World Vision’s Response in Haiti: The Story So Far
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Haiti at around 5pm on Tuesday, January 12 (local time).
The quake with its epicenter just 10km below ground and only 15km south of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince is estimated to have claimed the lives of 200,000 people and affected approximately three million.
In addition, it devastated infrastructure with homes, government building, hospitals and schools flattened, telephone lines, electricity, water, food and fuel supplies interrupted and rubble and debris blocking transportation.
This, in a country already labeled one of the poorest in the world, where 72.1% of the population lives in shanty town conditions on less than US$2 a day and where they are still recovering from a devastating series of four hurricanes and storms which claimed hundreds of lives in 2008.
World Vision was there on January 12, on the ground and helping the relief effort in the capital Port-au-Prince and other badly affected areas. World Vision will now continue this work in partnership with the local people for approximately five years, until communities are rebuilt; livelihoods restored and hope of a better future made a reality for the people of Haiti.
World Vision New Zealand’s International Programmes Director, Seth Le Leu said: “This is a descent into hell for the people of Haiti. Even before this disaster they had so little and now even that is gone.
“The enormity of the relief and rehabilitation task ahead is overwhelming. It’s like having to rebuild and restore communities and lives from Lake Taupo to Cape Reinga.
“The good news is World Vision and other agencies on the ground are expert at this – this is what we do, we have done it many times before and we will do it now with the people of Haiti.”
World Vision has an excellent knowledge of Haiti and the Haitian people having already worked there for nearly 31 years, with nearly 800 staff administering 20 long-term development programs across five regions which support more than 300,000 people.
Fortunately, a container of emergency supplies which World Vision sent to Port-au-Prince in July 2009 to prepare for the hurricane season was in place. This had enough emergency survival kits, containing items such as water purification tablets, for 1540 families which staff on the ground were able to swiftly distribute to people in need.
World Vision was also able to immediately provide medical supplies to 11 hospitals, blankets to 500 people, water to 300 individuals, emergency kits for 1,000 families, a mobile clinic to treat small injuries and a team of volunteers equipped to provide triage medical assistance at local clinics
By Friday, January 15, World Vision was able to land a relief plane bringing 18 tonnes of World Vision emergency supplies to Port-au-Prince. The US$75,000 life-saving shipment included tarps to create temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, cooking sets, and collapsible water containers. These were distributed, mainly among the hundreds of homeless who have set up camps at a car-wreckers yard in Petionville and in a disused lot in the Canape Vert suburb where dehydration was fast becoming a problem.
The child-focused agency, also rushed immediate supplies of food, water and children’s multi-vitamins to an orphanage in Delmas, Port-au-Prince to help the many hundreds of little ones left parentless, traumatised and injured as a result of the earthquake.
A light cargo aircraft able to make two rotations a day between Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and Port-au-Prince was also hired to bring in further urgently-needed supplies.
By day eight, relief efforts gathered further momentum, with more emergency supplies, including items such as tarpaulins for temporary shelter, blankets, hygiene kits, water containers and medical supplies being assembled for distribution to thousands of families. Food aid was also distributed to 93,000 beneficiaries in South East Port-au-Prince.
Due to earthquake survivors starting to flood into neighbouring provinces outside of Port-au-Prince, World Vision also extended its relief operations into Jimani and Fonparisien.
A longer-term plan has now also been put in place which will see World Vision working with the people of Haiti in the key areas of child protection, shelter, food, water and sanitation and health.
Le Leu added: “We believe World Vision will be working alongside affected communities for at least four to five years and as our work following the Boxing Day tsunami showed, sometimes this is a chance to make life better than ever for people.
“New Zealanders are incredible in their capacity to show their care for people in need and we are so grateful to everyone who has got behind our appeal for Haiti. Every cent will be put to good use as we begin the huge task ahead of us.”
Find out how you can Lend a Hand through World Vision and show your support for the people of Haiti by clicking here now.
