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Food, Mattresses & Blankets Issued to Flood-Affected Families in Brazil
by Rosangela Gomes and Monica Bonilha
 BRAZIL, April 23, 2001. World Vision Brazil's Emergency Response Team is now responding to the needs of families affected by serious flooding that has displaced 80,000 people, as rain continues to fall in Fortaleza. The initial phase is responding to 650 families displaced from their homes. Plans call for the emergency distribution of food baskets, clothing, footwear, mattresses, blankets and other essential items for 5,000 children and adults.
"The victims have lost their household possessions, food supplies and in some cases their homes have been seriously damaged or completely destroyed," says a World Vison relief team member.
The emergency response team is divided into three groups that are now visiting the displaced families in the affected Area Development Projects (ADPs). These teams are distributing household survival kits including food baskets containing 15 kilograms of essential staple food, mattresses and blankets to the first 650 families.
The local health agents from the ADP partner agencies are evaluating the health requirements of the affected population with particular regard to the needs of sponsored children and other children within the ADPs.
Rita Maria Vieira and her children are one family registered to receive relief food. Alone, the 43 year-old woman takes care of her six children, aged between 5 and 12 years. One of her children needs special medical assistance due to Downs Syndrome. The torrential rains destroyed their small mud brick house and all the household items.
"We are living in a temporary shelter and that is the place we have for the moment, we have nowhere to go," says Rita Maria. The storm and the flood destroyed the house and their hope, and now they have only the food distributed by World Vision.
When the distribution was completed, the team followed Rita Maria on her way back home.
“The trip gives us a clearer picture of the destruction provoked by the waters," says Carmilson Brito, from World Vision's relief team. "The roads are still muddy, and often we have to go through stagnant water. Chairs, mattresses, rusted cooking pots lie now in the mud surrounding what once was a house."
 "When we reached Rita´s house, actually what was left of it, she started to cry. None of the small wooden walls remained, and the roof was torn by the strong winds. The water took away most of their belongings. There’s nothing left,” Carmilson Brito says.
Rita Maria is grateful for receiving the food basket, blankets and mattresses. This strong woman is devastated by the tragedy and is trying to make plans for her family. "I don't know what to do. I need to rebuild my house. My children could help me,” she says.
With the floodwaters and mud drying up, the roads have become passable again, but in some areas it will take a lot of work to rehabilitate the infrastructure.
“When we finish distribution of the survival and recovery kits, we need to help communities in their efforts to rehabilitate the houses,” explains Rosangela Gomes.
In the long term, World Vision will be focusing on the sustainable development, income-generating activities that will help communities to regain the living standards affected by the tragedy. |