So you may have noticed I've been rather quiet on social media and emails over the last few weeks. There's a really good reason for this!!

I'm currently in Canoa, a little beach side village in Ecuador that was badly hit by the earthquake in April this year.

The earthquake registered 7.8 on the richter scale and caused massive damage to buildings, homes and roads.

In total nearly 700 people were killed, 6200 injured and 26,000 lost their homes completely or were deemed inhabitable. Many homes have lost walls and yet families continue to live there as they have no where else to go.

Many of the buildings in Canoa and the surrounding areas have had buildings demolished but families are still living in tents either on their property or in massive camps for people displaced due to the earthquake. Many families don't have the money to rebuild.

This is where the great work of charities like All Hands comes in. I've only been working with them for a week so far but already I've chopped bamboo, made cania abeirta (open bamboo used for walls and flooring), demolished a fallen house and made bamboo posts for a new fence at a school.

This charity and many like them are doing such amazing work building temporary homes and permanent homes for families most in need as well as repairs to schools and community centres.

Since April they have demolished many unsafe houses and cleared properties. 15 temporary homes have been built and a the first permanent home was finished yesterday. 30 more are already planned. But all of this great work costs- for the materials, running costs, and to pay local staff. Right now there is 70 volunteers on our base working 6 days a week to finish as many homes as possible for these families so in need.

So here is my request. We've not had a drink together in a while and it might be a wee while before our next together. Can I ask you all for a donation of a drink of your choice. It might be a coffee, a martini or a glass/bottle of wine (or our version of one glass 😉!!)

Anything is so greatly appreciated and will help this awesome charity get families back to some form of normality in a home they can lock up, feeling safe and secure.

Here's the page where you can donate. For anyone in the UK you can gift aid as well. Also if your company matches donations you can do that as well.

Also here is a few pages where you can find out more about All Hands and the awesome work they do globally, including in Nepal, Fiji and the Philippines.

Thank you thank you thank you

Gracias a mill for anything you can give.

Lots of love
Monika

PS if anyone is interested in coming out and donating some time let me know!! Anyone, any skill set is welcome!!