The Halton and Peel Central America Relief Effort (HPCARE) emerged over five years ago in response of the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch in Central America in November of 1998. HPCARE’s mandate has been to work on health, education, reconstruction and community development initiatives, leading toward a self-sustainable community.

On August 15th 2003, we received the patent letter from Industry Canada informing us officially that HPCARE had become incorporated with a new name: “Canadian Central American Relief Effort (CCARE). In 1998, Hurricane Mitch hit Central America destroying villages, killing about 9,000 people and leaving more that one million homeless. Hilda Rossi, Founder and Director of CCARE and her dear friend, Rosie DeBiasi, went to Guatemala to see the devastation and upon their return the Canadian Central American Relief Effort- CCARE organization was born. A valuable member of CCARE is Ana Paredes she is one of the directors and has been working with our organization for over six years and supported this initiative as the President of the Hispanic Development, and provided institutional and logistic support in the organizational process of CCARE and project development. Ana has traveled to Guatemala every year since 2001.

A BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT THE MERENDON MOUNTAINS OF GUATEMALA

The Merendon Mountains, once called Monte Oscuro or “The Dark Forest”, are unique in their beauty and form with rocky hills and crags, covered by a lush green carpet of natural finery crisscrossed by mountain springs and rivers all coming together into a scene of wild beauty. The climate is variable, shifting between subtropical and tropical with changing humidity depending on which area of the jungle or elevation of the landscape you happen to be in. It has been called the “Oasis de Oriente” if not by visitors then most certainly by those natives still making a living off this land as their ancestors.

There are 36 villages in the region of La Union, Zapaca - CCARE is helping 3 of them: Timushan, Volcancito and Peña Blanca scattered throughout the region, some located in areas difficult to reach, even by foot. Originally, these indigenous communities emigrated from the village of Tunoco in the District of Chiquimula with people in search of new land to establish themselves in the mountains. However due to the high elevation and uneven surface the area is difficult to farm productively, and due to the sheer expense agricultural technology cannot be easily introduced to improve the lot of those who have chosen this area for their livelihood.

Stricken by perpetual poverty, natural disasters and the hardship that comes with living off the land, the progress of the villagers has been slow. There is limited access to health service, limited education, and little to no economic development all of which has been a huge obstacle towards prosperity for these people. Without aid from the outside world, the communities of the Merendon Mountains continue to endue dreadful living conditions bereft of the basic necessities of life.

However, CCARE’s has gone into action with our Vision and Mandate: