NPH Mexico Children Safe After Earthquake, millions of dollars in damages

Our thoughts and prayers go to all of those affected by the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck in the state of Puebla, Mexico, on September 19.

… September 21, 2017 Reported by Rafael Bermúdez Gutiérrez National Director, NPH Mexico … Fortunately all our children, staff and volunteers at NPH Mexico are well after the earthquake, however, NPH Mexico’s facilities suffered serious damages that put our children at risk. We need to carry out many actions that will ensure their safety.We suffered severe impact in our homes in Miacatlán and Cuernavaca, thus we need to take concrete actions. Miacatlán Reconstruction of the front enclosing wall and buttress adjoining the main street and the transportation area. This is urgent because it leaves us out in the open, the house is unprotected and our vehicles are at risk. The entire main enclosing front wall will have to demolished and rebuilt. Main gate – repairs, the entrance arch is fractured and in danger of collapsing. Museum (original Hacienda’s chapel) must be demolished due to severe damage. Clinic – reconstruction of pharmacy’s enclosing wall. Chimney enclosing wall adjoining the sun terrace – must be demolished. Dining room – presents to much of a risk to use it, repairs are urgent; at present our children are eating on the main patio. One of the two chimneys above the kitchen collapsed and needs to be repaired. Middle school children’s bedroom, urgent to repair. Demolition of the arches of the play area for chicos and medianos sections. Repair the water channel coming from the rodeo lagoon that passes by the clinic, volunteers’ quarters, new offices and crosses the new chapel. Girls’ bedroom corridor – repair drainage. Elevated water tank – demolition and rebuilding. Cuernavaca Young men’s bedrooms – reconstruction Casa Nolan – demolition and reconstruction Schools Urgent repairs in: Middle School computer room 2nd floor Elementary school 2nd floor Sixth grade classrooms, 2nd floor Kindergarten enclosing wall – demolition and rebuilding Middle school workshops – earth slides – repairs Elementary and Middle School – roofs need repairs High School – demolish a fractured enclosing wall, reinforce wall adjoining a vacant lot and repair main façade Agricultural warehouse – demolition and reconstruction Silos – safe relocation At the moment the expert’s assessment is being carried out, however, we do not have the reconstruction budget, which will be sent as soon as we have them. On behalf of NPH Mexico’s family, I thank you heartily for your support. Earthquake Relief Fact Sheet (PDF)

Entrance to Casa San Salvador, NPH’s main home in Miacatlán … Exterior Wall at Casa San Salvador … Museum at Casa San Salvador … Casa Nolan, home for visitors, volunteers and staff, in Cuernavaca

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Casa Buen Señor, home to NPH’s high school students, in Cuernavaca

Behind the dining hall at Casa San Salvador

Meals at Casa San Salvador are currently being served outside

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October 11, 2017

NPH Mexico High School Students Officially Returned to School

The NPH Mexico family is happy to announce that three weeks after the earthquake in Mexico on October 11th, our high school students formally returned to classes in their high school facilities in Cuernavaca.
Prior to their return to school, the teachers and the staff of the high school organized learning groups in different areas of Casa Buen Señor, the NPH home in Cuernavaca; students studied in the dining room, outdoors, in the hallway and in the game room. We are grateful for the willingness and enthusiasm of all the students and teachers during this time.

Fortunately, we learned this week that the high school did not suffer serious damages that would endanger the lives of our students. The corresponding educational authorities gave permission for our students to return to high school.
This is major progress for our high school students, who can finally return to their daily activities, stabilize their routine and not lose the rhythm in their classes.
However, our smaller children of Miacatlán are still unable to return to classes due to severe damage in the kindergarten and primary schools. In secondary, although they did not suffer major damages, we have not yet received the official record to be able to return to class because the educational authorities in charge of extending it have been backed up with similar requests from other schools.

The children of Miacatlán have been in provisional classes with their teachers of all their subjects and workshops. They attend classes in groups dispersed all throughout Casa San Salvador so that they do not fall behind in their studies. Some kids are in outdoor tents, in hallways, in the library, and other locations throughout the home. We hope to soon have the evaluations needed to begin with the reconstruction of the schools, so that our children can get back to their normal lives.

High school students studying at the home after the earthquake

High school students returned to school in their official building on October 11

Some primary/secondary students in Miacatlán are attending classes in tents

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About NPH USA

NPH USA supports the homes, healthcare and educational programs of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH, Spanish for “Our Little Brothers and Sisters”) in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru.

NPH Mexico’s main home is 27 miles southwest of Cuernavaca and 77 miles south of Mexico City. There is also a home in Matamoros, across the border from Brownsville, TX. Older children attend school and live in Cuernavaca, Monterrey or Mexico City.

Please make a gift to assist with earthquake repairs and the support of our children.