Emergencies in Haiti

Health care structures needed more than ever in Haiti

Health care structures needed more than ever in Haiti

The health care needs caused by the earthquake were immense. The Haitian health care system was weak even before the earthquake and people too poor to pay for treatment. During the earthquake, many hospitals and clinics were destroyed. Close to 400,000 people have benefitted from Caritas health care programmes so far. These include trauma care, ...

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Helping Haitians to get over traumatising earthquake memories

Helping Haitians to get over traumatising earthquake memories

The shock of the earthquake is over but many people are constantly going through the events in their memory all over again. Precarious living conditions in overcrowded camps or makeshift homes out of rubble, violence and insecurity in the camps, the loss of family and friends, home or work, are putting enormous stress on people. ...

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Prevent diseases through clean water, hygiene and sanitation in Haiti

Prevent diseases through clean water, hygiene and sanitation in Haiti

As many people are still living in overcrowded camps in and around the capital or in highly precarious conditions elsewhere, access to water and the spread of diseases remain an important concern for Caritas. Together with food aid, this sector has been a priority intervention field. Until the end of May, Caritas provided access to ...

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Food distributions continuing in Haiti

Until today, Caritas has helped more than 1.5 million people with food in Port-au-Prince, Léogâne and its surroundings as well as 9 other dioceses. During the month of June, the distributions have benefitted more than 75,000 displaced people in Port-au-Prince and more than 100,000 people in the Nippes, Grandes Anse and the Southern provinces. Food ...

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Shelter still a major challenge in Haiti

Shelter still a major challenge in Haiti

Providing shelter to the many people who lost their homes in the earthquake remains a major challenge. Over a million people still live in makeshift settlements and camps around the capital Port-au-Prince. More than 250,000 houses were destroyed. Over the last six months, Caritas provided emergency shelter or temporary homes to almost 160,000 people in ...

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The response of Caritas in Haiti

The response of Caritas in Haiti

Caritas was in a good position to provide aid to survivors after the earthquake. Caritas Haiti has been working on emergencies, development and social justice for 35 years. It works through 10 diocesan offices, through staff, parish priests and community volunteers. In addition to that, Caritas Haiti was well supported on the ground by other ...

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Finding a new home after Haiti quake

By Mathilde Magnier “For the past three months there’ve been 16 people sitting down to eat every evening,” says Sébien Danbrevil. Up to 600,000 people fled Port-au-Prince for outlying areas following Haiti’s 12th January earthquake. For months after the disaster, Caritas has been helping people in the Nippes area to settle into their new lives. ...

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The forgotten ones in Haiti

The forgotten ones in Haiti

By Mathilde Magnier In Port-au-Prince there are a number of neighbourhoods which aren’t considered a priority but which were hard hit by the earthquake.Caritas is working in these communities At first appearances, Sibert seems to have stood up well to Haiti’s January 12th earthquake. There’s little damage in this almost rural neighbourhood in the north ...

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First signs of reconstruction in Haiti

First signs of reconstruction in Haiti

By Mathilde Magnier As the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of earthquake victims in Port-au-Prince becomes ever more challenging ahead of the rainy season, Caritas starts setting up temporary shelter in rural areas. Bolivar Tasic is resting. The burning sun at midday is wearing her out. Sitting in the shade of the only tree on ...

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Children’s laughter returns to Haiti

Children’s laughter returns to Haiti

By Mathilde Magnier in Haiti “The children’s laughter just changes the atmosphere, it is the most therapeutic thing in the world ! Since we started with activities for the little ones, things have really changed around here,” says David Valeus. He has a ball in one hand and a paintbrush in the other one. Life is ...

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