Haiti: Two Years On

Half-a-million Haitians are still living in temporary accommodation

With the two year anniversary of the earthquake approaching (Jan 12) World Vision says the recovery effort is far from over and is urging the international community not to forget the plight of the Haitian people. The aid agency points out that of the US$4.6 billion pledged in support; only 43 percent has been received. The rest of that money is urgently needed to repair major infrastructure, housing, health and education facilities.

WVNZ's Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs manager Ian McInnes was among the first to respond to the emergency in January 2010 and spent the following three months running an aid programme there while living in a tent.

"It's hard enough to live in a tent short-term with all your basic needs met. I really feel for the families who've tolerated these conditions through two cyclone seasons now. They remain entirely dependent on aid agencies with no clear end in sight" he says.

The Haiti response has been one of the largest and most difficult undertakings for the aid community. World Vision has maintained a robust relief programme despite challenges including:

• Inadequate infrastructure prior to the disaster, including limited access to water and sanitation
• Lack of clarity in land ownership, which continues to delay the rebuilding of homes
• Lack of clear government strategy
• Overpopulation in urban areas
• A cholera outbreak in October 2010 which affected 500,000 people and resulted in 6,700 deaths

While much still needs to be done, World Vision supporters have enabled the aid agency to:

• Manage and coordinate 27 displacement camps
• Distribute food (including school lunch programs) to more than 2.5 million people
• Deliver clean water to hundreds of thousands of people
• Offer education and play opportunities for more than 7,000 children
• Provide 2,700 transitional shelters for almost 14,000 people
• Respond to the October 2010 cholera outbreak with treatment and prevention measures

In total World Vision raised US$220 million for its Haiti Appeal. Generous Kiwis contributed just over NZ$2 million to that sum.

How can you get involved?

• To make a contribution toward World Vision's work in Haiti please donate to Children in Crisis.

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