I visited Puerto Rico with UNICEF USA one month after Hurricane Maria.
I remember I saw a row of palm trees by a gas station that still had leaves on them.
It struck me that the things left untouched stood out more because everything else was destroyed.
A million Americans on the island had no running water.
Three million were without electrical power.
It was raining from the moment we landed in San Juan and met with local groups on the ground
Together we formed a plan to deliver the thousands of hygiene kits we brought.
Getting to homes to deliver the kits was a challenge.
We walked over rubble and through puddles of contaminated water.
The roads were terrible, but they were the only way we could reach the remote parts of
the island that needed help the most.
The hygiene kits we brought had crucial items to help people survive.
We met families getting by as best they can.
They were so happy to know that someone cared about them.
They're usually the ones donating and volunteering to help UNICEF help kids around the world.
They never thought they'd be the ones in need, but they are, and we're there to help them.
I never got to see Puerto Rico before the hurricane and I heard it's a beautiful island.
But now I see that its beauty lies in its people, their hope and resilience.
I know that our donors' generosity is the reason UNICEF USA and our partners can help the people of Puerto Rico.
I know we won't turn away from them.
No comments:
Post a Comment