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How far can $10,000 go? How quickly can $10,000 grow to $500,000? Read the letter below, received by UMCOR from a cyclone recovery project in Madagascar.
Madagascar was struck by cyclones Eline and Gloria in February and March of 2000. 700,000 people were affected. More than 600,000 were displaced, crops were destroyed and much of the infrastructure was heavily damaged or destroyed– in particular, the vital FCE railway link that connects the highland city of Fianrantsoa to the coastal port of Manadara.
Several sections of the railroad washed out as a result of the cyclones.
Without the rail line,
this region of Madagascar is inaccessible. The local economy is dependent on this railway to
bring in food and transport agricultural and forest products to market. It is an economic lifeline for
100,000 people who use the line to transport their banana and coffee crops to market and to
bring in rice which is a staple of their diet.
Many families in this area are landless and depend on revenues from the transport of bananas between the villages and the train line. When the train does not operate, they suffer economic hardship.
Mark S. Freudenberger, the regional director of Landscape Development Interventions and the project administrator, reports that the railroad was able to open again, on a very limited basis, by June 1, in time for the coffee harvest. "The regional economy has picked up again as a result and this has staved off famine on the eastern side of the forest corridor." Further work on rebuilding the railroad will continue, along with reforestation work to prevent erosion in future storms. Most of the work will be finished before the end of the year, when the rainy season begins.
;Families who live along the railroad tracks have relied upon slash and burn agricultural techniques which contributed to the erosion that caused the railroad to be swept away. During the rainy season, these families will work with project leaders to learn and implement different agricultural techniques.
Within a few short months, the railway reconstruction project was able to use UMCOR's initial emergency grant of $10,000 to obtain the $500,000 grant. In addition, because UMCOR responded with quick support, the project was able to use UMCOR's show of faith to obtain technical support from the Government of Thailand, which sent highly skilled engineers.
Heavy equipment is needed to rebuild the worst stretches of track damage.
UMCOR cannot respond to every disaster with large amounts of money. The emergencies around the world are too numerous and the demand for funds too great. But small grants, like this one of $10,000, given quickly in the aftermath of a disaster, can actually be worth much, much more!
Your gifts to UMCOR's International Disaster Response, Advance #982450-8 make it possible for UMCOR to respond to disasters of all sizes throughout the world. Whether the grants are small or large, they play a vital role in assisting people who are recovering from disasters. Give through a local United Methodist church or send financial contributions to: UMCOR, 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Call (800) 554-8583 to make a credit card donation.
September 14, 2000
Photos Credit: The pictures are courtesy of Landscape Development Interventions.
