Back in November 2020, Hurricanes Eta and Iota (category 4 and 5) hit Central America with devastating force, causing rivers to overflow, washing out roads and bridges, eroding farmland, and flooding entire communities.

Nicaragua and Honduras were hit dead on, and millions of people all the way through to Guatemala were displaced from their homes in a matter of days. The fact that these storms hit during the COVID-19 pandemic made response and recovery all the more challenging.

That’s where the strength of Trees, Water & People’s (TWP’s) networks really showed their importance.

Justa stove builder Arnulfo Cruz lives near the Caribbean coast of Honduras that was hardest hit by the storms. We were able to get in touch with him quickly, as he assessed the damage to his community and sent us photos and videos of homes swept away, roads and businesses damaged, and people on the street looking for help.

The urgency was palpable, and that real-time information provided by Arnulfo and other stove builders in our networks informed us of the gaps in the response, and where TWP could play a helpful role. The places we build stoves are generally among the poorest, most remote, and most vulnerable to climate disaster, so it made sense that they were among the last to receive any state support.

Through our networks we were able to safely distribute food, water, basic grains, masks, medicines and other essentials to over 1,200 families in the wake of the hurricanes. Even when we made it back to visit in 2021-2022, these communities were still isolated from major highways and markets due to the loss of roadways and bridges.

In one case, near Copán, Honduras, TWP staff crossed three rivers to reach a family who had a teenaged son with a debilitating palsy. The roads were so damaged that his donated wheelchair was useless - his mother carried him up and down hills just to meet basic needs.

These are the stories that get lost in the discussions of climate change and climate migration. A lot of the focus remains on those who leave, and less is placed on those who stay behind, struggling to make ends meet.

Thanks to your generous support, and the dedication of our partners, we were able to respond quickly to this climate catastrophe, but we also know it won’t be the last. Every day our focus is on making sure communities are better equipped to handle the next climate event with resilience, fortitude and dignity.