Saint Vincent and the Grenadines receive $40 million, nearly a year after storms slam the nation

The end of 2013 saw a series of brutal storms slam the Caribbean, costing the island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines millions in damages.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - On Christmas Eve, 2013, the nation on the Caribbean archipelago suffered 12 inches of rain in three hours, a downpour that caused rivers to burst, destroyed infrastructure, claimed a dozen lives, and cost the nation 17% of its' annual gross domestic product.

Pray for the victims of storms and disasters.

The rebuilding nation has seen growing fears of massive flooding and landslides, especially since the annual hurricane season is starting in less than two weeks. For residents of the South Leeward island town of Vermont, one of the areas hardest hit by the storm in December, projects are underway to avoid similar disasters.

The town received more than $40.5 million dollars from the climate and disaster risk reduction project, which Is backed by the World Bank's International Development Association and by the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience of the Climate Investment Funds.

The project, which is dubbed the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Regional Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project, focuses on reducing damage from the storms hitting the islands; these storms have been regularly increasing in severity and frequency.

The project aims to boost investment in disaster prevention and adaptation to climate impacts, establish a regional system to evaluate risks, improve response to natural disasters, and to help the nation to build a technical and institutional capacity to deal with climate related issues.

For those who suffered in last year's disaster, they say, the help couldn't come soon enough.

"I just lived through the worst disaster I have ever seen. I do not sleep here anymore. I have nightmares and I am afraid of flash flooding," said Corinthian Haddaway, a 46-year-old tailor from lower Vermont. Haddaway lost all his belongings to the flooding on Christmas Eve.

Haddaway's house sits precariously on the Vermont River bank, and he hopes that the efforts to stabilize the nearby slopes and protect the river embankment will prevent such losses in future storms.

"I know with Mother Nature and the hurricane season on the way, you cannot stop rain or inclement weather, but if we can help reduce the impact of weather, like what we saw on Christmas eve, this will help all of us who call this place home," he said.

A dose of medicine is a great way to help any area, especially those hard hit by disasters. Sometimes a single dose can save a life, or help victims spend their money on more pressing issues like drinking water or food. Help save a life today.

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