Every so often in life a natural disaster hits, destroying entire communities. In 2010 a catastrophic earthquake brought Haiti to its knees, affecting millions of people and killing over 100,000, with the island still struggling to recover today. Before that in 1997, the beautiful mountainous Caribbean island of Montserrat, nicknamed, “The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean”, suffered a similar catastrophic fate with the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano. The native name of the island is “Alliouagana” (land of the prickly bush) given by its native people, the Amerindians.

The aftermath of the volcanic eruption left 19 people dead, buried the capital city of Plymouth, and left over 60% of the land mass uninhabitable...land that grew all its food. With most of the infrastructure destroyed, a population with now merely 5000 people and an economy in disarray as a result…the country continues to face an upward battle to rebuild.

When a community that’s being plagued by such devastation and uncertainty of a better quality of life gets the necessary help, it can change just about everything. It can further encourage hope, improve health, increase access to food, grow the local economy, ease the burden of struggling families, and help children have a better-quality education.

The struggle to regain self-sustainability and alleviate economic hardship in Montserrat is a big problem, but it is solvable. The families, businesses, and institutions there have shown immense resilience and courage, but they need our assistance. With support from Project Aid Alliouagana and the help of generous supporters like you, our mission is to enhance the lives of the people and communities in Montserrat, so that the island can once again return to its glory days.