In late February, one of our host countries, Chile experienced a devastating earthquake. Our In-Country Coordinator Paul Fischer sent us word shortly after explaining the situation there. Please read below.
The earthquake was 8.8 in the city of Concepcion, which is 6 hours South of Santiago by car. There are still thousands of people (including seniors and children) who are forced to camp out in tents because they have lost their homes. Temporary small wooden houses are being built everywhere in the South of Chile for these families, and the cold and rainy weather has just started as we are heading into winter. United Planet has a history of working with the main organization in Chile that is building these homes, Un Techo para Chile (A Roof for Chile). Unfortunately, there are currently not enough materials for the rebuilding that needs to happen and the local communities affected by the earthquake cannot support international volunteers at this time. However, United Planet plans to offer opportunities for individuals and groups to assist with the rebuilding efforts as soon as possible.
United Planet is continuing to work closely with our In-Country Coordinators to ensure our efforts are benefiting the communities that need it most. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to donate to these relief efforts.
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
