Thank you for your support on providing post-disaster relief and rehabilitation to the individuals and communities affected by Ecuador earthquake from August 2016 till now, to empower them and to enhance their resilience.

CEDAR has contributed USD 20,000 to support the following relief works implemented by the local partner of Integral Alliance in Ecuador:-

• Reduce the amount of post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety among the victims of the earthquake by the implementation of care-giving self-help and mutual support groups to provide post-traumatic support in the 6 regions of intervention. About 100 people have been identified and reached.
• Improve the economic stability of 40 families in 3 communities through the job-generating and employment opportunity programme facilitated by church and community leaders.
• Raise the awareness of children on sexual assault and equip them to protect themselves from sexual violence in shelters and hostels by distributing the creative and interactive materials and conducting different workshops. About 1,500 has been reached.
• Equip families, churches, and communities on how to respond to future disasters through different risk management workshops. About 100 church and community leaders has been trained, 20 churches and communities have had an action plan on disaster management.

“I’m very much hoping to be able to work to develop action plans for the community and the local church. I believe that the church, the community, everyone should be involved in working and producing action plans for the well-being of this region as we face the effects of natural disasters such as those that we had with this earthquake. We are ready as a church, as an operation, as a community to offer our service in whatever way we can. I thank you all, God bless you, may you continue working with eagerness, talent and love for the people.”

Sonia Zambrano Vélez
Department of Management, Development and Social Action of Cantón Sucre, Bahía de Caráquez

“Good afternoon, I am Pastor Juan Altamirano. With respect to the workshop not only has it fulfilled my expectations but it has done so thoroughly, regarding what prevention is and dealing with emergencies.”

Pastors Juan and Gloria Altamirano
Centro Cristiano Vida Nueva, Portoviejo

For CEDAR, “relief response” is the duty to bring relief to brothers suffering from natural disasters, be it from the curse on the land for Adam’s transgression or the climate changes brought by our irresponsibilities. Thanks for walking with us to bring peace and hope to people in Ecuador who are still in desperate situation after the quake, to empower them and to enhance their resilience to future disasters.

Pray that:

• The affected individuals and communities will have enough resources and good planning on post-quake rehabilitation and recovery.
• More local churches and communities will be empowered and equipped to help enhance the resilience to future disasters.

*Integral Alliance is a global alliance of 23 Christian relief and development agencies, working together to present a more effective response to poverty worldwide. CEDAR Fund is one of the member agencies.