Dear friends,
We are grateful to all our friends who have written since the earthquake on February 27th showing us your concerns and solidarity. We apologise that we have not been able to give more information sooner. The process of establishing communication with all producers, listening, and paying attention to the different requirements - besides checking the situation with our house (office/shop/warehouse) - has taken a long time.
In relation to the terrible situation of our country there is considerable information available thus it is not necessarily for us to comment. We would like to focus on our work and the 740 people who are part of the producer groups linked to our organisation.
We have been able to establish communications with all producers (except one where all communications are still cut). Happily we should report that there are only material losses: walls have fallen, lack of electricity and/or water, broken windows, and big losses of raw materials.
We are supporting them as well as we can; and all of them are working on the orders they had previously.
Our old and beautiful house (office/shop/warehouse) on Santo Domingo street doesn't have any structural damage but this some damage to walls and roof. It is no longer beautiful, but we are grateful to be able to continue working in it. Hopefully the aftershocks will stop soon because after each one there are bigger holes on the walls and roof.
Our team and the producers have been overwhelmed by the pain and destruction that we have witnessed but at the same time we wanted to do something else to support in a small way some of the most affected.
Last week, when we were visiting the families that are living in tents on Yungay Square (500m from the office) the children gave us the idea that we could do something else. The despair and uncertainty in their faces, as well as their parents concerns about where they are going to live and what they have lost, made us think that the children should be able to play and have fun despite the terrible circumstances.
Today we sent the first boxes with 100 toys to the nursery "El Pescador", which is located in the most affected area by the earthquake. Staff from the nursery get together in square where they used to play with the children. This is near where their building was located - it has been completely destroyed.
It pleases us that all toy producers that we work with in the Santiago area have come to the office to bring any toys they have available in stock. All are delighted to share them, despite the fact that those toys are the main way for them to earn an income and support their families. A member of one of the women groups said, "These toys have given me the biggest satisfaction in my life."
The Fundación Solidaridad team will give away part of its stock of toys too and the staff will pack and pay for the delivery of those items to children nurseries in the most affected area.
We would like to share this experience with you as the best possible way to say thanks for your wonderful messages of concern in this difficult time.
Kind regards,
Winnie Lira Letelier
Fundación Solidaridad
