Help residents of Robinson Crusoe Island that students documented in 2006

In the spring of 2006, a group of school and Chilean journalism students traveled to Robinson Crusoe Island, 400 miles off the coast of Santiago, Chile, to document life on this small and isolated island.

In the 10 days spent recording and photographing the people of the island, the people of the island revealed a unique way of life and the resolve with which the they carve out their existence in such a remote place, rich with history but severely lacking in resources.

In the days following the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that shook the Chilean mainland in February 2010, news began to trickle in about Robinson Crusoe Island.

According to reports, the island’s emergency warning system failed, and a giant tsunami took the residents by surprise, covering nearly two miles of the island and reaching 300 meters up from the natural coastline. When the ocean retreated, it took with it nearly all of San Juan Bautista, the coastal settlement that the island’s 650 residents call home.

What few community resources that served the people of Robinson Crusoe Island before the tsunami hit are now completely wiped away: the school, community center, fishing boats, supply stores and many homes.

The stories of “Chasing Crusoe,” the multimedia site created from the 2006 visit, highlight the fragile yet resilient community of Robinson Crusoe Island. The island is a special place in this world, and its people need help in rebuilding their lives.

Oikonos, a nonprofit, has set up a donation fund to directly support the people of Robinson Crusoe Island. All of the money they receive will go specifically to the people of the island, to rebuild their homes, their school and their livelihoods.
Please take a moment to do what you can, and explore "Chasing Crusoe" to learn about the unique and wonderful lives you are helping to rebuild.