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In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch hit Central America, killing thousands of people and leaving two million homeless. The disaster provoked a worldwide relief effort. In the UK and Ireland, people of all ages helped fill five banana boats with emergency supplies to the value of over £1.25 million. Marvin Flores Picado is 14 and lives in Matagalpa in Nicaragua. He remembers when the hurricane struck: it rained continuously for four days and nights, and people didn't see the sun for seven days. He says: 'I was asleep when it all started, but by the time my mum woke us all up, the water had already entered the house and was up to our knees. We had to leave the house really quickly because the water was rising so fast. We left in what we were wearing, each of us boys carrying one of our sisters. We went to a large hall where we lived for a month with over 200 other families.' Marvin's six-year-old sister Caralis still has nightmares about the hurricane. Whenever it rains at night she wakes up crying and sits bolt upright, terrified and unable to go back to sleep. The Community Movement of Matagalpa (MCM), which is supported by Christian Aid, was quick to provide food and medicine for people made homeless by the hurricane and soon set about repairing and rebuilding homes. A year after Mitch, Marvin and his family were able to move to a new home outside the city, where 40 houses are being built for Mitch survivors. MCM is also helping Marvin through its backing for the Support Centre for Working Children (CANTC). Marvin works as a shoe-shine boy at one of Matagalpa's city markets, and CANTC provides educational and recreational activities for children like him who need to work to boost their families' income, on condition that they also go to school. Marvin charges 1 córdoba (5p) per shoe-shine and on an average day he earns around 25 córdobas (£1.35). After a morning shining shoes he goes to CANTC for his lunch, and to school in the afternoon. At CANTC Marvin is also learning a new trade - sewing, and he hopes one day to have a sewing machine and to be a tailor - if he doesn't make it as a professional footballer, that is! After the storm, the future is at last looking brighter for Marvin and his family and others like them. Christian Aid, PO Box 100, London, SE1 7RT. www.christian-aid.org.uk |
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page last updated 27 AUGUST 2000 |
