On 1st July 2024, Hurricane Beryl flattened parts of the Caribbean. It made landfall as a Category 5 storm. Winds of up to 160mph barrelled through island nations, destroying homes and structures.
The hurricane caused widespread damage and made records for all the wrong reasons. It became the strongest in history to form in the Atlantic Ocean in June. The islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada were very badly affected.
“Everyone was wondering if they would make it. If we’re going to die, who’s going to survive?” – Emerald, after the hurricane destroyed his home.
Rotary help
We contacted Rotary in the Caribbean before the hurricane made landfall and partnered with Rotary District 7030 during the whole response.
Two Rotary Past District Governors hired a light aircraft to fly over the affected islands. They assessed where the greatest needs for support were. Their flight took them over the different islands of Grenada, including the less densely populated Petite Martinique and Carriacou. These first assessments were helpful in our decision-making process in who to support. When the ShelterBox team arrived in the Caribbean, Rotary partners put us in touch with local communities and disaster management agencies.
We wanted to make sure that we were reaching ‘hidden communities’ that were most in need. To do this, the ShelterBox team recorded a short advert for the local radio station, Wave FM. We heard that many families were sheltering in their neighbour’s homes in very cramped conditions. Others were in community buildings such as schools.
The journey of aid
The aid package that we used came from stock that was ready to dispatch at our Panama warehouse. Items were sent to Barbados on a ‘gift-in-kind’ flight from Airlink, and then placed into cargo hold space to Grenada, donated by Virgin Airways. This all helped to reduce our costs. A ferry completed the journey of ShelterBox aid to the islands of Petite Martinique and Carriacou.
Two local Rotary club presidents from Grenada attended our Train the Trainer day, along with volunteers from the local community. Volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the local authority, NaDMA also joined us. They learnt about the different aid items and how to put up tents so that they can withstand strong winds and heavy rain.
Distributions
Over the next two weeks the team worked in different locations with the help of these groups to complete distributions and put up tents. Each household received a tent, mosquito nets, solar lights, and a kitchen set.
The tents provide a temporary home while islanders repair and rebuild their existing houses. Solar lights and kitchen sets help families recover a sense of normal life again. Mosquito nets were also vital to keep people safe from mosquitoes and the dengue fever that they can carry in the Caribbean. Rotary also kindly donated each household some mosquito repellent.
A joint effort
The Rotary clubs of Grenada will now continue to support the Grenadian communities in various ways through their ongoing programmes. This includes helping people to re-roof their buildings so they can get back into their homes.
An emergency response is always a team effort. So we would like to extend our thanks to supporters across the world for helping us have stock ready for disasters. Through our joint efforts, ShelterBox emergency aid will be supporting thousands of people on the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique for many months to come.
Could you be a ShelterBox volunteer?
As well as receiving support from volunteers in our responses, we couldn’t do all we do without the help of volunteers in the UK and Ireland too.
As our 25th Anniversary year approaches, we are looking for new volunteer Ambassadors to help continue to spread the word about our vital work around the world. Find out more about this rewarding role.
Top image: Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs
