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