The Garifuna Emergency Committee was founded in 1998 to aid the Afro-Indigenous Garifuna communities in reconstruction and recovery after Hurricane Mitch. A grassroots women's organization, Comité de Emergencia GarÃfuna de Honduras was created to address the issues of food security by introducing sustainable and organic agricultural practices, diversifying locally grown crops, and supporting micro-enterprises.
By promoting and preserving the cultural values and practices of the Afro-Indigenous Garifuna communities, the Comité is successfully protecting the local environment and ancestral lands in 16 communities in the municipalities of Iriona, Santa Rosa de Aguan, Santa Fe, Limón, and Rio Esteban. The group maintains a strong focus on community empowerment, especially for the women who are the majority of the farmers in the communities. Activities include traditional crop seed banks, training on sustainable agricultural methods, the reintroduction of traditional fishing practices, and uniting the community to combat HIV/AIDS. The group continues to have success protecting the local environment, defending the community's human and land rights, and empowering local women.