Haiti EartHquakE REliEf - American Red Cross
Haiti EartHquakE rEliEfonE-yEar rEport
A Message From the President and CEOThe first anniversary of the Haiti earthquake is an opportunity to look back at the significantwork done to assist Haitians, the challenges that must be overcome and the imperative tomove forward to help Haiti and its people recover.Our country responded quickly to help Haiti, whether it was through the millions of peoplewho donated by text messages, the companies and foundations that made large contributions,or the child who sent in a crumpled dollar bill left by the tooth fairy.These donations have made a real difference in the lives of the people of Haiti.This support has enabled the American Red Cross, in partnership with the Haitian Red Crossand others, to help hundreds of thousands of Haitians survive. We have provided them withemergency shelter, food, water, medical treatment and emergency relief supplies. Without thishelp, many more lives would have been lost.We raised 479 million and have spent and signed agreements to spend 245 million in the firstyear, which is more than half of the total raised. We have remained flexible to address emergingneeds, such as providing financial support to keep Haitian hospitals open, responding to theongoing cholera outbreak and helping families before and after Hurricane Tomas struck.I have been to Haiti four times since the earthquake, and I’ve seen real progress. But whileI’m proud of all that’s been accomplished, I must confess it hasn’t been easy.Haiti was a difficult place to live even before the earthquake; the rebuilding process hasbeen slow and the path forward is challenging.Nevertheless, in the year ahead we will be supporting effortsto repair damaged homes, clear rubble and build many moretransitional homes. In the long term, we plan to support theconstruction of permanent homes, in both brand new andexisting communities.Because of the extent of the destruction, the pace of change isslow; however, I continue to be inspired by the strength of theHaitian people. I want to assure you that we will not lose sightof our goal: the American Red Cross is committed to spendingyour donations wisely to alleviate the suffering of the Haitianpeople, and we will be there until the last dollar that was sogenerously donated for Haiti is spent.Talia Frenkel/American Red CrossThe Haitian government is working to establish land ownership, despite a decimated workforceand little documentation. As a result, it is taking longer than wewould have hoped to obtain appropriate land to build homes.Gail McGovernPresident and CEOAmerican Red Cross President and CEOGail McGovern in Haiti on January 19, 2010.COVER PHOTO: Jakob Dall/IFRC
EarthquakeRemembering the American Red Crosshead of theMatt Marek was the, 2010.-Prince on January 12delegation in Port-authethe rumbling andAfter the roaring,rrorere was crying, hothd,peopstnghicrass.enes all around ued Cross office inRand unimaginable scanicermAlall of our smas badlyAlthough the waland the building wdseapllcodhaturnedePort-au-PrincCross emblem andedRethwsasor.damaged, our neighbhope and comfortofonacbeaasto usning and bandagingeacltghnilaltenaff and I spt aid assistance torsThe Red Cross stfieidovprtosout teamwounds, and senteas.harder-to-reach ar, sentour neighborhoodtoughurothnsstatiobasic healthcareadzeniWe set up triagegaors,amrryand rescue teambulances to caout light searchasesclhiverouand usedunit at our bases for weeks.people to hospitalaitianI witnessed. A HtsacicroheyanmthegencyI will never forgetfice provided emerofethinbsjododross driver whoseCedman who had doneRA.ysdardd people fowith us and workefirst aid to injureginaystonedstd insiown home collapseaff.ort victims and sttirelessly to transptothat we were ableeinagimtordhaiseeks.One year later, itt few days and wrsfieosthinchuaccomplish so msionThe sense of misContentsfshown by our stafEmergency Response (January - July)and volunteers wasl.naioRelief Worktruly inspirat2Early Recovery (March - Present)Transitional and Permanent HomesHealth, Water and SanitationDisaster Risk ReductionLivelihoods and Host Families481012Longer-Term Recovery (2011 - 2015)The Road Ahead141
EmErgEnHAITI B e f o r eTHE EARTHqUAkEAccording to the United Nations and theWorld Bank: More than 70 percent of Haitians lived onless than 2 a day. There were roughly 2.5 doctors per10,000 Haitians. One in three Haitians lacked access tosafe, drinkable municipal water. Fewer than one in five people had accessto adequate sanitation.Water andSanitation. Theearthquake destroyedmuch of the capital’salready extremelylimited water andsanitation infrastructure,increasing healthconcerns for residentsliving in hundreds ofmakeshift camps. Theglobal Red Cross network has been providing drinkable water tohundreds of thousands of people every day—collecting it at itssource, purifying it and trucking it to 87 distribution points. TheRed Cross network has also been installing and maintaininghundreds of latrines to improve sanitation.Talia Frenkel/American Red CrossBefore January 12, many Haitians alreadystruggled to make ends meet. Most of Haiti—or 95 percent—wasdeforested, undermining agriculture andgreatly increasing vulnerability to naturaldisasters.THE EARTHqUAkEAfter January 12, the challenges facingHaitians have grown exponentially.The Red Cross has responded and isproviding: Cash grants and loans to help 220,000people. Medical services for nearly 217,000patients. Safe, drinkable water for 317,000 peopleevery day.IFRCAfte rMedical Services. Within hours afterthe earthquake struck, the Red Cross wasproviding urgently needed medical care tosome of the hundreds of thousands ofinjured Haitians. This ranged fromemergency first aid by AmericanRed Cross staff in Port-au-Prince tolifesaving surgeries and emotionalcounseling to traumatized survivors atRed Cross field hospitals. The AmericanRed Cross recruited, trained andequipped 70 Creole-speaking volunteersfrom across the United States whosupported medical staff as translatorsaboard the USNS Comfort, a U.S. Navy hospital ship. The American Red Crossalso shipped nearly 4,000 units of blood and blood products, distributed mosquitonets and helped finance a massive vaccination campaign that inoculated almost 1million children and their parents against diseases such as measles. Latrines for 265,000 people. Disaster preparedness training and otheractivities that have reached almost 72,000people.2KEY ACHIEVEMENT: Provided emergency shelter materials to more than 860,000 people
Talia Frenkel/American Red CrossEmergency Shelter.With more than1.5 million Haitianssuddenly displaced,the global Red Crossnetwork moved quicklyto provide survivors withdesperately neededemergency suppliesand basic shelter fromwind, rain and sun. TheRed Cross importedand distributedone-third of all the tarps in Port-au-Prince—providing neededshelter to more than 860,000 people. In fact, if you laid out all thetarps distributed by the Red Cross end-to-end they would coverthe distance from New York City to Miami, or approximately 1,080miles. We continue to replace these supplies as they wearout—and will do so until people are able to move into temporaryor permanent homes.Talia Frenkel/American Red CrossHAITIFood. Hunger was a serious problem formany Haitians long before the earthquakestruck, with an estimated 1.9 million alreadydependent on food assistance. Followingthe earthquake, the American Red Crossprovided millions of pre-packaged mealsand purchased food for emergencydistributions. Overall, the Red Crossprovided enough food for more than1.3 million people for a month, themajority through a partnership withthe UN World Food Programme.Marko Kokic/ICRCcy r E li E fReconnecting Families. Even assearch and rescue teams from the globalRed Cross network deployed immediatelyto try to locate survivors, Red Crossvolunteers set up centers around thecapital to reconnect families in Haiti withtheir loved ones in the United States andaround the world. Over the course ofmany weeks and many phone calls,volunteers in Haiti and the United Statessuccessfully reunited 2,500 families.THE RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT:A powerful engine for reliefThe response by the American Red Cross and our partners inthe global Red Cross network to the Haiti earthquake hasbeen the largest single country relief operation in our history.Within days, specially trained emergency response teamswere deployed to the quake zone, some from North America,Latin America and the Caribbean, others from as far away asTurkey, Pakistan and Israel. Each of these teams had uniqueskills including everything from relief distributions, healthcareand logistics to water purification and distribution, masssanitation and information technology.In all, more than 120 Red Cross and Red Crescent societiesfrom around the world, including the American Red Cross,have contributed staff, relief supplies or financial resources insupport of the Haitian Red Cross and the people of Haiti.3
