Buildings have been flattened. Hospitals already under strain from COVID-19 are overwhelmed. Now with Haiti in the path of Tropical Storm Grace, survivors of the earthquake could be hit by strong winds, driving rain, flooding, and mudslides. Many will be facing these conditions with their homes already destroyed. Rescue efforts could be severely affected.
The ShelterBox team will work with fellow humanitarians to assess damage reports, understand from communities what they need, and work on the challenging logistics of delivering aid to areas where buildings have been reduced to rubble. Early reports are that almost 3,000 homes have been destroyed and at least 5,400 more damaged – but search and rescue is the priority right now, so damage reports will soar in the coming days and weeks.
We’ve responded several times to Haiti, including the 2010 earthquake, and in the Las Cayes region near the epicenter of the latest earthquake.
We will be using everything we’ve learned, and our close partnership with Rotary International, to forge local connections and make sure the right emergency shelter reaches communities when they need it. Our Partnerships will be critical to us navigating logistical challenges, but they also inform the way we work with hard-to-reach communities to provide the support they need and share skills for the future.
From our response to the Les Cayes region after Hurricane Matthew in 2016, we know that the geography near the quake’s epicenter could make access to vulnerable communities – and the materials they need to recover – especially challenging. Homes are often made from concrete, wood, and corrugated iron, leaving them vulnerable to strong earthquakes. Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Grace could cut off roads. Communities will want to recover/rebuild. It is important that we listen and respond in a way that supports these efforts while doing no harm.
In 2016, people were trying to repair their homes or build temporary shelters, so they could move out of collective centers – but this was challenging because of restricted access to resources. This lack of access to materials was due to the geography of the area and the underlying poverty. The move to leave collective centers will be even more urgent in the age of COVID-19, and the low vaccination rates in Haiti.
We are available to present virtually to your club or executive committee to share the latest we have on this response and other ShelterBox response work worldwide.
Please share this with your club members and friends.
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ShelterBox USA is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization in the United States and registered in the State of Florida. EIN 20-0471604. ShelterBox is a registered charity independent of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation.
Mail checks to ShelterBox USA, PO Box 5055, Santa Barbara, CA 93150
We will be selling tickets in the lobby of Galaxy Federal Credit Union, 1313 Liberty Street, Franklin, on Friday, August 20th. The lobby is open from 9 AM to 6 PM. I will set up one hour increments, but please sign up for more than one hour if you can commit to more time. Thank you for helping make this fundraiser successful
