San Lorenzo, Colon Province, Panama, January 2022

It is time for a short break. After travelling to various emergencies within last few months, and with prospects of more crises developing soon (especially worried about droughts and forest fires in Paraguay and northern Argentina), I have decided to go for a short break and recharge batteries.

On Wednesday, I will be off to a small but lovely Isla Contadora, some 80 km from Panama City. It is a tiny and car free island, full of natural wonders and simple restaurants with sea food.

I am tired, and I am looking forward for some free time to myself!

Ilhéus, Brazil, January 2022

This time around, I am writing from Itabuna, a medium city in the southern part of Bahia Province of Brazil.

You may remember that I have come here to carry out an assessment of the humanitarian needs of the communities hit by the floods.

Today, I am finishing my 'field work' and I am getting ready to fly to Sao Paulo, where I will be wrapping up my work, drafting recommendations and preparing contracts for organisations with whom we will work to respond to the crisis.

Although, I am going to make a photo report of the trip, I may already mention that we are dealing with (yet another) disaster of tremendous scale and gravity. Thousands have lost homes, hundreds are injured and many lost their lives in a tragedy that seems to be invisible to the world.