HAITI AFTER MATTHEW: HANDS UP FOR HAITI’S RESPONSE TO THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
Dear Friends at Positive Legacy,
Hurricane Matthew brought destruction and devastation to the southern peninsula of Haiti. Thankful that our clinics and staff in the north were spared, and immensely grateful to those of you have already responded to our emergency hurricane appeal, we at Hands Up for Haiti need to help. Our approach is two-pronged and simple:
1. provide direct help to organizations in the affected areas in the south, and
2. shore up our own programs in anticipation of increased need in the north where we work
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Providing Direct Help to the South: Using funds raised through our emergency hurricane appeal, Hands Up for Haiti is providing direct financial aid to the nonprofit organization No Time for Poverty (NTP), which runs the Klinik Timoun Nou Yo (creole for “Our Children’s Clinic”) in Port-Salut. NTP’s mission is very similar to that of HUFH: “to provide children living in poverty with accessible, affordable, high quality medical care.” The clinic is the only pediatric center in a large area serving 60,000 people.
The ED and founder of NTP, Michele Boston, just returned from Haiti and describes a devastating situation in the area served by the clinic. They are treating a lot of children with infected wounds, pneumonia and diarrhea. 85% of the homes in the area were destroyed, the water supply is becoming contaminated, there is little food available, medications are in short supply: everything we would expect after a disaster like this. NTP’s staff survived, although many lost their homes; NTP has been providing them with water purification tablets, shelter and food. Notwithstanding their personal losses, the staff came in immediately after the hurricane and made necessary repairs sufficient to re-open the clinic early last week, and they have been open daily with a steadily rising number of patients. They are currently repairing their water filtration system, making certain to include a spout for community use. Based on what they have seen since the clinic re-opened, and the condition of the water and food supply, they expect to see a sharp increase in malnutrition and cholera, as well as infections caused by untreated injuries.
Their top three needs:
1. oral rehydration packets
2. antibiotics
3. nutritional supplements for babies and children. NTP has an established network to purchase the needed medications and supplies, but they need the funds to do so.
With your generous support, HUFH is providing funds to NTP to help purchase the supplies they urgently need to combat the effects of Matthew.
Strengthening our Programs and our Partners in the North: We expect cholera to strike even in the north and a sharp increase in malnutrition cases due to the extensive loss of crops. Using funds raised through our emergency hurricane appeal and medical supplies obtained through a generous grant from the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Hands Up for Haiti is preparing our teams to deliver direct care, educating the community on cholera prevention and safe water use, building and repairing water wells, and expanding our malnutrition program to new sites and with greater outreach.
Please help us prevent waterborne diseases, mitigate food shortages, and sustain our efforts to make certain that all Haitians receive the health care that they need.
DUE TO THE GENEROSITY OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHO UNDERWRITE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES,
ALMOST EVERY CENT OF EVERY DOLLAR DONATED GOES DIRECTLY TO HELPING CHILDREN, MOTHERS, AND FAMILILIES THROUGH OUR MEDICAL PROGRAMS.
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For more information on what we do and how you can help, please visit our website at: www.handsupforhaiti.org
POSITIVE LEGACY HAS PLEDGED TO DONATE $1000 TO HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS THROUGH HANDS UP FOR HAITI. WE HOPE THAT THIS PLEA HAS INSPIRED YOU TO TAKE ACTION & DONATE AS WELL.
Mesi anpil – Thank you very much for all your support.
Photo by Jason Beaubien/NPR
AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell