A week after Haiti’s most recent earthquake, close to 2,200 lives are confirmed lost, over 12,000 injured, and many are still missing. With a small in-country office in Port-au-Prince, and a field office in Nippes, the Malteser International Americas (MI Americas) team was quick to respond, mobilizing to bring water, food, medicine, blankets, tarps and tools to clear the rubble in the days that followed. For the nearly 30,000 whose homes have been entirely destroyed, and who are thus now homeless, the arrival of Tropical Storm Grace two days later only added to the Haitian people’s misery.

In the days since the earthquake, our team first performed several assessment visits in the areas in which our programs are based: Baradères, L’Asile and Petit Trou de Nippes. Their determination was clinical: many hospitals are damaged or destroyed, and those that have survived are overwhelmed; medicines are lacking; homes have been leveled. Displacement and overcrowded temporary accommodations increase the risks for COVID-19 in a country with very low vaccination rates. As many water systems were reported to be damaged, hygiene kits are another pressing need. In addition, Haiti’s chronic food insecurity crisis cannot be forgotten.

MI Americas response:

While the security situation has proved logistically challenging, our team began distributing medical kits, as well as tools to remove rubble, and tarps to use as covers for those who have been left homeless. Distributing these items to 57 families (so far), we have prioritized the elderly, pregnant and breast-feeding women, people with disabilities, and families with more than six children. Where and when possible, we have also been distributing cash to those affected the ability to choose for themselves. Forged over the decade since our offices opened, our close ties with the community have allowed us to continue working with the trust of the Haitian people.

Bridge collapses, landslides, and damaged roads have made certain areas nearly untouchable, like Jérémie, while Baradères continues to be difficult to reach but the resilience of the Haitian people  is something to be admired, and a sustainable recovery for Haiti will stem from within its own society – and the international community must do all it can to support.

Donate Now