The effects of the last DANA in Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha, and its terrible consequences in the form of lost lives and economic damage, have shown us, once again, the fragility with which, in a matter of minutes, everything can turn upside down. But, in addition to helping the victims of the DANA, ADRA Spain has collaborated on other projects during this year, 2024. Among them: 54 temporary shelters in Morocco; the distribution of livestock and socks to the Berber populations; cooperation projects in Mauritania and Niger; and, of course, the tireless work of ADRA Spain in each local delegation of our country.
Collaborating to help the victims of the DANA
For the first time, we have experienced in our own territory, and closer than ever, the pain caused by crisis situations that require emergency humanitarian aid. And we have also experienced, and continue to experience, first-hand, the solidarity of all those who have felt compelled to help and collaborate, in every possible way, to try to recover normality as soon as possible. Whether in the form of helping hands that help clean damaged streets and houses, distribute hot meals, or donate to make this enormous flow of solidarity as effective as possible.
The year, 2024, will undoubtedly be etched in our memory by this painful experience that has affected and sensitized us so closely. There is still a long way to go to recover the old normality. And for this reason, we continue to appeal to the collaboration of the volunteers who have been helping from the first hour at the service points of Paiporta, Catarroja, Benetusser, Massanasa, and Albalat dels Sollers (where our logistics center is located). We also, of course, continue to appeal to all for solidarity and financial contributions that will serve to adequately meet the needs of those who have lost everything. This emergency has surpassed all donation records registered so far by ADRA Spain. Our gratitude is immensely proportional to the 230,000 euros from all over Spain and the ADRA network around the world.
We must also note that ADRA Spain has collaborated on other projects, in addition to alleviating the effects of DANA. During 2024, we worked on:
54 temporary shelters in Morocco
In April, we completed the second phase of another of the most important projects that we have promoted from ADRA Spain this year. On Saturday, the 13th, the Moroccan village of Imi Noguerzi, located in the Atlas Mountains, organized a party to receive the delivery of the keys to the last 54 temporary shelters built by ADRA to accommodate those affected by the severe earthquake that wrecked the area in September 2023.
The consequences of the tremor were devastating in this village. This project, carried out in coordination with the local NGO, Al-Ofoq, made a new start possible for the nearly 200 people living there. They replaced the tents in which they had spent the winter with new 32-square-metre houses with showers, drinking water, kitchens, play areas for children, etc. “We want them to have a significant quality of life while they are still able to use these houses, and also for the houses to continue to be useful to Moroccan society in the future,” explained our ADRA coordinator in Morocco, Daniel Abad.
The reconstruction carried out by ADRA Spain in Imi Noguerzi was portrayed by the newspaper El País on the first anniversary of the catastrophe. All this was possible thanks to funding from ADRA International, ADRA Germany, ADRA Japan, ADRA France, ADRA Czech Republic, ADRA Austria, ADRA New Zealand, ADRA Finland, ADRA Italy, ADRA United Kingdom, ADRA Spain, and ADRA Union Middle East and North Africa. Support also came from Teruel City Council, which collaborated financially with a direct grant worth 9,000 euros.
Distribution of livestock and socks
In February, the ADRA Spain team also coordinated two deliveries of goats for the Berber populations in the area. In total, 375 goats were distributed among 75 families who lost their livestock activity due to the earthquake. Each of the beneficiary shepherds received five goats (one male and four females) and 160 kilos of alfalfa and fodder with which they could feed the cattle for two months.
In addition, thanks to the solidarity of the youngest children in our churches, 2,000 pairs of socks were also delivered to the children in the Atlas area. This was achieved through a project promoted by ADRA in collaboration with the GPS extracurricular program of MIAF+.
Spanish cooperation in Mauritania and Niger
In October, ADRA Spain participated in the presentation of the Master Plan of Spanish Cooperation. Our NGO promotes several cooperation projects in Mauritania and Niger, financed by Spanish Cooperation.
In Mauritania, ADRA Spain is helping to increase the resilience of vulnerable populations in Guidimakha by improving food and nutritional security, as well as inclusive economic development.
And in Niger, ADRA Spain is working through two projects in the commune of Bangui. On the one hand, ADRA is helping to reduce poverty for 2,000 producers by promoting sustainable food security, improving basic social services, promoting employment in rural areas, and empowering women and other vulnerable groups.
On the other hand, ADRA Spain has also implemented another project in Niger to mitigate food insecurity by restoring the environment and establishing grain granaries created by women. These granaries are making it possible to extend the period of food availability for families during the lean season.
The work in the ADRA delegations
Of course, our gratitude in 2024, as it comes to an end, is also with the nearly 1,500 volunteers who make up our ADRA Spain network in all our delegations and who, week after week, articulate the closest help we can offer.
ADRA develops, in its local delegations, several programs to care for vulnerable families and/or groups. It offers food and clothing to people at risk of exclusion, referred by Social Services, municipal and/or other entities. In addition, the ADRA delegations also develop other programs aimed at supporting different population groups: homeless people, companionship and care for the elderly, etc.
This important work is carried out thanks to donors such as FEAD (European Fund for Aid to the Disadvantaged) and the Food Bank, among others.
This is just a small summary of what the collective solidarity and joint work of all the volunteers, donors, and friends of ADRA have made a reality in the last twelve months. These lines do not cover all the stories of transformation that we have promoted, but we do want to highlight the collaboration of all of them and encourage new friends to contribute their grain of sand to all our projects inside and outside Spain.
To read the original article, please go here.
*Olga Calonge is ADRA Spain Director.