TransiTional Hom esFrom Camps to Homes to Call Their OwnThe earthquake displaced more than 1.5 million people in Haiti, withmost now living in densely populated makeshift camps in Port-auPrince or with host families outside the capital.Although a transitional home can be assembled considerably fasterthan a permanent one, construction has been hampered by a seriesof complex obstacles such as persuading land owners to donate orsell appropriate land in Port-au-Prince and elsewhere; removing tonsof rubble left behind by the earthquake; and working with communityleaders to identify the most vulnerable people to be recipients ofthese homes.Daniel Cima/American Red CrossThe global Red Cross network plans to provide 30,000 transitionalor basic homes for 150,000 Haitians. The American Red Cross ishelping build at least 6,500 of them, many in partnership with otherhumanitarian organizations, including Habitat for Humanity. Thesehomes can withstand inclement weather, include access to waterand latrines, and are designed so they can be dismantled shouldresidents need to move and reuse the materials to enhance a futuremore permanent home. As of the writing of this report, 2,889 homeshave been completed for 14,400 Haitians.Completed Red Cross transitional homes inLa Piste, Port-au-Prince.Helping Haitians Help Themselves: One Red Cross Worker’s StoryDesert Jean Daniel started working for the Red Cross as a carpenter building transitional homes. Now asupervisor, the father of four is among more than 100 workers the Red Cross has hired from the tent camp ofL’Annexe de la Mairie to build new homes for camp residents.“It’s very important to have people from the community helping to build the homes,” Desertsaid. “It makes sure that people are invested in their work, and it also brings money to thecamp.”Crossmerican RedDaniel Cima/ALike so many settlements that sprang up in Port-au-Prince after the earthquake, L’Annexede la Mairie is packed with families living under tarps and tents. The global Red Crossnetwork is building approximately 350 semi-permanent homes here, funded by theAmerican Red Cross and other Red Cross societies. These homes are elevated off theground to offer added protection from heavy rains. The Red Cross is also working withthe community to improve drainage on the site in order to prevent future flooding.4His experience with the Red Cross has given Desert hope. “It’s the best thing that couldhave happened to me,” he said. “I used to work on electronics and carpentry before theearthquake, and now I can use those skills to help the community.”KEY ACHIEVEMENT: Built transitional homes for 14,400 displaced Haitians
“Working together, Habitat for Humanity and the AmericanRed Cross are making a difference in the lives of manyfamilies impacted by the earthquake.”—Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat forHumanity International5Colin Chaperon/American Red Cross
Tons of Rubbleit’s hard to appreciate how much rubble was left behindby the earthquake. The estimated 706 million cubic feetof rubble piled all over port-au-prince would— Fill the Louisiana Superdome floor to rafters five times. Require 10 years for Haiti’s estimated 300 heavy-dutytrucks, working seven days a week and 365 days ayear, to clear away. Fill enough shipping containers that, if laid end to end,would stretch from new York to las Vegas, orapproximately 2,200 miles.6Marko Kokic/ICRC
Pe r man e nt Hom esRebuilding for the FutureIn order to truly recover, Haitians will need durable, permanent homes located in communities withfunctioning roads, water and sanitation systems and near an economic base for livelihoods. TheAmerican Red Cross is working with partners to develop sustainable programs to make this happen.Although specifics are still being worked out, possible options include:By repairing damaged homes and rebuildingdestroyed homes in existing communities inPort-au-Prince, affected households can remainclose to their pre-earthquake support systems.An estimated 25 percent of homes are consideredrepairable while 20 percent will need to bedemolished or require major repairs. This willrequire the removal of a significant amountof rubble.Bonnie Gillespie/American