am able, later on, I’ll produce other textiles to sell in town." (Dec 05)
Photo: Eduardo Garcia
Assisting farmers
We gave farmers tools and seeds; replacing those lost in the hurricane. We will continue to help people become self-sufficient.
Here Manuel Pablo, who received support from Oxfam, shows off his maize crop.
Through our ongoing work we will continue to support hurricane-affected communities to improve their lives.
Photo: CODECA
