Parroquia Santa Ana is where we’ve been working since Monday. We’ve been sorting and folding clothes for those who have been affected by the flood in Paraguay. From Monday to Wednesday, we packed at least 300 bags of clothing to donate. We’ve gone on a census, and I’ve seen people building huts out of wood and tin. There are 1-2 portable toilets per 30 families, and some people have had to wait for a week for the toilets to be cleaned out. The animals are running around or are tied to a tree making the people and babies sick.
Seeing the people going through this situation made me feel mad at the government because they don’t seem to see the flooding in Paraguay as a serious problem. As we surveyed the neighbors about how they feel about those affected by the flooding, some say that it’s their own fault for living in an area that has a risk of flooding, but at the end of the day where are they going to live if they can’t afford another home.
Other neighbors help the people that live in front of their houses, but they can’t supply them forever, and the flood raises at least 1/8 of a block per day. We’ve been organizing materials and food as well. We’ve packed toilet paper, noodles, milk, mate, beans, etc. Our presence is giving people hope throughout this tragedy. After seeing all this, it has made me feel thankful for what I have.
Jaylin, 15, Forrestville High School