After a powerful earthquake struck Venezuela, Humanity First UK deployed a small team to carry out a rapid needs assessment on the ground, working in coordination with Humanity First USA. Over five days the team travelled from Valencia to Caracas and on to La Guaira, the worst affected area, meeting humanitarian agencies and government officials, identifying the most urgent gaps and delivering humanitarian aid directly to displaced families. Here is how the mission unfolded.
Day one: arrival and groundwork
The team travelled from Valencia to Caracas and spent the first day mapping the response. That meant connecting with the UN, OCHA and international NGOs, and pinpointing the areas where the earthquake had hit hardest.
Day two: into La Guaira
In La Guaira the team registered with the UN’s humanitarian clusters and met the Director of Civil Protection, who shared the government’s list of priority shortages and granted permission to deliver aid directly to affected families and to the workers supporting them.
A visit to one of the largest temporary camps identified the most pressing medical needs, and a first delivery of medicines and equipment was sourced for the next morning.
Day three: coordination and planning
The day focused on coordination, planning and refining the needs assessment. Four priorities came into focus:
- Search and rescue: the main gap on the ground.
- Specialised search and rescue assets: specifically requested by the government.
- Psychological support: particularly for vulnerable groups.
- Medical supplies: an ongoing need in the camps.
Day four: medical supplies delivered
With two ambulances provided by the Directorate for Civil Protection, medical supplies were delivered to the camp and the surrounding affected areas, covering:
- Critical care: oxygen supply and airway support for adults and children
- Emergency medicines: for resuscitation, allergic reactions and blood pressure
- Equipment: stretchers, vital-signs monitors, ECG, rapid ultrasound and a defibrillator (AED)
The delivery was enough to serve 200 displaced people directly for six months, with an estimated 36,000 people reached across the wider area.
A second camp, home to more than 2,000 people including over 400 children and 26 pregnant women, was assessed the same day. The priority gaps were food, sanitation, hygiene and bedding, and bedding was delivered to the whole camp before nightfall.
Day five: sanitation delivered
350 sanitation packs were delivered to serve 2,200 displaced people across the targeted camps. With the deliveries complete, the team concluded the mission and departed Caracas for Valencia.
The mission in numbers
- A rapid needs assessment across La Guaira and Caracas, in coordination with Humanity First USA
- Medical supplies to serve 200 displaced people directly for six months, reaching an estimated 36,000 across the wider area
- Bedding delivered to a camp of more than 2,000 people, including over 400 children and 26 pregnant women
- 350 sanitation packs procured for 2,200 displaced people
- Two ambulances provided by the Directorate of Civil Protection to move aid
This assessment is the first step, and the need on the ground is far from met. Your support lets our teams reach families the moment disaster strikes. Support our disaster relief work.