Urgent Call for Relief: Guatemala

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Sponsors:

Surely by now you are aware of the devastating effects hurricane Stan has

caused the Central American region. The Western and Central Highlands of

Guatemala and the Pacific Coast were struck by relentless rains for five

days, resulting in major landslides and the bursting of rivers, which swept

away homes, roads, bridges and crops, leaving many communities without

access to communication, basic supplies or medical attention. In the Lake

Atitlán region, department of Sololá, all surrounding villages have been

affected, specifically the two largest towns, Santiago Atitlán and

Panajachel, with an estimated 1,500 deaths and hundreds of people missing.

We respectfully request your immediate financial support in attending to the

urgent issues facing the community of Santiago Atitlán.

IMAP is an non-for-profit organization working with rural communities in the

preservation of biodiversity, the establishment of food security and

environmental education. We are located on the southern shore of Lake

Atitlan, 10 kilometers from Santiago Atitlán. Because of current conditions,

we have suspended our planned activities in order to concentrate on relief

and prevention efforts in coordination with the municipality of Santiago

Atitlán and other local and international non-governmental organizations.

Our concern is for the immediate needs of families who are without water,

food, sanitation, medical attention and housing. Currently, an estimated one

thousand people are being housed in 10 provisional shelters where the

sanitary conditions pose a major health risk to the community. In light of

our human resources and abilities, we have decided to concentrate our

efforts in two areas: 1) securing food for at least one shelter and 2)

installing water tanks and purifying equipment for at least three shelters.

To the extent possible, we will also work on sanitation issues with respect

to the same three shelters, in terms of installing latrines. Donations

received by IMAP will go directly towards these efforts.

HOW TO HELP

Please send donations to our umbrella organization Permaculture America

Latina (PAL) with 501 C-3 status.

Permacultura America Latina

723 Allendale Street

Santa Fe, NM 87505

505-989-1695 ph.

505-988-9702 fax

If you wish to send a wire, you have two options:

Use Wells Fargo's FedWire routing transit number, 121000248 for domestic

wires or use Wells Fargo's Swift code: WFBIUS6S for international wires

Bank Name: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

City/State: San Francisco, CA (regardless of where your account is

located)

Routing transit number 121000248 or SWIFT address: WFBIUS6S

Account number: 769-0079853

Account title — Permacultura America Latina

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Instituto Mesoamericana de Permacultura

San Lucas Tolimán, Departamento de Solola

Guatemala, Centro America

502 55848111 - Ronaldo Lec

502 57868033 - Rebecca Cutter