Habitat for Humanity responds to Haiti earthquake with immediate relief efforts

Donate

Participate

Advocate

About Habitat

Local Affiliate Offices

HFHC – Haiti Earthquake Updated News Release – Feb. 16, 2010

Habitat for Humanity Responds in Haiti

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti - approximately 20 km west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Thousands of buildings and homes were destroyed. Millions of people were affected, and more than 1 million people were left displaced or homeless.

Habitat’s Response in Haiti
Habitat for Humanity is implementing immediate relief efforts and will be addressing long-term shelter solutions for low-income families. Habitat has set the bold goal of serving 50,000 earthquake-affected families in the next five years.

Based on current information and past experience with international disasters, Habitat is planning a multiphase strategy response:

     1) Relief – Emergency Shelter Kits
     2) Rehabilitation and Cleanup
     3) Reconstruction
             •  Transitional Shelters and Core Houses
             • Habitat Resource Centres

The extent of each intervention will depend on the amount of support we are able to mobilize. We need your help! Donations can be made by clicking here.

Reuters/Eduardo Munoz, courtesy www.alertnet.org

1) Phase One: Relief - Emergency Shelter Kits

Emergency Shelter Kits are designed to help families make immediate repairs and construct emergency shelter.
10,000 kits are being distributed to families by Habitat employees and partners.

Emergency Shelter Kits
Habitat is distributing 10,000 Kits at a cost of about $250 per kit;

due to critical need for the Kits, the containers and contents were purchased in faith

before specific funding was available - donations are urgently needed to cover the costs.
To read about the contents of the Kits and more about Habitat's planned response, please click here

2) Phase Two: Rehabilitation and Cleanup

Habitat will assist with the removal of debris and salvaging of materials that can be recycled into new shelter.
We will also assist in the rehabilitation of homes that have repairable damages.

3) Phase Three: Reconstruction

Transitional Shelters and Core Houses

Habitat will replace destroyed homes with transitional shelters. Improvements and additions to transitional shelters can be made over time, turning them into permanent core houses.
We will also rebuild in ways that reduce risk and improve construction quality in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.

Habitat Resource Centres

We will establish several resource centres, which are designed to enhance local systems that support housing development and improvements.
Through these centres, we will be able to identify gaps in the local supply of housing materials, designs, finance and skills and provide services that support local livelihoods.

To download a document in .pdf format which further explains Habitat’s planned response in more detail, please click here.


Habitat’s Partners in Haiti and How You Can Help
Through all aspects of our work, we will cultivate partnerships with local residents and other humanitarian organizations that will multiply the effectiveness of our response in Haiti.

Please continue to remember the long-term needs of the 1 million people displaced and homeless in Haiti.

Families continue to sleep outside for fear of further building collapses.
Habitat is working with structural engineers to help assess the safety

of homes still standing, and determine whether or not it is safe

for families to move back into their homes.

Transitional shelters (which range from $1,000 to $2,500), which Habitat

will build as part of Phase 3: Reconstruction, will help offer

an important step for Haitians from living in tents or under tarps,

particularly as Haiti’s rainy season approaches in April.

Reuters/Eduardo Munoz, courtesy www.alertnet.org

To make a donation, please click here to support Habitat’s efforts to rebuild in Haiti.

1st News Release - January 13

To read the first News Release, please click here

Reuters/Eduardo Munoz, courtesy www.alertnet.org