When the earth moves everything changes

Oxfam Cymru

Here in Cymru many of us still follow the last words of our patron Saint, Dewi Sant, to his followers: ‘gwnewch y pethau bychain’ – do the small things.

And every day we all do small things. We go for coffee in a café with friends, we drive to the shops, we play in our parks, we live, we breathe. The daily rhythm of life, the things we do in our own lives, are a comfortable blanket that we all take for granted.

In La Guaira and Greater Caracas in Venezuela, all that changed in minutes at five past six on the evening of 24 th June, when two earthquakes disrupted and broke the rhythm of life completely.

Over 3,300 people are already known to have lost their lives, over 16,700 have been injured, and tens of thousands are still missing.

Chillingly, the United Nations has dispatched 10,000 body bags to the support and relief efforts in the country.

These numbers are hard to comprehend. Even harder is to understand the depth of the impact on those affected.

Imagine that tomorrow, in Cymru, the whole of Powys, Ceredigion, Sir Gaerfyrddin and Sir Benfro (previously Dyfed) were the scene of cataclysmic destruction, death, injury, chaos and confusion.

This may give you some insight into the scale of the devastation and destruction in Venezuela. 96,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, basic infrastructure is simply gone, 600,000 people have been severely impacted (that’s 20% of the population of Cymru), with a further 5-6 million people directly affected (that’s approaching twice the population of Cymru). 680,000 children need humanitarian assistance.

The impact can be closer to home than many of us realise. Miguel Delgado, who has lived in Caerdydd for many years, has his home, work and family here in Cymru, was born and raised in La Guaira. For two days he had no idea whether his mother, Lizette, had survived.

Whilst she did survive, she has lost everything, now 66 years old, she must begin again and somehow rebuild her life. Miguel’s cousin, Barbara, and her 3-year-old daughter, Lucia, were not so lucky, and
tragically lost their lives. They have been confirmed amongst the dead.

In Miguel’s words, ‘La Guaira and this part of Venezuela is like Cymru, everyone knows each other within two or three steps and connections. Everyone has lost someone, everyone knows of someone who is still missing. We are a strong community, and we are there for each other always, but when you have lost everything, where do you start to help yourselves and others? We need our bigger communities, we need the world to help us to our feet so that our community can rebuild and stand again.’

Across the world there is huge inequality, there is conflict, there is division, but in these moments of need we are always reminded that anyone’s life can be upended at any time by forces completely beyond our control.

Global responsibilities

These are the times when we must remember our own global responsibilities, as a nation, and as individuals. Perhaps we feel that we cannot do a great deal alone, but let’s remember that it takes billions of grains of sand to make a beach, and each grain plays its part.

People in affected areas face life with no safe shelter, no clean water, inadequate food, no basic hygiene supplies. Global humanitarian organisations and their local partners are working tirelessly, providing life-saving assistance and psychological support to help people cope with the trauma and devastation they have endured.

When lives have been turned upside down, every contribution makes a difference, providing comfort, dignity, and hope to those struggling with an abrupt new reality.

Devastation

Oxfam Cymru is one of the partners of the Disasters Emergency Committee, which launched its Venezuela Emergency Appeal on the 1st July. Cymru has already contributed over half a million pounds, but the needs are vast and there are no quick fixes to devastation on this scale.

£10 could provide essential hygiene supplies to a family to prevent illness, £50 could help provide emergency food support to a family for a week, £50 could provide shelter kits for three families whose homes have been destroyed.

On behalf of Oxfam Cymru, Hade Turkmen, Interim Head said, ‘Every emergency appeal is vital, but this appeal is deeply personal. Growing up in Türkiye, I have seen first-hand the destruction earthquakes leave behind. Since 1997, I’ve witnessed multiple disasters – and have worked to mobilise support for people facing immense grief, loss and injury in their aftermath.

‘Today, people in Venezuela need that same solidarity. Oxfam Cymru is proud to support this DEC Cymru appeal, and to do everything we can to help those in need.’

Here in Cymru we must step up, as we always do. We must listen to the words of our patron Saint and, as grains of sand, do the small things.

Donate to the Venezuela Earthquake Appeal today