Haiti: One Year On

by Brian Inkster 12. January 2011 00:12

I received an e-mail newsletter from Habitat for Humanity about Haiti, one year on, and thought I would share it with you:-

Haiti’s devastating earthquake on 12th January, 2010 left over 200,000 people dead, 190,000 homes destroyed and 1.5 million people without a roof over their heads. In the year following the earthquake Haitians have had to contend with a vast array of challenges, from hurricanes to post-election unrest, cholera and underlying extreme poverty. Yet in the face of such devastation the Haitian people have a stoic resilience. Against a background of massive devastation they are determined to build back their lives.

Habitat for Humanity aims to help at least 50,000 of the earthquake-affected families during the five years following the disaster. With the support of generous donors and partner organisations Habitat for Humanity is making good progress and has to date served 24,000 families in Haiti, approximately 119,000 individuals.

These are families like Natasha and Barthol Louis and their son Barnavens. Their home was destroyed in the earthquake and the young, growing family had just a few rusty metal scraps to shelter them. Thanks to the support of people like you they recently moved into one of the first upgradable shelters in Léogâne. With another baby on the way (Natasha is now very pregnant) it was imperative for the family to have space and security: the transitional shelter provides this for them. Find out more about some of the families we've helped so far.

So far, your support has helped us to:

    * Distribute over 21,000 emergency shelter kits.
    * Create a stockpile of 3,300 emergency shelter kits in case of further disasters.
    * Provide 900 transitional or upgradable shelters.
    * Assess 2,000 damaged homes.
    * Train more than 500 Haitians in earthquake-resistant construction techniques
    * Set up Habitat for Humanity Resource Centres, to maximise the supply of construction materials and services to local people.

Please pass this on to anyone else you know who might be interested – and thank you, on behalf of the people of Haiti, for your support.

Best wishes