Blue Creek rebounds with outside help
The last time News 5 reported from the village of Blue Creek was in 1994 when it hosted a worldwide educational programme called “The Jason Project”. Since those busy days, the picturesque community has had its share of ups and downs. Last weekend I got a chance to see for myself.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
In October 2001, Blue Creek Village in the Toledo District was one of the communities severely affected by Hurricane Iris. Once forested mountains were wiped clean, changing the face of Blue Creek for a generation. The villagers worked hard to repair their damaged buildings and reconstruction was well underway. But in late June of this year, the first rains of the season hit Blue Creek with a vengeance.
Of the two tragedies to befall them within the last nine months, the people of Blue Creek say the floods have been the most damaging. The waters here rose so quickly, there was only time to save themselves and their families.
According to villagers, the water rose more than fifteen feet during the night and many were forced to seek refuge at a nearby quarry.
Villager #1
“Up to here, it almost reach this house. So we had to move and all of this is water, current. And we got some kids, and that is the worse.”
Villager #2
“Inside is really, really muddy inside when we get home.”
Question: “How long did it take you to clean up?”
Villager #2
“About two to three days.”
No one was injured, but many people returned home only to find out all their household belongings had been washed away. While clothing and shoes can be replaced, the hardest blow was the loss of a year of hard work as the raging waters took the precious sacks of corn stored in the homes awaiting processing. The loss poses serious social and economic implications to the people of Blue Creek.
Janelle Chanona
“What did people lose in the flood?”
Martin Ical, Resident, Blue Creek village
“They lose some chickens, and the corn, that’s mostly what they lose.”
Janelle Chanona
“That’s a big loss, losing the corn.”
Martin Ical
“That’s their food, their local food. So they lost that. The waters of the flood took bags floating out, chickens, dogs are going, pigs, that’s what they are doing. That’s what the flood did for us.”
But today life goes on. The river that runs through Blue Creek is still swollen from the rains, but daily activities still revolve around it. This is a village with very little infrastructure, so the water is used for drinking, bathing and washing. The children cast nets…and use hand lines to fish.
And the community is getting help. Over the weekend, student members of T.R.E.E., Teens Restoring Earth’s Environment from the state of Idaho arrived in Blue Creek to lend a hand.
Brecca Chabot-Olson, T.R.E.E.
“We raised money back in the states for Blue Creek to help out with the hurricane and then the flood and everything. And we have about fifty dollars for your family.”
The students made the U.S. cash presentations to each of the forty-seven families living in Blue Creek.
Villager #3
“I’ll buy food with it at least, to help me in my home, my family.”
According to group leader, Richard Jordan, students from T.R.E.E. have been coming to Belize for more than ten years now.
J. Richard Jordan, T.R.E.E.
“There was a real connection. The students they found the people here to be so friendly and so supportive and loving and giving and just caring. So they were really moved by all the tragedy that they experience so they really wanted to do something in a small way, to help them out in this difficult time.”
Jocelyn Orr, T.R.E.E.
“It’s very gratifying. We worked very hard for this, we spent a lot of time raising this money. These people are our neighbours and we need to help them and I think we need to help them and I’m glad I’m apart of it. I’m glad I’m here.”
Kira Christensen, T.R.E.E.
“We decided that we should come here. We raised the money and we wanted to come down here and hand it out personally because it is a lot of different when you come down and are able to see the families and interact with them instead of just sending a cheque through the mail.”
In addition to the hundred dollars given to each of the families, the students also distributed clothing to the villagers. As the people here wait out the rest of the hurricane season, they’re keeping their fingers crossed that they will be spared any more devastation. Reporting from the Toledo District, I am Janelle Chanona for News 5.
Next year the crew from Idaho plans to help the village in the area of education.
