Emergency Earthquake Response in Mexico

On Tuesday 19 September, 2017, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit near Puebla, Mexico. The earthquake claimed the lives of some 1,232 people, and came just two weeks after the previous lethal earthquake in the area. IsraAID arrived on the ground on the next day, to distribute relief items, offer psychosocial support to survivors, ensure access to safe water, and restore the sense of safety and stability challenged by this most recent trauma.

IsraAID’s teams have served some 34,000 individuals through immediate response and subsequent long-term recovery and development programming. One year and a half later, IsraAID’s team remains in Mexico, working with affected communities on rehabilitation and recovery.

IsraAID Mexico launched its Safe School Program in the state of Morelos. The Safe School Program supports school communities in the worst-affected areas through holistic, child-centered, and participatory educational tools to mitigate potential future risks and reduce vulnerability towards hazards. 166 staff members from 61 schools participated in the program, who will then train additional community leaders to respond and implement emergency procedures and be better prepared for the future.

The IsraAID’s Safe School pilot program came to a close in a celebration with the local Secretary of Education. "They prioritize helping the most needy, not only the poor, but the sick, who have lost everything," he said of IsraAID in his public remarks.

The program provides training on a range of topics regarding risk prevention, which began in 6 municipalities. Throughout 2019, the IsraAID team will scale the program nationally through capacity building for local government ministries, who will in turn train the school’s staff.

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