Baltimore -- Lutheran World Relief (LWR) is providing immediate relief and assistance to hundreds of families who endured Hurricane Felix last week.

LWR will provide aid in three communities in the Northern Atlantic Autonomous Region (RANN) in Nicaragua. LWR is also likely to support relief efforts to communities impacted by the hurricane in neighboring Honduras. LWR’s partner organizations in the global emergency aid coalition Action by Churches Together (ACT) International are assessing the needs there.

“The RAAN is a very difficult zone in which to work, due to lack of roads and other infrastructure.  Most of the communities are only accessible via rivers by dugout canoes,” said Jean Waagbo, LWR’s deputy regional director for Latin America. “LWR is very concerned about the health and living conditions of the hurricane survivors.”

LWR’s response will provide food and non-food supplies as well as water purification tablets and pastoral care to 256 families in need. Local representatives of the Moravian Church, an LWR partner organization, will carry out the project, which will be jointly implemented by ACT Nicaragua member organizations CIEETS and CEPAD. LWR intends to provide immediate relief in the short-term, and intends to work in the zone to assist with the longer-term rehabilitation projects which will be necessary to rebuild the lives of the indigenous Miskito people adversely affected by this devastating hurricane.