b'heifer bulletin STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIESRising Up to Meetat-risk communities like San Antonio las Cuevas, allowing for safe evacuation and the Challenge minimization of damage.That was a very difficult experience because it affected not just some people on the risk map, it affected most people, said Maria Luisa Vasquez Gabriel, the secretary of the community disaster reduction committee formedthrough the support of RISE UP. Those were huge storms. A lot of water went through, and it swept away the crops.In the aftermath, Vasquez and the committee worked together to assess damage to houses in the community,So at that moment we said, We as women will then coordinated with the municipality to movehelp our community through whatever disaster or PHOTOS BY DANIEL LOPEZ forward with rehabilitationproblem occurs. Maria Luisa Vasquez Gabriel, RISE UP participantand recovery. Since 2016, in addition to providing advanced disaster preparation, theWe got all the members ofdisasters. The committeeLEFT committee has responded toour village together, and we toldmembers then provided similarMaria Luisa Vasquez Gabriel, mudslides and forest fires andthem about the committee,trainings in their communitythe secretary also coordinated ambulancesVasquez said. We got the menand created a risk assessmentof the RISE after motor accidents. and the women together. Then,map that identifies whichUP-supported community By Jason Woods, World Ark managing editor disaster But this organized bodythe men said that they didnthomes in the area are most had a serendipitous beginning.have time to participate. Thevulnerable to specific threats.reduction committee, FIVE YEARS AGO, the womenand Upgrade of Communitythan 2.4 million people. WhileThe community disasternext meeting was only women.Heifer Guatemala also workedwith her civilian of San Antonio las Cuevas,Preparedness, was a partnershipnot a disaster relief agency,reduction committee startedSo at that moment we said,with the committee to promoteemergency Raxruh, Guatemala, steppedbetween Heifer InternationalHeifer partners with reliefwith a chance encounter at theWe as women will help ourfamily savings set aside forresponse team in the Guatemalan forward to prepare theirand the Margaret A. Cargillagencies and first respondersmunicipal offices between acommunity through whateveremergency situations. department of community for natural disasters.Foundation that preparedon the ground to supportlocal womens group Vasquezdisaster or problem occurs. Vasquez added that sheAlta Verapaz.That decision paid dividendscommunities for shocks fromcommunities where we workbelonged to and techniciansWith the communityfeels Heifer and the RISE UPRIGHTwhen two large hurricanes disasters. RISE UP trained 4,200when disasters strike. In thefrom Heifer Guatemala. disaster reduction committeeproject have been important forMembers of the response hit the country in a matter ofat-risk small-scale farmingcase of the 2020 hurricanes,The technicians proposedformed, the women attendedher community, especially thecommittee weeks at the end of 2020. communities in disasterHeifer Guatemala deliveredthe idea of participation intrainings led by Heiferwomen.working in a Guatemala is ecologicallyreduction in the departmentnecessities like food and water,RISE UP, which started withGuatemala and local authorities,We didnt feel valuedChisec forest. Much of their rich but susceptible to naturalof Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.toiletries, seeds and otherforming a committee of peoplewhich covered topics including before, she said. Now wevetraining focuses disasters and climate change,In the latter part of 2020,farming inputs, and mattresseswho could attend a series ofupdating emergency responsehad success. We said, ason forest fire prevention, first both of which hit vulnerableCategory 4 Hurricane Eta andto those in need. And thoughtrainings, then the committeeplans, best practices for dealingwomen, We want to do this.aid and rescue populations hardest. RISECategory 5 Hurricane Iota sweptRISE UP ended at the beginningwould plan for and respond towith a forest fire safely, treatingAnd as of today, were stillcoordination.UP, or Resilience Initiativesthrough Guatemala in a two- of 2020, the techniques learnednatural disasters and ultimatelyinjured victims and shelteringstanding, fighting to take careThrough Sustainable Enterprisesweek period, affecting morefrom the project preparedmitigate their effects. livestock in preparation forof our community.n22| SUMMER 2021 HEIFER.ORG |23'