The Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) is continuing with its efforts to provide economic and humanitarian aid to alleviate the effects from the October 2024 flash flooding. On this occasion, the UMH is donating 25,000 euros, which was raised in a fundraising campaign that involved contributions from UMH employee salaries, along with an additional contribution from the university itself. These funds will go to providing audiovisual and school materials for a high school and a city hall located within the affected areas.

The donation was made Wednesday, May 28, during a visit and signing of the corresponding agreements in which the Vice Rector for Internationalization and Cooperation, Vicente Micol, along with the Vice Rector for Economics and Society, Mª José López, took part. One of their visits took place in Mislata, where they were accompanied by representatives from the parents’ association at Berenguer Dalmau de Catarroja High School. They also visited the Paiporta City Hall.

At Berenguer High School, the vice rectors were welcomed by the president of its parents’ association, Yolanda Morales; the assistant principal, Abili Jurado; and teacher of technology, Mónica Martí. Welcoming the UMH representatives at Paiporta City Hall were acting mayor, Vicent Ciscar; Council Person of Culture and Festivals and second deputy mayor, Esther Torrijos; and library technician, Emili Soriano.

The UMH donation is broken down as follows: 10,000 euros are to help replace material that was lost in the flash flood, both from the music room as well as the technology laboratory at Berenguer high school. The remaining 15,000 euros have been earmarked to replace audiovisual material that was also lost in the flash flooding from within María Moliner Ruiz Public library. The people in charge of these two entities professed their gratitude to the UMH vice rectors and to the entire university community for this gesture — something which at first may seem trivial, but for them, will go a long way to help them normalize daily life in their communities.

Catarroja and Paiporta are two of the municipals that were hit hardest by the flooding. After contacting various local entities, the UMH identified these two projects as being especially relevant due to the impact that they can have on particularly vulnerable groups. Furthermore, the UMH representatives also expressed to these institutions their willingness to continue collaborating in the future in other projects deemed to be of interest.