The fires that swept through parts of Valparaíso, Chile, last weekend have completely destroyed some neighborhoods there, including areas where some of our sponsored children live.
The Chilean government has declared a State of Emergency and is limiting access to many of the affected areas to official emergency responders only.
Our staff on the ground have been allowed into one of the devastated sponsorship communities, so far, to assess damage and disperse relief packages to families with children in our program. That access allowed us to gain contact with more than half of the 50 families who lived in that area. Most of their homes are now gone or uninhabitable.
Maria Teresa Iturrieta, our agency director in Valparaíso, reports, "The physical landscape has completely changed. There are places where there is nothing remaining: no streets, no houses, no points of reference."
Given the level of devastation and the limited access to affected areas, she has asked for patience in gathering information and reaching all of the affected families.
Authorities expect to open more areas over the weekend. As they are able to visit these formerly restricted areas, our staff in Valparaíso will be able to provide more details to our headquarters in Kansas City.
As always, it is our policy to contact sponsors directly when we learn that their sponsored child has been significantly affected by a disaster.
Your compassion and concern during this difficult time is greatly appreciated.
Volunteers have begun efforts to clean up the debris resulting from the massive fires that enveloped the hills above Valparaíso.
