| Three months after the quake: Standing with Haitians to seize the future |
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CARE releases summary report on emergency response
PORT-AU-PRINCE (April 12) -- Three months after the earthquake that changed Haiti forever, survivors are taking the future in their own hands. The streets are busy with “tap-taps” – colorful local trucks – transporting construction materials. Residents of spontaneous settlement sites have elected committees to serve as camp authorities and cooperate with aid agencies. As Haitians begin the massive task of recovery, CARE and the humanitarian community are working to ensure that they have the tools and expertise to build back a safer, stronger Haiti. CARE’s staff has more than doubled since the quake, to nearly 300, and continues to grow to meet the needs. We are proud of our accomplishments since the Jan. 12 catastrophe, and planning for the long road to recovery. “We have already reached more than 310,000 people with crucial assistance, but we are not talking about handouts,” said CARE Emergency Response Team Leader Caroline Saint-Mleux. “Even when we distribute goods such as food or shelter materials, we do so in strategic partnership with the communities we serve, so that we are helping them organise themselves and build their long-term capacity to improve their own lives.” CARE’s five-year plan to support recovery and reconstruction is founded upon the principle that families and communities know best what they need, and should be empowered in making their own choices and controlling their own destiny. A top priority is to ensure safe shelter in time for the impending rainy and cyclone seasons. CARE, in cooperation with the Haitian government and the humanitarian community, is supporting displaced families in their choices. Options include returning to homes that have been certified safe by engineers; occupying transitional shelters in their old neighborhoods; living with host families; remaining in settlement camps in accommodation that meets minimum standards; or relocating to temporary sites identified by the government. CARE is preparing innovative ways to help including easy-to-erect shelters that protect against hazards like rain and wind; emergency tool kits so people can repair existing shelters or damaged buildings; and a broad public information campaign about safe building techniques. “Haitians will make their own decisions how to rebuild their lives. We are here to support them and stand with them,” said Ms. Saint-Mleux. To download the report in French - "Aller de l'avant: Haiti trois mois après le tremblement", please click here.
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