Haiti | Rehabilitation needs are immense after earthquake
After arriving in Les Cayes, one of the regions worst hit by the earthquake in southwest Haiti, Humanity & Inclusion’s emergency rehabilitation manager, Virginie Duclos, has made a preliminary assessment of rehabilitation needs. She tells us more about the current situation:
Q: What is the situation like in Les Cayes?
Read moreNeeds are immense. Hospitals and doctors are finding it hard to cope. More than 100 new patients arrive in Les Cayes every day, one week after the earthquake. Some of them are from remote rural areas and they’ve taken a long time to get to hospital. Some people can’t afford the journey or they’re anxious about staying in hospital, and this causes a delay, which means many patients arrive with infections and additional complications requiring amputations that could have been avoided. They’re in a terrible state.
Haiti | ‘We are seeing patients in the street’
The earthquake that hit Haiti on August 14 has caused more than 12,000 injuries and counting, creating a surge of people in need of urgent wound care and rehabilitation services. Humanity & Inclusion is partnering with Fondation Tous Ensemble (FONTEN), a local organization that operates the only rehabilitation center in the Cayes, Haiti.
Read moreEmergency team in Haiti
Humanity & Inclusion sent four members of its global, emergency response pool to Haiti, landing in Port Au Prince on August 19. They joined the program staff, present in Haiti since 2008, who have been hard at work preparing HI’s response since the quake hit. The team includes an emergency area manager, a rehabilitation / mental health and psychosocial support specialist, a logistics technician, and a communications officer.
Deliver emergency aid to Haiti
Read moreHaiti | “People don’t have many options left”
Marjorie is a rehabilitation specialist for Humanity & Inclusion. She took time on August 19, to share what conditions are like in Grand Sud, Haiti.
Deliver emergency aid to Haiti
Read moreHaiti | Solidarity after devastating earthquake
According to the latest reports, at least 2,000 people have died, nearly 12,000 are injured and the damages are significant. Frédely Jean, inclusion project manager* for Humanity & Inclusion in Haiti, felt the earth shake on Saturday, Aug. 14. He tells us more about what life is like in Haiti following the recent disaster:
On Saturday morning, I was playing with my 10-year-old daughter when my wife, who had felt the earthquake, came running in. All three of us ran out, taking our two-month-old daughter with us, and we sat on wasteland, away from the buildings. And actually, the tremors began to build, and in the distance, we saw the houses were swaying.
Read moreHaiti | Teams plan first assessments in most isolated regions
After the impact of Saturday’s earthquake followed by Tropical Storm Grace, Humanity & Inclusion is planning its first assessments in the most isolated regions.
The 7.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred off the coast of Haiti on Aug. 14 has resulted in at least 2,000 deaths, and nearly 10,000 injuries.
In preparation for emergency reinforcements arriving Wednesday afternoon, Humanity & Inclusion staff already present in Haiti plan to perform assessments in affected areas as soon as possible. Teams are traveling to the South and Grand’Anse regions to evaluate ports, make contact with local authorities and collect information regarding hospital needs.
Deliver emergency aid to Haiti
Read moreHaiti | As earthquake-damaged roads remain blocked, HI delivers aid by sea
Humanity & Inclusion provides the only maritime transport for humanitarian aid in the southwest of Haiti.
In response to the earthquake, Humanity & Inclusion plans to organize shipment pooling for NGOs and send approximately 760 tons of food, as well as medical supplies and essential non-food items by the end of August.
Read moreHaiti | As earthquake death toll climbs, affected regions remain inaccessible by road
Humanity & Inclusion’s Haitian team is preparing an emergency response following Saturday’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake. The most affected regions remain blocked, keeping thousands of people from receiving vital aid.
Ongoing evaluations of the situation show death tolls on a steady rise as official reports estimate more than 1,400 deaths so far, with those numbers expected to grow. Nearly 7,000 people were injured in the disaster, more than 5,400 homes were damaged and 2,870 were completely destroyed, leaving thousands displaced and without shelter. The humanitarian impact is devastating and people in the South, Grand’Anse and Nippes regions of Haiti need emergency support.
Humanity & Inclusion teams have been assessing the situation, planning emergency response and have identified three areas of priority:
- medical support (including care for the wounded and emergency rehabilitation)
- logistics support
- essential needs (food, shelter, sanitation and hygiene)
Haiti | Earthquake reawakens trauma from 2010
According to the latest reports, at least 1,300 people have died, more than 5,700 are injured and the damages are significant. Sibille Buehlmann, rehabilitation specialist for Humanity & Inclusion, felt the earth shake on Saturday, Aug. 14. She took time on Sunday to share her experience from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Here's what she said:
A population traumatized
The earthquake was felt throughout the country. Immediately after, everyone went out into the street, outside the buildings, to protect themselves from possible collapses. This is the safety protocol here in case of an earthquake.
The cell phone networks were saturated. Everyone was checking on their relatives. At Humanity & Inclusion, we immediately checked on the situation of each team member. Everyone was safe.
There were aftershocks during the day and late into the night. It's exhausting. For many, in addition to the deaths and injuries, the earthquake reawakens the trauma of 2010, when a terrible earthquake killed over 200,000 people. I have friends in the north of the country who slept outside at night for fear of the tremors.
Deliver emergency aid to Haiti
Read moreHaiti | Providing support to people impacted by earthquake in Haiti
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti on August 14, resulting in more than 2,200 deaths and more than 12,700 injuries*. Hundreds of people are still missing.
The quake damaged at least 137,000 homes, as well as churches, bridges, piers, and other infrastructure.
Our Haitian teams are working closely with local authorities and partners to identify the most pressing needs. Additional Humanity & Inclusion emergency teams are activated for reinforcement.
Humanity & Inclusion's interventions include:
- Rehabilitation services and distribution of mobility aids for people with injuries, and people with disabilities
- Psychosocial and mental health support
- Logistics support to transport critical aid (HI already had a fleet of 10 boats serving the hardest-hit region.)
- Water, sanitation and hygiene services
- Basic needs items, such as food, shelter, and cash transfers
Humanity & Inclusion teams have been working in Haiti since 2008. In the immediate aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, staff rushed to provide emergency rehabilitation, mobility aids and essential supplies — while ensuring an inclusive humanitarian response. Since then, Humanity & Inclusion has continued to work alongside impacted communities through inclusive livelihood projects, rehabilitation and disaster preparedness planning.