Binni Cubi Mexico Earthquake Relief

On September 7 2017, Mexico was hit by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake. This earthquake, which closely followed a hurricaine in the area, caused at least 96 deaths and and destroyed at least 16,000 homes in the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Following the earthquake a huge amount of support is urgently needed. Food, toiletries, and other supplies are in high demand to help people whose homes were destroyed get through day-to-day life, and materials and labour will be required in the long term to rebuild what was lost.

Colectivo Binni Cubi (the Binni Cubi Collective) is a community organization in Union Hidalgo, a small town in the region that was most heavily hit by the earthquake. For the past 15 years Colectivo Binni Cubi has spearheaded innumerable initiatives and campaigns with the goal of increasing quality of life, community, and pride for residents of the little town. Their work, including educational campaigns about the Zapotec language, a mural campaign celebrating elderly residents, and the establishment of a local radio station, has been covered internationally by Al jazeera. Now Colectivo Binni Cubi is focusing on helping their community rebuild after the earthquake.

While international aid organizations can play an important role in natural disasters and crises, Colectivo Binni Cubi stands apart because they are local and grassroots. They have relationships with the local people and they understand the ways of doing things in this largely indigenous town. They are is one hundred percent volunteer-run, so overhead costs are virtually non existent.

Here is a recent video by Al Jazeera about Colectivo Binni Cubi's mural series, one of many community initiatives they led before the earthquake hit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vuh0faSajAo

The amount of money needed for rebuilding efforts is much greater than $1000, but I wanted to choose an attainable amount of money. An anonymous donor has already agreed to match the first $250 donated, so donations up to the first $250 count for double! Even though no amount of money will repair all the damage, even a bit of help can make a big difference. Resources that are currently in high demand, such as potable water, food, hygeine items, clothing, household cleaning products, blankets, and transportation for the above items, are quite affordable. Two litres of potable water is approximately 50 cents Canadian in Union Hidalgo and lunch for 10 relief workers can be made for under 10 dollars.

Plus, any amount of support that is sent communicates something bigger: it will send the message that Union Hidalgo, and Southern Mexico in general, is not alone in this crisis. The knowledge that others care is so important in times of fear and uncertainty.