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The Minutes That Changed Cristina's Life
On Wednesday 24 June, at six in the evening, Cristina stepped out of her apartment in La Guaira to buy something for dinner.
Minutes later, the earth shook. When she returned, her six-storey building had completely collapsed. Her husband and her 16-year-old son, a bright student doing well in school, were inside. Neither survived.
Cristina now lives in a shelter alongside hundreds of others. Her extended family emigrated years ago and is scattered across different countries, so she is grieving without them near her.
And yet, every day, Cristina helps. She serves food, comforts others, does whatever needs doing. In a shelter full of loss, she has chosen to be part of the response.
Cristina has already chosen her response. Now it's our turn. Will you stand beside her?
What happened
On 24 June, two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela within seconds of each other. The coastal state of La Guaira, where Cristina lived, was declared a disaster zone. In nearby Caracas, thousands of people now sleep in tents on the street beside their own buildings, which remain off limits until city engineers confirm they are safe. You have seen the headlines. This campaign is about what happens next.
AMURT is already there, with government permission, inside the disaster zone
La Guaira is restricted. Access requires government authorisation, and AMURT has it.
This week, AMURT's team in Venezuela entered La Guaira to work in a centre for displaced people, focusing on mental health. They sat with women who escaped with their lives and little else, still visibly shaken. They gave their first class of gentle yoga and breathing exercises, simple tools that help a nervous system in shock begin to settle.
And AMURT has deep roots here. Years ago, AMURT's coordinator in Venezuela helped found the Feria Conuquera, a farmers' network, and repaired its truck when it broke down. Today that same truck, driven by network members volunteering their time, carries water, food and tools into La Guaira, and food to children living in tents in the middle of Caracas, beside buildings they cannot yet re-enter.
Your donation reaches people through this truck and the volunteers who drive it.
The team builds on the strengths of long-standing local initiatives, including Centro Madre, whose trusted community networks help them reach the right people fast.
How you help, in three phases
- Keep families alive today. Food, clean water, medicines and essential supplies for displaced families in La Guaira and families in tents in Caracas.
- Help hearts heal. An earthquake continues long after the shaking stops. You fund trauma relief work, including breathing and movement classes, safe spaces and emotional support for women, children and caregivers, like the classes already underway in La Guaira.
- Rebuild livelihoods. Together with survivors, you help launch socio-productive cooperatives, built on proven models like the Feria Conuquera and Centro Madre, so that people like Cristina can find income, purpose and community again.
Your support carries people from rubble to roots.
What your gift does
£25 feeds a displaced family of five for a full day.
£50 feeds a family and provides hygiene and basic medical essentials.
£200 helps fill the truck for a full delivery run of water, food and tools into La Guaira.
Every pound travels through volunteers and existing community networks, so more of your gift reaches the people who need it.
Donate now
Tonight, Cristina will serve dinner to others in the shelter. Tomorrow, the truck returns to La Guaira with supplies. Your donation today helps make sure it carries what people need.
About us
AMURT (Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team) is an international relief and development organisation with a long-standing presence in Venezuela, working through local volunteers and community based initiatives including Centro Madre and the Feria Conuquera farmers' network. AMURT UK raises funds in the UK and sends them to AMURT's team in Venezuela, who deliver the response on the ground.
