Standing with those affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela
We are continuing to support organizations working on the ground to provide assistance to those affected by the earthquake
Social Action
Following two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 that struck northern Venezuela, the tragedy of those who lost their lives has been compounded by the thousands of people left in vulnerable conditions.
Given the scale of the disaster, Fundación Mapfre activated its Emergency Relief Fund and is donating €100,000 to help provide immediate assistance to the people whose lives have been devastated by these earthquakes.
At the same time, we launched a fundraising campaign giving everyone the opportunity to support this effort.
Credits: United in Mission
To ensure that assistance reached people directly, quickly, and effectively, we channeled donations through local organizations working on the ground, such as Entreculturas, an NGO established by the Jesuits that is committed to social transformation to break the cycle of poverty, and Fe y Alegría Venezuela, which provides support to more than 200,000 people, including children, young people, and adults, in the country’s most vulnerable communities.
During the initial phase of the response, resources have focused on meeting urgent humanitarian needs, including the distribution of food, essential supplies, and hygiene and sanitation kits. We have already distributed more than 39,000 boxes to 3,200 people—800 families—in the city of Caracas and other municipalities in La Guaira state, the area hardest hit by the earthquakes.
Additionally, Entreculturas – Fe y Alegría Venezuela has formed an Immediate Response Team was established to:
- Consolidate the assessment and map the needs of the affected schools and communities.
- Coordinate the collection, receipt, and distribution of humanitarian aid.
- Coordinate the response with national and international partners and donors.
In addition, two collection centers have been established to receive and manage essential relief supplies:
- Centro Javier (La Castellana, Caracas).
- Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB), Montalbán campus (Caracas).
| ACTIVITIES TO DATE: | |
|---|---|
| Shelter and basic relief items | Safe accommodation for families whose homes have been damaged or rendered uninhabitable, together with the provision of essential relief items such as blankets, clothing, and basic supplies (food baskets, basic and feminine hygiene kits, etc.). |
| Access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene | Access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation, household and community hygiene, disease outbreak prevention, and WASH support in affected communities. |
| Protection of children and vulnerable groups | Safe spaces for children and adolescents; prevention of family separation; and support for families, women, older adults, and people with disabilities. |
| Psychosocial support | Psychological first aid, emotional support, community-based support, and referral services, particularly for children and families affected by loss or displacement. |
The second phase will focus on repairing and restoring schools in the affected area, helping create the conditions needed for students to return to the classroom. Planned activities include repairing damaged school facilities, replacing essential classroom furniture and equipment, and improving the safety and resilience of school buildings against future disasters.
In the affected area, Fe y Alegría operates a network of approximately schools serving more than 21,200 children and young people. It also delivers non-formal education and school meal programs with the support of a team of more than 3,000 people, including around 1,000 teachers. This network has also been severely affected by the earthquake. To date, 25 schools have been identified as having suffered infrastructure damage. Information-gathering efforts are currently ongoing to design the recovery response based on community priorities.
Fundación Mapfre is closely monitoring the situation on the ground so that we can provide the most effective support possible to those who need it most.
Credits: United in Mission
In recent years, Fundación Mapfre has activated a number of campaigns to help people affected by emergency situations. Among these, the most notable include the work carried out recently in response to the flooding caused by the DANA storms in Andaluusia, Portugal and Valencia, the fires in Chile and the floods in Brazil, as well as the aid provided following the earthquake that devastated parts of Turkey, and that aimed at alleviating the effects of Hurricane Otis in Mexico. Significant previous cases have included the aid mobilized during the war in Ukraine and the support provided when the population of Peru had to deal with the consequences of the El Niño Costero phenomenon, among others.