UCC Ecuador earthquake response

April 16, 2016, earthquake 7.8 on the Richter scale, with subsequent aftershocks and quakes, just weeks after severe floods (in January 2016).

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

NEW! RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION AND ACTION

Ecuador Earthquake Materials for Children

Ecuador Bookmark – OGHS

Tabletop Town – Ecuador Earthquake Youth Activity

Ecuador Earthquake Recovery Bulletin Insert

Terremoto_Ecuador_8.jpg

 

663 died
6,274 were injured
28,827 were displaced to shelters
Half a million people were directly affected

166 schools were affected with medium or severe damage
90 percent of houses were affected

– Sources: Secretary of Risk Management, via FEDICE, May 2016; ACT Alliance Ecuador Earthquake Appeal, May 25, 2016

Deadliest quake to hit the small South American country in decades. A state of emergency was declared in all of Ecuador’s six coastal provinces. Hotels turned to rubble and roads and bridges collapsed, as did hundreds of homes and a shopping center.

 

Lucy_Rodriguez_2.jpgUCC Disaster Ministries’ Response:

The United Church of Christ One Great Hour of Sharing and The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Week of Compassion issued a joint special appeal for $500,000 for Ecuador earthquake relief and recovery.  

In the year following the earthquake, UCC Disaster Ministries sent nearly $18,000 ($17,931) to help survivors get through the initial emergency and take steps to long-term recovery. 

UCC Disaster Ministries’ support helped 6,000 families in two provinces with Food Security, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Community Based Psychological Support, and Non-Food Items.

It also is helping 30 families in Sua, Esmeraldes, Ecuador, re-establish livelihoods following the January floods and April earthquakes. Microloans of $300 per family funded purchase of “inputs” ranging from chickens to pots and pans, from foodstuffs for catering to clothing for resale at a profit, and from business equipment to taxi repairs. (Pictured here: Microloan recipient Lucy R. prepares food for sale.) Small monthly interest payments cover the expenses of the community kitchen and support a cooperative.

That work is being coordinated by FEDICE (“Faith Says”), a Global Ministries bilateral partner in Ecuador.

“I fully expect that we will be engaged for the long term … in Ecuador, where there has been significant damage throughout the country,” said UCC Disaster Ministries Executive Zach Wolgemuth.

 

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

 

For More Information:

2017

April 14: One year after Ecuador earthquake, UCC continues to support recovery

2016

July 22: UCC Gives Hope to Ecuador Community After Double Disaster

May 25: ACT Alliance Ecuador Earthquake Appeal

May 24: Ecuador Earthquake Update from FEDICE

May 12: Ecuador Earthquake Update from Global Ministries Partner FEDICE

April 27: Ecuador Earthquake Update from FEDICE

April 25: Joint Appeal for Ecuador Quake Relief

April 22: Ecuador, Japan Suffer Massive Earthquakes

April 22: ACT Alliance: Ecuador Earthquake Preliminary Appeal

April 19: Disaster Ministries Sends Aid to Earthquake Survivors in Ecuador, Japan

April 16: First-hand account of his experience during the earthquake by Glenn Hebert, who serves FEDICE Ecuador along with his wife Marilyn Cooper as a Long-Term Volunteer for Global Ministries

More about FEDICE

 

Categories: Disaster Updates

Related News

Hawai’i Conference offers space for grief, prayer for wildfires

Responding to the tragic wildfires in Hawaii, the Hawai'i Conference of the United Church of...

Read More

Amid wildfires devastation, UCC makes appeal for Hawaii

The United Church of Christ, through Wider Church Ministries, is issuing a special appeal to...

Read More

UCC offers prayers, launches appeal to aid Turkey and Syria after earthquake

The United Church of Christ is offering prayers for the region encompassing Turkey and Syria...

Read More