by Gretchen Hemes, Associate Editor/Writer
EL SALVADOR -- The morning of January 13, 2001 dawned like any other over El Salvador. There was no warning and no way to prepare for the violent geological jolt that would change people's lives forever. And that first earthquake was just the beginning. Over the next days and months, the ground continued to shake, sometimes a mild shudder, sometimes a massive shock.
The total damage caused by the quakes defies calculation. The earthquakes didn't just destroy buildings and take lives, they robbed people of their livelihood, sense of security and peace of mind. Like cracks snaking through concrete, trauma and uncertainty can weaken the foundation of families and communities.
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Jose Gustavo Garay Zuñiga says he's thankful for the shelter CARE helped his family build because they don't have to fear another earthquake. All photos by Rebecca Janes © CARE 2001.
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But thanks to CARE and the hard work and will of the people of El Salvador, places like La Communidad EX-INCAFE exist to serve as a temporary safe haven and a springboard to a brighter future for the children and families stricken by the earthquakes.
Twelve-year old Jose Gustavo Garay Zuñiga is one of approximately 1,150 residents of EX-INCAFE -- named for its location on the former site of the National Coffee Institute.
Jose is the youngest of five boys. His father, mother and older brothers share the temporary home CARE helped them build: a wooden frame that supports corrugated tin walls and a tin roof. The floors are concrete. Electricity is sporadic. Latrines are shared and water must be hauled from one of several spigots located throughout the densely packed shelters.
The shelters may be simple, but they are comfortably dry during El Salvador's rainy season, which lasts from May to October. And these shelters offer something less tangible than a roof or walls; less tangible, but no less important.
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Girls carry water through the narrow passageways of La Communidad EX-INCAFE.
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"These shelters and this new community allow for some continuity after a period of crisis and upheaval," says Alexander Calles, CARE's emergency response coordinator in this region.
"When the earthquakes destroyed homes and businesses, they tore apart families, as well. Fathers often had to leave home to find work, older children set out on their own. But whole families and even neighborhoods have been able to relocate here in EX-INCAFE. With that support system intact, people can think about rebuilding their lives."
Jose sees another important benefit to living in this community: he doesn't have to fear another earthquake. The shelters pose no risk should the earth start shaking again.
Free from fear and supported by his parents and older brothers, Jose goes about the business of being a fifth-grader. He studies math, science and language, and plays soccer with his friends. As Jose's story unfolds, it is apparent he is one of the fortunate youngsters in EX-INCAFE who is currently learning a skill that will help him earn a living later on. He helps fix cars in a mechanic's shop when not in class or on the soccer field.
Growth Potential
"CARE has done more than help people build temporary shelters; it has proven to the people of EX-INCAFE that they have not been forgotten, and they will not have to cope with this crisis by themselves," Calles says. "That sort of support and solidarity has helped people turn their thoughts to the future."
Today, the people of EX-INCAFE are talking with CARE, a trusted partner, about their priorities for the coming months and years.
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(from left) Idelia Margarita Martinez, Senia Concepción Bonilla, Esperanza de Rivas and Marta Julia Barrios de Alvarado live with their families in EX-INCAFE.
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"More people need to learn the skills that will help them start businesses and succeed," says Senia Concepción Bonilla, who lives in EX-INCAFE with her husband and three children. "People who had professions before, now have no jobs because the place they worked was destroyed in the earthquake."
Esperanza de Rivas, mother of three, says, "We want to work and improve our skills. We don't ask for gifts. But the raw materials and support to start our own businesses would be welcome. We are eager to move forward."
When they talk about their hopes for the future, they say they'd like CARE to help start workshops in the community for women and older children, to teach them marketable skills, including computer skills.
During the coming months and years, CARE will continue its work with communities like EX-INCAFE, as they move from recovery to rehabilitation and, eventually, sustained economic growth. CARE shares their priorities of education, job training and small economic development -- key elements to improving stability and security for families like the Zuñigas, the Bonillas and the Rivas.
