MicroAid International – Blog

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5-8-13

In the Sacred Valley of Peru starting the home constructions for survivor-families of the 2010 floods.  Meeting with builders and local coordinators to make the plans, hire the workers, and begin helping people return to self-sufficiency.  More on the “Blog from the Field.” Click on “Home” above.

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1-16-13

A quick trip back to Samoa to help our lttle canoe village of Matafa’a after a devastating cyclone struck the island in December.  All electric was wiped out, their water system compromised, and most of their crops destroyed.  I am here with solar chargers for their cell phones, so they can call their relatives; a water filtration system, so they can drink purified water from the river; and 200 pounds of donated clothing.  Although MicroAid does not normally do “emergency response,” no one esle was helping and we have a connection to this wonderful group of people.

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11-21-12

Here in the Sacred Valley of Peru, I am doing project assessments for survivors of the devastating floods of 2010.  As usual, after the emergency response and the relief organizations have left, MicroAid steps in to help people get back into permanent housing and return to self-sufficiency.

Already, I have identified situations where we can help.  Many families are still without homes after theirs were washed away in the floods.

living in an uninsulated tent since 2010

In the town of Huacarpay, there is a particularly sad situation where an older couple has been living in a wooden box since they lost their adobe home two years ago.  They have no chance of rebuilding on their own and no other options.  This is a situation where we can build them a modest home and they can return to a relatively dignified and comfortable existence.  Other situations in Ollantaytambo and Urumbamba are equally desperate.  It looks like we can help some families there as well.

no place to turn for the old couple living in this box

In a couple of weeks, I will return to the U.S. to wait out the rainy season. I will come back here in the Spring of 2013 to do the construction.  Between now and then, I will be coordinating with the local NGOs and builders I have met here and planning the work.

Of course, the board and I will be raising the money to complete these construction projects for these worthy disaster survivors.  So please don’t forget to make a donation as part of your year-end charitable giving.

We have so much to be thankful for in the U.S., even in the wake of our own disasters, that we have resources and organizations that are there to help.  The people here have no such options.

I am happy that we created MicroAid to help them live better lives.

Thanks you for your encouragement and support.

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10-9-12

2012 was a good year for MicroAid, we completed the projects in Samoa (canoes and fishing kits), helped hundreds of people, and garnered quite a bit of good press.

Currently, we  are preparing a November site-assessment trip to Peru—they have had devastating floods and mudslides the past few years, and hundreds of people have lost their homes.  Hopefully, we can identify a few families that we can help return to self-sufficiency—we’ll repair or rebuild their homes or replace their tools of livelihood.  The project will take place in Spring 2013, after the rainy season.  Of course, when we go to do the work, we will stay until it is complete.

On the fundraising front, since MicroAid is now three years old, and has a impressive track record of completed projects, we are starting to approach foundations for grant money.  It is a tough economic environment, but I am confident that we will receive some grants.  Until then, we still rely solely on your generosity and that of the board of directors.  As you know, 100% of all donations go toward programs, while the board covers our overhead expenses.

Thank you for all your support.

Please follow the blog for updates from the field.

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4-24-12

All the Samoa tsunami recovery projects are complete.  See “Completed Projects” for details and more pictures.  Day-to-day reports and photos can be seen on the “Blog from the Field”

canoes for Matafa'a village

fishing kits for Salea'aumua village

Now MicroAid is raising funds for post-disaster recovery work in Burma, Peru, Central America, and Haiti.

Please donate now so we can continue to help victims of disasters after the world’s attention has moved on.

Thank you.

Jon Ross

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3-12-12

Jon Ross is in Samoa working on disaster recovery projects (tsunami 2009).  Living in the remote village of Matafaa, he is helping build canoes to replace ones lost in the tsunami 2009. Follow his progress in his “Blog From the Field” by clicking the “home” button above.

with felled tree for canoe

even in the wake of a disaster no lack of scenic views in Samoa

11-30-2011

This fall, MicroAid was chosen by a Pepperdine University nonprofit leadership class to be one of their real-life charities to receive student-consultant advice.  The team from the university is helping prepare a Peru disaster assessment, so we can help victims of the terrible flooding that has devastated the Cusco region in recent years.

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Hotels and buildings by the Vilcanota river after torrential rains in Machu Picchu.

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On the cyber-front, MicroAid is beefing up its social media presence.  I will soon send out a specific email about following us on Twitter, friending us on Facebook, and connecting to me on LinkedIn.  We already have pages and accounts set up, so if you use these tools please feel free to “follow,” “friend,” and “connect” with MicroAid International.

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12-25-2010

Jon Ross recently returned from Samoa where there is post-tsunami recovery work to be done.  The village of Matafaa on the southwest coast needs a dozen canoes replaced so that the children can get across the bay to the school and the village can bring their produce to market.  In other villages on the southeast there were water tanks delivered, but no roof-top collection systems provided.  MicroAid will help out about twenty situations like this.  MicroAid is raising $35,000 for Samoa recovery projects.

canoe - matafaa village southwest upolu samoa

matafaa bay that needs to be crossed for school and market

matafaa village minister & wife

Last year in Sri Lanka MicroAid built a house for a tsunami family in Hambantota, and completed and secured (installed windows and doors) for two other families in Batticaloa.  MicroAid also funded the scholarships for two tsunami orphans.  Please look at the “Completed Projects” section for a concise recap.

Look at the “Blog from the Field” for detailed descriptions of Samoa and more pictures.

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MicroAid continues to raise money for additional projects related to the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean and the subsequent 2009 earthquakes in Indonesia, the 2008 cyclone in Burma (Myanmar), the 2009 tidal wave in Samoa, the 2010 mudslides in Cusco, Peru, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Please see “Where We Work” “Worldwide” for details.

MicroAid gives no-strings-attached humanitarian aid and hands-on assistance to:

Sponsor orphans’ education

Build houses

Replace tools of livelihood

Build community/evacuation centers

All donations go directly to helping those in need.  Overhead is funded separately by the MicroAid board of directors. Thank you.