Santiago de Chile/Cologne. Four weeks after the devastating earthquake and the following tsunami in Chile Malteser International, the relief service of the Order of Malta for worldwide humanitarian aid, is preparing further relief activities for at least one year. In Chépica, a village with 140,000 inhabitants located 180 km south of Concepción, Malteser International supports small-scale enterprises in the reconstruction of buildings and workshops. “Particularly important to Malteser International is also the psychosocial care for children as more than 70 % of them – due to fear - didn’t return to school after the quake,” Kathrin Meier, Chile expert of Malteser International explains. Maite, a psychologist of the Chilean relief service “Auxilio Maltés”, will provide psychological care for them during the next two months. Furthermore, a counselling service for people with chronic respiratory diseases will be set up and equipped in a community centre.
In Tubul, 60 km south of Concepción, Malteser International will support fishermen and sea shell divers who lost their boots and equipment – and therewith their whole livelihood - in the tsunami. “The sea is a part of our soul and we are a part of the sea. Fishing is not just a learnt profession but it is also deeply rooted in our being”, Daniel, a fisherman of the village that is among the most severely affected in Chile, explains. Almost every one of the 3,000 inhabitants is currently living in a tent.
Only a few days after the quake Malteser International together with the Chilean Association of the Order of Malta and the Chilean relief service “Auxilio Maltés” had started to distribute clothes, blankets, food and water treatment tablets to about 1,000 people severely affected by the quake and the tsunami. - On 27 February, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 on the Richter scale struck off the Chilean coast with the epicentre 115 km (70 miles) north-east of Concepción and 325 km south-west of Santiago. The earthquake as well as the following tsunami claimed almost 500 lives and left about 500,000 people homeless.
Attention editors: Kathrin Meier, Chile expert of von Malteser International, has just returned from Chile and is available for interviews. Contact: +49 221- 9822-155.
In order to read her travel blog, just click here: http://www.malteser.de/61.Malteser_International/en/61.11.Downloads/61.11.06.Blogs/ChileBlog/Chile_Blog_2010.htm
Pictures are available for download; just click here: http://php.malteser.de/cpg133/thumbnails.php?album=297
Malteser International is the worldwide relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta for humanitarian aid. The organisation provides aid in about 200 projects in more than 20 countries without distinction of religion, race or political persuasion. Christian values and the humanitarian principles of impartiality and independence are the foundation of its work. For further information: www.malteser-international.org and www.orderofmalta.org
Malteser International Europe
Comments