Haiti devastated by Hurricane Matthew
It’s the most devastating hurricane Haiti has known for ten years : on October 4, Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti with winds of well over 100 miles-per-hour and caused heavy loss. Over 546 deaths were officially reported, but more substantial numbers are expected. 1.4 million people currently need emergency assistance, mainly in the southwest of the country. A humanitarian response has been set up in the past few days, but access to affected areas remains difficult due to impassable roads.
Our action on the field
Terre des hommes (Tdh) has been working in Haiti for more than 30 years, notably in the southern region of Les Cayes. At the moment, our staff is providing humanitarian assistance to help the most affected children and their families. 100 families have already benefited from our emergency kits containing basic food (sugar, corn, pasta, rice, milk, flour etc.) and hygiene items (soap, laundry detergent). But the needs are still important. Tdh is indeed the only Swiss organization present in the Southern Department.
Thanks to our long-term presence and our local partners, our teams are able to assess the most urgent needs in terms of hygiene and access to clean water. Indeed, an outbreak of cholera is feared by the authorities. As for now, more than 70 cases were reported by the Haitian Ministry of Public Health, and we know that at least ten people have already passed out from the disease. It is necessary to act urgently to avoid a new outbreak.
Our teams also take care of children separated from their families by the hurricane and are planning the construction temporary shelters. Les Cayes, third largest city of the country, is also one of the most devastated. Hélène, who lived in the city center, explained to our staff after the disaster: “I’m still shocked. It was like a horror movie, the sound of the blast made me fear the worst”.
The children need your help
Many children and their families are left with no access to clean water, food or shelter. In one of the poorest countries of the world, people urgently need your help to recover from this new disaster! Your emergency gift will directly help the most affected families.
Thank you for your support!
