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TUI CARE FOUNDATION OFFERS AID TO PEOPLE OF LA PALMA FOLLOWING VOLCANIC ERUPTION

The TUI Care Foundation has launched a fundraising campaign helping to raise €175,000 to support relief measures on the Canary Island of La Palma following the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano in September 2021.

The eruption wreaked havoc on the Spanish island for three months. The lava destroyed more than 3,000 properties and hundreds of acres of farmland and over 7,000 residents had to be evacuated.

Life is slowly returning to normal on La Palma after the longest volcanic eruption ever recorded on the Canary island. Over 85 days, around 1,200 hectares of land were destroyed and many people were forced to flee their homes. In cooperation with Robinson, TUI Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and TUI tour operators, the TUI Care Foundation launched a fundraising campaign to support them, and the response was overwhelming. Every donation made by customers of the tour operator was matched by the TUI Care Foundation.

Two local aid organisations are already putting the TUI Care Foundation donations to good use. Federación Española de Bancos de Alimentos (FESBAL) has distributed almost 180,000 food parcels to the people who were most affected by the volcanic eruption.

Wellbeing of local children

Educo, a Spanish non-profit organisation (NGO) focusing on child protection and education is offering psychological and wellbeing support to affected pupils and teachers as part of a broad-based school programme, which will help them to come to terms with the traumatic experience of the last few months.

Bernd Mäser, managing director of Robinson explained: “The Canary Islands and Robinson have had a special connection for decades and are extremely close to the hearts of our customers and colleagues. It was very important to us to help at this time of need. Their incredible generosity has ensured that the people of La Palma affected by the volcanic eruption will have long term support, to help them cope with the consequences of the catastrophe”.

Pilar Orenes, general manager at Educo said: “With the help of the TUI Care Foundation, we increase our support for children on La Palma. We are offering individual psycho-social support as well as group activities and tutoring services for those who need it most. Within a very short time, the younger generation has had to cope with two very difficult situations: the eruption of the volcano and the pandemic.”

The TUI Care Foundation Emergency Aid programme was set up to provide rapid assistance to local communities in the event of natural disasters in holiday destinations.

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