Caracas: One month after the powerful earthquake that struck Venezuela, relief work is continuing across the country as thousands of families struggle to rebuild their lives. While emergency teams are still providing food, shelter and medical support, a group of Catholic sisters is also focusing on another important need, helping children return to school.
The Missionary Daughters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, working together with Camillian Disaster Service International, the Camillians of the Province of Brazil and CADIS Brazil, are supporting both emergency relief and long term recovery efforts. Alongside providing aid to vulnerable families, the organizations have launched a fundraising campaign to help communities affected by the disaster.
Education has become one of the main priorities in the recovery process. The earthquake damaged more than 400 school buildings, leaving thousands of children without classrooms. Many of these children were already living in difficult social and economic conditions before the disaster, making their return to school even more important.
Despite the damage caused to their own school in Caracas, the Missionary Daughters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are preparing to welcome students back when the new school term begins in September. Although repair work is still continuing, the sisters have decided not to wait until the entire building is restored before reopening its doors.
The school will operate in two separate shifts so that more children can continue their education. Morning classes will be held for the school's regular students, with around 400 to 600 children expected to attend. Afternoon classes will be offered to children from nearby communities whose schools were destroyed by the earthquake.
This arrangement will allow many displaced students to continue learning while damaged schools across the country are repaired or rebuilt. The sisters believe that returning to school can give children a sense of stability and hope after experiencing the trauma of the disaster.
The plan has been welcomed as a practical step that supports both education and emotional recovery. For many children, classrooms provide not only learning opportunities but also a safe environment where they can regain a sense of normal life.
Relief operations continue to face several challenges. Caracas Airport is currently serving as an emergency operations center, while much of the humanitarian aid is being redirected through Arturo Michelena International Airport in Valencia. This has created additional logistical difficulties for aid organizations working to deliver supplies to affected communities.
According to official figures reported by the Catholic news agency Agenzia Fides, the earthquake struck northwestern and central Venezuela on June 24, 2026. At least 5,346 people lost their lives and 16,740 others were injured. More than 16,300 people saw their homes completely destroyed, while many others were forced to leave houses that were declared unsafe.
More than 23,000 people are still living in temporary shelters. The United Nations has also estimated that as many as 50,000 people could still be missing beneath the rubble, highlighting the enormous scale of the tragedy and the continuing need for rescue and recovery efforts.
Humanitarian organizations say the needs of affected families remain significant, with many people still requiring housing, healthcare, food, clean water and emotional support. Recovery is expected to take months and possibly years as damaged infrastructure is repaired and communities begin rebuilding their lives.
The work of the Missionary Daughters of the Holy Family of Nazareth shows how faith based organizations continue to play an important role in disaster recovery. By making education available even before reconstruction is complete, the sisters are helping children regain hope and a sense of normal life while supporting families during one of the most difficult periods in the country's recent history.
Their partnership with CADIS International reflects a commitment to standing with affected communities beyond the immediate emergency, ensuring that recovery includes not only rebuilding homes but also restoring opportunities for children to learn and prepare for the future.