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Hi, my name is Georgia. I am a Mechanical Engineering and Spanish major at the University of Tulsa, and I am currently in Valparaiso, Chile working an internship as part of my studies.
Three weeks into this semester (the first week of February 2024), my friends and I evacuated from our neighborhood as a devastating wildfire burned throughout the Valparaiso region. We watched the sky turn black with smoke and tried to protect our lungs with masks and wet rags. We saw our Chilean neighbors driving or running with what little they could bring towards safety. We took this picture from a local supermarket in Viña del Mar, and it was the moment I realized just how deadly the fire had become.
Labeled as the worst disaster since the 2010 Chilean Earthquake, the Valparaiso fire claimed almost 15,000 homes and over 130 lives, with more than 300 still missing. We took this picture documenting the devastation in Miraflores Alto while handing out food and water to families in need.
Some people, like us, got to return home safe and sound. Others, like our friend Edison Bernal, returned to a pile of ash and rubble (pictured below).
My friends and I have decided to dedicate our time in Chile to helping our neighbors rebuild, starting with Edison. In the past two weeks, we have traveled to the El Olivar neighborhood to help him remove the burnt remains of the house he built himself 30 years ago as he prepares to start reconstruction.
We got the chance to learn about his history as a husband, father, and now a 71 year old grandfather. He worked over 40 years as a professor and dibujante (or draftsman), and prides himself on a job well done. He's also a talented musician, and he shared with us this video entitled “Tres Voces para una Historia", which he wrote in memory of the Chileans lost during Pinochet's brutal regime in the 70s.
The monetary damage is unspeakable, and it will take years for these Chilean families to recover what they lost. What little we can do might not make a difference to the world, but it will certainly make a world of difference to Edison's family.
Our goal is to raise 10,000 USD, all of which will go to Edison Bernal as he works to rebuild his house and his life. Anything over 10,000 USD will go to one of three organizations which we have personally witnessed on the ground in Valparaiso: TECHO Chile, the Chilean Red Cross, or the Salvation Army.
They help families rebuild their houses or bring food, water, and medical supplies to families in need by setting up donation centers like the one we visited in Miraflores (pictured below).
If you would like to see more, the following link is to a google drive of photos that show the fires, the damage, and our efforts to rebuild:
About Us:
Our team is comprised of students from the US, all working different internships in the Viña Del Mar or Valparaíso.
Georgia Hilburn (23, from Shreveport, LA) is a Mechanical Engineering and Spanish major at the University of Tulsa. Cameron Graham (19, from Denver, CO) decided to intern in Chile before starting college in the fall. Naomi Diamond (21, from Vermont) is a Psychology major at the University of Vermont. Brandon Peddle (23, from New Hampshire) graduated with his Computer Sciences degree at Keene State College.
