Fishermen : photo Philip Muller

Humanitarian News
Reconstruction efforts focus on small communities suffering from earthquake & tsunami

After completing its critical mission to deliver clean drinking water and medical aid in coastal Chile immediately after the devastating earthquake and tsunami of February 27, Save The Waves Coalition is now implementing a second wave of aid for the region's hardest-hit regions.

This second phase of relief focuses on projects more closely aligned with Save The Waves' core mission of protecting surf spots and the coastal environment. Due to years of experience working on environmental and community issues at the coast in Chile, the organization is uniquely positioned to assist in rebuilding the devastated coastline.

Since early April, Save The Waves has been working with a local team in Chile who are developing small-scale community projects to revitalize and rebuild the areas most devastated by the February 27 earthquake and tsunami. These new projects include: grants to local schools and student leaders involved in earthquake relief; construction materials and volunteer carpenters for reconstruction of small community centers and housing; tools donated to artisan fishermen who lost their livelihood to the tsunami damages; and the cultivation of educational organic vegetable gardens.

Local and visiting surfers continue to be key supporters of these efforts by Save The Waves and are giving their personal time and expertise to help the tsunami and earthquake zones that were hardest hit in the Maule and Bio Bio Regions of south-central Chile.

"Since we are a small and nimble organization with a good local knowledge network, our goal in Chile is to help in the more remote but critical areas that may be missed by others," says Josh Berry, environmental director of Save The Waves. "Our aim is to listen closely to the local tsunami survivors and learn what help is needed. The goal is to help people help themselves."

In Pichilemu and Constitución, Save The Waves is helping small-scale local fishermen by rebuilding small "panga" boats, helping repair motors, purchasing nets and other basic fishing gear. Several public schools in Pichilemu are also receiving Save The Waves grants that support student-designed projects benefiting earthquake survivors and the reconstruction efforts. As educational needs are identified in other coastal towns, additional grants will be distributed in other areas to benefit students and their relief projects.

Farther South, in the Maule and Bio Bio Regions, Save The Waves recently delivered several truckloads of construction materials with surfers Jamie Sterling, Ramón Navarro, Diego Medina and others to begin rebuilding destroyed structures and to support the planting and cultivation of educational gardens that will be maintained and utilized by rural schools. Save The Waves has established five local coordinators to execute all of the projects in these coastal regions, where their grassroots support is most needed.

Save The Waves extends its sincerest thanks to the many supporters of this Chile program in a time of great need.

www.savethewaves.org

View Original Post at dylamagazine.com

• Filed Under:  
• Surf, Sports, SportsPLUS, Boardsports, Cause/Charity

• Tags:
• Chile
• surf
• Save The Waves Coalition
• Bio Bio Regions
• Constitucion
• environmental protection Maule
• Pichilemu
• protecting the coast