By Elizabeth Guybert, Rotary Club of Grande Terre Pointe Des Châteaux, Guadeloupe, French West Indies\
Rotarians organized a large-scale collection to feed, shelter, and provide medicine for animals affected by the volcanic ash that destroyed pastureland.
Rotarians organized a large-scale collection to feed, shelter, and provide medicine for animals affected by the volcanic ash that destroyed pastureland.
In April, the successive eruptions of the Soufrière volcano devastated part of the island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, leading to an urgent evacuation of the population from the affected areas.
While humanitarian aid was pouring in from all sides in a show of solidarity, the government, associations and veterinary services were trying, as best they could, to help the animals that the inhabitants and farmers had to leave behind. With the pastures and shelters totally devastated by the weight of the ash and its toxicity, it was our job as Rotarians, after having contributed financially to the humanitarian aid, to organize a large-scale collection for the animals. There were 25,000 animals in need of water, food, medicine, and shelter.
Volcanic ash left 25,000 animals without water, food, medicine, and shelter. Rotarians raised more than $140,000 for 200 tons of goods.
And so our club, in consultation with our friends at the Rotary Club of Lamentin in Martinique, took the initiative to carry out this project, with the help of authorities and professionals in the field, the media, and with the support of the Rotary Club of Kourou in Guyana.
We are very proud to have been able, thanks to the solidarity between Caribbean countries, to show our dedication and a certain effectiveness. On 5 June, more than 200 tons of goods, for an estimated cost of 120,000 Euros (about $143,000), left our islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the direction of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.