Disaster Response Haiti Project #4596

Relief and Recovery for Haiti Disaster Survivors

by Mercy Corps

Relief and Recovery for Haiti Disaster Survivors

Project Report | Jun 12, 2012
Lifesaving relief & long-term assistance for Haiti

By Dan O'Neill | Founder

Building a brighter future in Haiti

Because of your support and donation, since the earthquake disrupted life in Haiti more than two years ago, Mercy Corps has been able to provide:

Clean water to more than 429,000 people
Lifesaving cholera prevention and treatment informaiton to 500,000 in high-risk rural areas. We have also delivered water treatement tablets, oral rehydration salts and soap to 99,000 families.
More than 315 tons of food to injured survivors and people in need.
Our cash-for-work program, which has benefited more than 172,000 survivors.
Emotional support to 90,000 children still recovering from their trauma.

In the days, weeks and months ahead, because of your support, Mercy Corps will continue our critical relief efforts, with a focus on improving lives for the long term. Because of your donation and future funds, Mercy Corps will work towards creating access to clean, safe drinking water . . . launching job training programs to help students and adults prepare for the future . . . and helping young children regain the childhood they lost.

Mercy Corps has a long history of providing emergency assistance. We've been working in countries devastated by natural disasters, droughts, war, civil strife, and extreme poverty for more than 30 years. We're amoung the first organizations on the ground when disaster strikes, and we're one of the last to leave.

That is why we are responding to the food-shortages in Niger. Our teams are working on expanding desperately needed cash distribution to hungry families in Agadez, the largest city in northern Niger, as the country's food crisis deepens. The funds we raise through GlobalGiving would allow people to purchase food and help strengthen the market through the summer, Niger’s traditional lean season. If you would like to help those men, women and children in need, go to Mercy Corps' Responding to Urgent Needs in Niger & Sahel Region project and donate today.

Starting June 13, at 12:01 am EST, GlobalGiving is sponsoring a special “Bonus Day,” where every donation you make to Mercy Corps' Responding to Urgent Needs in Niger & Sahel Region project or Mercy Corps' Relief And Recovery For Haiti Earthquake Survivor project will be matched by a certain percent—greatly increasing the impact of your generous donations! Any gift on any day helps families in Niger get the food they need to survive - and thrive and any gift to Haiti will continue to help rebuild the lives of those still struggling.

Providing loans and training to business people

Programs by Mercy Corps to remind kids to be kids

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Apr 10, 2012
Insuring women-owned businesses against disaster

By Lindsay Murphy | Communications Associate

Small business owner benefits from MICRO

Haiti's economic growth depends on small-scale entrepreneurs. Because of their limited means, they assume huge risks, and there's little or no financial protection if something happens -- like an earthquake -- to shut down their business temporarily. They and their families would enjoy greater financial security if they were insured.

To address this need, Mercy Corps partnered with Fonkoze and other public- and private-sector funders to establish the Microinsurance Catastrophe Risk Organisation (MiCRO) in March.

MiCRO’s initial product offers women micro-entrepreneurs protection against the economic aftermath of severe natural catastrophes, such as hurricanes, floods or earthquakes. The insurance costs 3 percent of the loan value, and is rolled into the loan. (The typical loan is between $200 and $250.)

MiCRO’s key innovation is the type of insurance it offers: a new loan product that blends both parametric and basis risk options. In this case, that means the remaining balance on the loan is forgiven and a fixed payout -- $125 U.S. -- is provided for rebuilding purposes.

Rose Marie buys sugar and rice in Port-au-Prince, and then sells it to women in her village of Kolonbye. The 42-year-old lost all her merchandise in the heavy rains that pounded the region in August, and used the insurance payout to purchase new supplies. “I lost everything in the rains," she told me. "Thankfully because of this coverage I was able to continue my business right away.”

As of November 15, 2011, a total of 5,385 Fonkoze borrowers across Haiti have received USD $1.5 million in insurance benefits during the 2011 hurricane season. (Click here to read more about this.)

Mercy Corps programs are focused on recovery for hard-hit families and children. We thank you for your support.

Market of Kolonbye open for business

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Jan 13, 2012
Rebuilding a better Haiti: What we've accomplished

By Guivens Cemervil | Youth Coordinator, Haiti

Guivens Cemervil, Mercy Corps Youth Coordinator

It began with a rumbling in the distance, like a big truck approaching. Then the walls began to shake. Everything started moving, falling. When it stopped, I ran down the street to my house, and saw it had collapsed with my family inside. I searched in the rubble for hours. Finally I found them, alive.

Two years ago, I was one of the lucky ones. Many weren’t so fortunate. None of us will ever forget that day; we all carry the sadness in our hearts.

As a teacher, I was heartbroken at how the earthquake affected our children. They were constantly afraid, especially of being inside. They couldn’t sleep, eat or concentrate. They drew into themselves, not wanting to talk or play with others.

When I heard Mercy Corps was starting a program to help young people recover, I knew I had to be involved. Since then, I’ve helped coordinate youth projects that have helped thousands of kids. We use sports, art, games and specially designed materials to help children deal with their traumatic experiences. It’s great to see them open up, make friends and smile again.

Mercy Corps helped survivors get through the aftermath of the quake with emergency supplies, temporary jobs and emotional support. Today its projects for young people, farmers and small business owners continue to help us build back better.

We continue to help children by giving them life skills that many Haitian children wouldn’t have learned even before the quake. They’re learning things like self-esteem, resilience, constructive communication and how to prevent HIV. And I’m proud to be a part of it.

Thank you for standing with us when tragedy struck, and for helping us build a better Haiti.

Guivens Cemervil, Mercy Corps Youth Coordinator, Haiti

P.S. Click here to watch a video of some of our youth and learn more about Mercy Corps' accomplishments in Haiti.

Art therapy camp for Port-au-Prince Youth

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Two years later: From relief to recovery update

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