Charitable mission threatened following robbery

ALHAURIN DE LA TORRE residents Daniel Vega and Samuel Garcia have given up their summer holidays to spend time in northwestern Ecuador, where they are helping to provide technical, social and humanitarian assistance to victims of the devastating earthquake which caused hundreds of deaths and widespread damage on April 16, but they have suffered a major setback.

While travelling on a bus to an area being referred to as ‘Ground Zero,’ they were robbed, losing €3,000 that had been raised via a series of events organised by the local youth association ‘Eo Eo’ in Alhaurin , plus a computer and ‘complementary materials’ that had been purchased with some of the proceeds.

They are now launching a desperate appeal for new donations from the people of Alhaurin and Malaga province in order to allow them to complete their admirable mission, since the money was intended to be used to deliver direct aid on the ground in Ecuador.

If they are unable to raise the money, they will be forced to cancel their trip and return to Spain, with more than half of the planned work still to do, so are calling on local media to help them achieve their goal.

Alhaurin Mayor, Joaquin Villanova, was visibly emotional as he said: “It would be a tremendous shame if this wonderful initiative is not completed.

“The lads are fine and have not suffered any injuries, but they are very upset about the robbery, and have made so much effort with many sacrifices in order to make the trip, so I ask everyone to help out with donations as soon as possible.”

The young men have been delivering training in social skills and emotional intelligence to local councils, and assisting other groups in providing psychological support to those who lost family members or homes in the disaster, as well as working with the Ministry of Economy and Social Inclusion in Quito.

They had planned to work directly with a group of 20 children left orphaned and homeless, taking them to Quito to enjoy some leisure activities away from the misery, but may not now be able to accomplish that part of the project.

Daniel and Samuel need urgent assistance, and anyone who wishes to donate money can do so by making a transfer to the Unicaja account: ES1621030179430030006569.