Monthly Program Update - The Bahamas (March 2020)

THE BAHAMAS HURRICANE RELIEF UPDATE MARCH 2020

TOTAL PROGRAM IMPACT

2,219 453 5,992 175

LIVES IMPACTED

VOLUNTEERS

VOLUNTEER DAYS

JOBS COMPLETED

Current Situation It’s hard to believe Hurricane Dorian hit Abaco six months ago! Thanks to people’s willingness to help, we have an average of 80 volunteers from more than 25 countries who are in the field daily, and have given 40,000+ hours of service in Abaco to-date.

Our teams are currently working in two schools, Every Child Counts (ECC) and Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS). The progress is steady and we hope to have students back in a portion of CAPS by April and in ECC by September.

ECC is the only school for students with special needs on the island and CAPS is the largest school on the island, serving over 800 students.

Many Abaconians are returning home, and in some instances they’re feeling forced to live in spaces with mold. As the main NGO offering mold remediation, our team is in high demand. In the last two weeks, we’ve been able to complete the drying in process (closing in any existing holes) in 23 homes making them ready for mold remediation. We’re also still presented with opportunities to muck and gut homes and we see a large increase in the need for roof repair.

Check out our work in action and how you can help here.

Community Voices “As my memories start to fade and I can not recall people's names, I cried just a bit. As I long for my old life and my friends, I cried just a bit. As I recall the beauty of my house and how it was just starting to feel like my home, I cried just a bit. As I recalled all who have died and all who are gravely ill because of it, I cried just a bit. One day these tears will subside....but for now I cry just a bit.” Kara S.P.Butler-Wight, local resident

Learn about our programs at

allhandsandhearts.org

Disaster Profile On September 1, 2019, Hurricane Dorian made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane in The Bahamas with wind speeds in excess of 185mph, lashing the Bahamian islands of Great Abaco (pop. ~17,200) and Grand Bahama (pop. ~51,000). After striking The Bahamas, Dorian’s travelling speed slowed to 1 mph over Grand Bahama, prolonging the island’s exposure to life-threatening storm surge of 18-23 feet above normal tide levels. Over 76,000 people have been affected and 10,000 children displaced from schools. Dorian is the strongest hurricane on record for The Bahamas and tied a record for the strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall.

Our Work With immense support from our local and global partners, we’re committed to performing continuous work in the Bahamas for the next two years. During the first six months, our focus was on response capacity in some of the hardest-hit areas. Our long-term recovery program is now targeting reconstruction in schools and critical community infrastructure, whilst continuing to work on roofs, mucking and gutting, debris removal and mold sanitation within homes.

About All Hands and Hearts We effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. We communicate directly with local leaders and community members and then deploy our unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, helping to build safer, more resilient schools, homes and infrastructure.

We have earned a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator six years in a row and a Perfect 100. Less than one percent of rated nonprofits have received this distinction for financial and operational efficiency. :

Our Partners in The Bahamas

info@allhandsandhearts.org