Wednesday 29th marked the first anniversary of one of Spain’s most devastating natural disasters, the DANA storm, which ravaged much of Valencia and other parts of the country, including some towns in Malaga. Soroptimist International (SI) Costa del Sol commemorated the anniversary to “remember the victims and reaffirm our commitment to continue supporting the survivors”, they said. 

SI Costa del Sol did not hesitate to show its solidarity with those affected. The club organised food and fundraising collections, local charity events and reached out to Soroptimist clubs across Europe to request donations. Among its initiatives, the launch of ‘Soroptimist by your side’ stood out, a programme through which the Mijas club has helped one woman from Cártama and six from Valencia to rebuild their businesses and their lives. Many noted that “the people helped the people when institutional support was slow to arrive,’ said SI Costa del Sol.

 A year after the storm, with the programme now completed, the group reviewed this solidarity effort in the magazine programme ‘Mijas Hoy’ on Mijas 3.40 TV . The vice-president of Soroptimist, Aura Roderick, recalled the aim of the project: “To help businesses run by individual women entrepreneurs affected by the DANA, whose businesses were destroyed, and we have supported them to get back on their feet and stay standing”. 

Trip to ground zero

Identifying the women the club could help was a difficult but not impossible task In January, some members travelled to the affected areas to meet them in person and establish contact, which was maintained over time  through phone calls, financial assistance and legal advice. Soroptimist treasurer Cornelia Albadalejo described the harsh reality of the first visit: “although much had already been cleared, there was still a lot of desolation” and people shared “very traumatic stories”. However, on a second visit in September, the team was able to see the progress made.

One of the most notable cases was that of Carol García, owner of an art academy in Paiporta (Valencia), who lost everything. Thanks to the club’s support, including funding for a professional ceramic kiln, her business was rebuilt. In September, they visited the newly reopened academy to witness the success of the programme.

During the visit, which was also attended by councillors from the Paiporta Town Hall, the focus of the project was discussed. Its methodology has been simple but effective: offering a listening ear, encouragement and direct financial support without unnecessary paperwork, requiring only a few photos of the damage and an invoice to expedite aid.

 

The visit also initiated a new artistic collaboration. Soroptimist connected the academy with José Ángel Ruiz González, master ceramist at the Alfajar Gallery in Malaga, who will support Carol by giving a master class at her premises.

SI Costa del Sol also highlighted two other stories. First, Vi, a yoga teacher who photographed the destruction of her studio, creating a powerful visual testimony to the impact of the floods. SI Costa del Sol is currently seeking an exhibition space for her work, anyone interested in displaying it can contact them at soroptimist.costadelsol@gmail.com.

The second story is that of María, a physiotherapist from Utiel, who lost both her home and workplace. Although she has returned to her profession and continues to rebuild her life day by day, she has not yet been able to return to her home, encouraging her children with words of hope. In her community, recovery is progressing slowly: traffic lights remain out of service and the train station is still closed.

 

Appeal to the public

SI Costa del Sol has urged the public not to forget these people. In addition, the Mijas club is preparing a detailed report for the Soroptimist representatives at the United Nations, outlining the main needs, challenges and recommendations arising from their work with the people affected.

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