Welcome to CHIMES
Project CHIMES (California Honduras Institute for Medical and Education Support) is a Sacramento, California-based non profit dedicated to raising money to help indigenous peoples in Central and South America gain access to basic medical services.
You can read about our first important project, helping the Garifuna people on the Caribbean coastal region of South America, on our projects page. Their story is an extraordinary tale of survival, adaptation and endurance spanning two continents and 350 years, and they need our help to ensure that they can remain on the land which they've inhabited for hundreds of years.
In order for us to continue our important work, we need your donations today. Click here to donate using our secure online system from PayPal, and we will put your valuable contribution work helping these indigenous people get the basic services they deserve.
Honduran floods: The disaster no one is reporting -- 11/11/2008
The situation in Honduras is grave. Thank goodness it has stopped raining But we expect another storm this weekend. Unlike Hurricane Mitch, the problem occurred due to the constant flow of rain for 3-4 weeks. The weather put tremendous pressure on all of the damns throughout Honduras.
I will give you concrete examples:
Rio Esteban – this is a community where we have worked for five years. The two bridges washed out. The community was without food and water (although They collected rain water). Most of the farms lost all of the agricultural Products (plantains, rice, beans etc). So not only did they lose a source of income, but they also lost the primary means to sustain their families. With USAID, the Catholic Relief Services, and others, a concerted effort was made to ship food into the communities by truck, then with boats transfer the food to the outlying communities. The Cayos Cochinos Foundation contributed gas for the boats.
Sonaguera – There are nine communities above this large town that lost their damn, all of the water systems and tubes that fed the communities potable water, and all of their agricultural products. Note that these plants were farmed over time and it will take time for the community to recover. Right now, they are desperate for a source of water. I presented the project to HSBC (we work with them through a global climate change project) but funding is not available to replace the water systems. The representative of the community has sent me a list of supplies needed to replace the water system. When I arrive in La Ceiba, I will do a price to see what is needed.
There are other examples. We have worked hard the last years towards preservation and conservation of natural resources. But presently, the need Is for basic services and supplies.
The situation is the same in the areas around Iriona. I look forward to Seeing your work and the project in La Moskitia. I also look forward to working with Luther. It is interesting because in the last two days, I have discovered that we have many friends in common. For the education project, he could be of assistance.