Agricultural Development Foundation partnered with Manos Hermanas for disaster / hunger relief after a hurricane hit an isolated indigenous language region of Southern Mexico in 1998.  Families had lost all their crops and small animals in the storm.  They were also at risk of losing their lands by migrating to cities to find work and food to survive. 

 Our network of nearby contacts that knew a common language were able to distribute 33 tons of corn for immediate food and planting for some 1,300 families, as well as “chicken packages” with 7 hens and one rooster to quickly produce eggs and meat for over 1,000 families.  They followed with over 500 rabbit pairs for quick meat and hide production.  They taught children in the local schools how to take care of the rabbits. After the school year, the children took pairs of rabbits that had been born to begin production for their own villages. 

The team also distributed turkey pairs, garden seed packets, plastic pipe to bring water down from springs to communities, and bee hives.   Later reports informed us of a good harvest for an important food production and economic recovery in 24 communities after that disaster.