CARE's Response to the Haiti Earthquake

19.01.10

A massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake has struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti.

Numbers remain extremely difficult to confirm but the widely accepted figure is 3 million affected and estimates of up to 50,000 dead. Infrastructure is severely damaged with hospitals affected, roads badly damaged and phone lines and electricity still not functioning.

CARE has had a presence in Haiti since 1954 supporting projects in HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, maternal and child health, education, food security and water and sanitation. We have over 130 staff, the majority of whom have been contacted. Unfortunately, many have lost family members, especially children, and homes.

CARE has deployed several emergency staff. Hauke Hoops, the Emergency Coordinator for the region, arrived yesterday and SMS (text) with him is currently the most reliable form of communication with the country office. Others including an Emergency Coordinator, Media Coordinator, photographer arrived in the Dominican Republic yesterday and will be travelling onto Port au Prince in daylight today.

CARE’s focus areas for response include food, non food items and shelter. Our overall fundraising target is $ 10 million over a three year period. This timeframe is critical to include immediate relief and longer term recovery. With such severe damage to homes and infrastructure, recovery and rehabilitation will be an extended process. CARE is expecting the arrival of 60,000 water purification tablets to arrive today for immediate distribution and will be working with World Food Programme on food distributions. We are also participating in joint assessments on Water and Sanitation.

So, if you are keen to sign up for a challenge in 2010 and raise funds to help the people of Haiti please follow this link. We have lots of exciting challenges, with ranging difficulty, so why not commit to get fit again this year?

For more information on our work, visit www.careinternational.org.uk . Or, if you would like to donate to the DEC appeal please visit www.dec.org.uk .