Last week, we took you to Chan Chen: as the northernmost village in Belize; it was one of the hardest hit by the storm: a veritable ground zero for what Hurricane Dean did to Belize. When we first visited on Wednesday, 90 people were in shelters, but tonight that shelter empty. When we visited today, we found that the village is making a comeback, with help from an unexpected group: the Kolbe Foundation and the police.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
What you see here are prisoners and police recruits putting on zinc sheets for the roof of a home in Chan Chen Village. It's part of an effort by the Police Department involving 60 recruits and prison trustees. Since Friday - they've been to about 5 villages and assembled 40 roof structures.
Crispin Jeffries, Assistant Commissioner of Police
"What we propose to do is to replace the roof completely. So by the end of the day today, we would have framed up and begin to put on all the stuff, put on the roof. As you know we have a delivery truck just arrived. They have the raw material that we need to work with. A team of four to eight persons will be here until this is finished. We've just finished the small building in this area that is made up of mostly plycem. Practically new all plycem walls, complete metal sheeting, and we've finished with that so far."
There are houses at all stages of completion. This one is just beginning and should be finished by this evening. And while there are many needs, police have their priorities.
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
"We've been well received in all the villages that we've been to so far and a number of houses of single mothers have been constructed by this team and those are the ones that we look at as priority and the older folks."
Butt not every structure will support a sound roof. This one you see this child helping to clear out might have to be replaced with another thatch because of a lack of structural soundness.
Crispin Jeffries,
"There is a major concern that a lot of the lower structures that we are working on top of are not necessarily things that could last very long so we make an assessment and we tell people we cannot put anything on top of this until you get new corner posts or that sort of thing. We've done that and a few of them are saying for us to come back tomorrow and they'll get the posts and we've seen people putting up posts."
And while those assessments are made on site - the police team know they are working with folks who are out of sorts.
Supt. Joseph Myvette,
"It is important to note that even though people are in shelters, and their priorities is to get back in their homes, so although they are getting supplies, their main priority is to get that roof over their head, to get back in their own beds; nobody's bed is like your own."
And no one knows that better than Jose Tzul. Last we showed you him living here - trying to pick up the scattered remains of his life. Today we found his son cocked back watching Mexican TV. There's a roof on the house, relief supplies coming in, and a dramatic change in outlook.
Jose Tzul, Chan Chen Village
"I feel happy now because the people they helped me and they came and brought me water and food and I am very happy because everything is fixed. Only this wall isn't fixed but next day I have to fix it. But still I am happy right now because everything is good right now."
Fellow Chan Chen villager Anastascio Keme can't say the same for himself. He's living here with three small children and a wife. They've given him zinc for a roof, but the house has no walls and it's punishing.
Anastascio Keme, Chan Chen Village
"It dropped, the side window, all of this are from upstairs, the whole and I tried to fix it but nobody came to give me something to help me or something. Me myself, I tried to fix it but I don't have the material to fix it."
Jules Vasquez,
Now you don't have wall and you have a baby. How old?
Anastascio Keme,
"Four months old."
Jules Vasquez,
So you have a four month old and...
Anastascio Keme,
"I got two little girls."
Jules Vasquez,
So if it rains,
Anastascio Keme,
"Mosquito. Its mosquitoes now. That is the problem. Every night mosquitoes start. That is the problem."
And those problems should be over soon. While we were there, Jeffries and his team brought plycem sheets that will be used to build that wall. Relief for this father - who is circumspect about all he's gone through in the past 8 days.
Jules Vasquez,
Eight days ago you were just waiting for the sun. Did you imagine that you would be living like this?
Anastascio Keme,
"No I didn't imagine that, even in my mind. This life. I am passing this life. I understand I have to live."
And that's what's happening in Chan Chen - as small children grapple with water provisions - they now know that help is coming in and they can live with that.
Jeffries and is crew also distributed 175 sheets of zinc in Cristo Rey today.