Red Cross1. Repair or RebuildBy building a new community outside of Port-auPrince, this allows for easier construction of newaffordable homes and infrastructure, similar to thiscommunity built by the American Red Cross inSri Lanka following the 2004 tsunami. This willlikely require that residents leave their originalcommunities. Before construction can begin, wemust identify and secure appropriate land nearjob opportunities.Daniel Cima/American Red Cross2. Build NewConverting rubble into building materials is one ofthe innovative solutions we are exploring, whetherwe repair existing homes or build new ones. Oneoption that we are currently piloting is to buildhomes using gabions—wire blocks filled withrubble—which are stacked into frames surroundedby concrete and iron to create sturdy, earthquakeresistant homes.American Red Cross3. Recycle RubbleKEY ACHIEVEMENT: Sponsoring innovative pilot program to recycle rubble into permanent homes7
H e a lt H , Wat e rResponding Rapidly to CholeraWhen the first cases of cholera were reportedin October, 50 miles from the capital, theRed Cross knew there was potential for alarge-scale disease outbreak. Within days, welaunched public education campaigns aroundthe country, including in the densely-populatedcamps of Port-au-Prince.the radio, the Red Cross has hosted a weeklyradio program to better inform Haitians aboutcritically important topics such as public healthand disaster preparedness. At the same time,the Red Cross set up three cholera treatmentcenters to help treat hundreds of Haitians.Talia Frenkel/American Red CrossThe campaigns were, in fact, an expansion ofRed Cross health and hygiene promotionefforts that had been underway almost sincethe earthquake struck. Seven days a week,hundreds of health volunteers and staff havetraveled tent to tent to talk to residents abouthow to prevent, identify and treat cholera, aswell as to provide soap and water purificationtablets. These efforts were complemented bya text messaging campaign that deliveredmillions of messages across the country.Because most Haitians get their news fromAmerican Red Cross health promoters educate campresidents about good hygiene practices.Facts at a Glance Reached more than 112,900 people with choleraprevention messages Distributed more than 179 million gallons of waterto dateTalia Frenkel/American RedCross Providing more than 317,000 people with dailydrinking water Treated nearly 217,000 patients in Red Crosshealthcare facilitiesThe Red Cross has distributed millionsof gallons of clean, drinkable water.8
a n d S a n i tat i o nSaving Lives ByKeeping Hospitals OpenAs Matacha Jean Baptiste watched her tinybaby girl in the neonatal unit of the BernardMevs hospital in Port-au-Prince, she waswaiting for the day that she could bring herdaughter home. “She was one monthpremature,” Matacha explained, “and she washaving trouble breathing. That’s why I broughther here.” Doctors gave baby Sarah Lynnoxygen and inserted a feeding tube so thatshe received proper nutrition. “I don’t knowwhat I would have done without this hospital,”Matacha said. “They are saving my baby.”Thanks to funding from American Red Crossdonors and management support from theUniversity of Miami’s Project Medishare,Bernard Mevs is able to continue providingmuch-needed care. With 45 in-patient beds,two operating rooms, a spinal cord and braininjury unit and one of the few adult andpediatric intensive care units in Haiti, thefacility offers a wider array of services thanexists elsewhere in the country.Even as the RedCross works toprovide water andsanitation servicesfor existing camps,we are alsoequipping ourtransitional homeswith familylatrines, rainwatercollectionsystems installedon roofs andwater storagecontainers.A Haitian girl collects water from aRed Cross water point.