The initiative, presented by Councillor for Citizen Participation and Internal Affairs Alfonso Mendoza, was approved by all municipal groups except Vox, which abstained. The measures demonstrate “Zaragoza City Council’s commitment to effective, coordinated humanitarian action based on technical criteria", Mendoza said, while highlighting the importance of channeling this aid "through specialized organizations with proven experience and the capacity to intervene immediately on the ground".
"It was carried out in agreement with the Venezuelan associations themselves, which asked us to wait for some time so that the aid would not be provided during the initial phase but rather during the recovery phase, and that is why our contribution is focused in that direction", he said. Mendoza also announced that the city council has been in contact with the Colombian community since last August to also provide aid to the country, which has likewise been affected by this natural disaster.
"The Councillor for the Presidency met with them in August, and I have also met with them and with Cooperation technicians to assess the projects and be part of the solution in emergencies, especially for the Latin American population, which has such a strong presence in our city", he said.
VENEZUELA PROJECTS
Zaragoza City Council will fully fund, with 50,000 euros, the project Supporting the stabilization of living conditions and early recovery for the population affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela, led by Cáritas Autonómica de Aragón. The initiative will be carried out in the states of Yaracuy and Falcón and will directly benefit 490 people from 120 affected households.
The Cáritas project includes food distribution; multipurpose cash transfers to cover basic needs; the provision of hygiene, water and sanitation kits; psychosocial support for adults, children and adolescents; protection measures; and assistance for temporary accommodation and improving the living conditions of affected families. It also includes monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the effectiveness and quality of the intervention.
The second selected project was submitted by the Juan Ciudad Ongd-Aragón Foundation, to which Zaragoza City Council will allocate 6,030 euros to fully fund the "Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Program for Girls, Boys and Adolescents Affected by the Earthquakes in Caracas".
The initiative aims to provide specialized care to minors directly or indirectly affected by the emergency by identifying and assessing cases, providing individual and group psychological support, offering family assistance, conducting psychosocial follow-up and strengthening community protection mechanisms, thereby helping reduce the emotional consequences of the disaster.
Meanwhile, Zaragoza City Council signed a cooperation agreement with the Emergency Committee at its most recent meeting, through which it will contribute 20,000 euros to strengthen the humanitarian response to international crises.
The Emergency Committee is made up of eight international non-governmental organizations specializing in humanitarian action: Action Against Hunger, SOS Children’s Villages, Educo, Entreculturas, Doctors of the World, Oxfam Intermón, Plan International and World Vision.
All of them work in coordination to issue joint appeals and mobilize resources more quickly and effectively, ensuring a humanitarian response based on the needs of the affected population and the international principles of humanitarian action.