“The Red Cross money is running this entirehospital,” says Gillian Hotz, an internationaldirector with Project Medishare, whofrequently visits Haiti. ”It’s paying for all of ourstaff and expenses. This hospital is openbecause of the American Red Cross.”The American Red Cross has providedmillions of dollars to support three hospitals inPort-au-Prince, which collectively providemedical care totens ofthousands ofHaitians. Inaddition toBernard Mevs,these includethe largestpublic hospitalin Haiti and theGerman RedCross fieldhospital.The American Red Cross is supporting the BernardDaniel Cima/American Red CrossThe need for clean, drinkable water and basicsanitation was critical before the earthquakeand continues a year later, especially in lightof the growing cholera response. The globalRed Cross network is providing water andsanitation services to hundreds of thousandsof Haitians every day. And in the months tocome, the American Red Cross will beproviding more than 200,000 additionalpeople with daily access to drinking water andsanitation services through partnerships withother humanitarian organizations. For example,the American Red Cross is supporting atoll-free hotline to help identify and dispose ofgarbage that is piling up outside underservedcamps around Port-au-Prince in coordinationwith metropolitan sanitation authorities.Marko Kokic/ICRCProviding Clean Water and Improving SanitationMevs hospital, which has one of Haiti’s fewpediatric intensive care units.KEY ACHIEVEMENT: Providing clean, drinkable water to more than 317,000 people every day9
Disaste r r isReducing the Risks of Future DisastersThe American Red Cross worked for monthswith the Haitian Red Cross to help tens ofthousands of residents reinforce steepembankments with sandbags, dig trenches toallow for runoff during heavy rainstorms, clearditches to improve drainage, install earlywarning systems and learn first aid. The globalRed Cross network also pre-positionedenough relief supplies for 125,000 people tofacilitate rapid distributions after a disaster.Talia Frenkel/American Red CrossWith the 2010 hurricane season looming justa few months after the earthquake hit Haiti, theRed Cross had to act quickly to prepareresidents, especially the more than 1.5 milliondisplaced people living in camps in andaround Port-au-Prince.The American Red Cross pays camp residents to digditches to help communities prepare for future disasters.These preparations helped minimize the impactwhen Hurricane Tomas struck Haiti in earlyNovember. Thousands of people wereevacuated from unsafe areas nationwide. Duringthis process, Red Cross-trained responsecommittees were critical in alerting residentsof many camps to prepare for evacuation.Preparing for Disasters,With Giggles and SmilesWith children around him, Cherizard screwsup his face in a scowl and barks in Creole atthe girls standing before him. Rather thanrunning away, though, they hold their groundand tell him they’re not afr
Matt Marek was the head of the American Red Cross 0. After the roaring, the rumbling and the crashing stopped, there was crying, horror and unimaginable scenes all around us. Although the wall of our small American Red Cross office in Port-au-Prince had collapsed and the building was badly d
“Haiti: Hell on earth what do we do now?” “The answer is not in Logbase or in your email.” - Graffiti exchange on toilet door on UN Logistics Base, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, just after 2010 earthquake. On 12 January 2010, Haiti suffered literal state collapse, as thousands of buildings crumbled in the 21st century’s deadliest earthquake. Over 200,000 were killed, 300,000 injured and 1 .
This earthquake was as big as:This earthquake was as big as: 500 Hiroshima bombs Half the eruption of Mt. St. Helens 11 Cape Mendocino earthquakes 1992 CAPE MENDOCINO RUPTURE 2004 Indonesian earthquake 1906 earthquake 1906 earthquake 2004 Indonesia How big was the 1906 Earthquake?
Haiti Country Commercial Guide, June 2018 6 The Haitian economy is one of the most open economies in the Caribbean. Haiti offers great proximity to the U.S. and most Haitian businesspeople speak fluent English. Haiti has preferential access to major markets including Canada, the U.S., and the European
A. argyritarsis as a species found in Haiti [12, 16, 25]. Paul and Bellerive [1612] published the first national , distribution map of malaria cases and malaria vectors in Haiti; this study was conducted across Haiti by the Service National d'Hygiène of Haiti and The Rockefel-ler Foundation from 1940 to 1942. The survey was lim-
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Stand With Haiti plan to invest it all in emergency relief and long-term reconstruction over a 30-month period. On my first visit to Haiti following the earthquake, I observed, "Haiti's catastrophe will forever divide its history . In 2012, together with the Rwandan Ministry of Health, the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, and the Dana .
