Emergency in Haiti

Already the poorest country in the Americas, Haiti is now in the grip of a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis. Chaos and terror have enveloped the country, particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, which is now almost completely controlled by armed gangs. The prime minister, Ariel Henry, has been forced to resign, the police and army are unable to maintain order or quell the escalating violence and lawlessness.

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Many hospitals, health centres, schools, police stations, prisons and other public institutions have been attacked, leaving the country’s already fragile infrastructure in tatters. The country is on the verge of collapse, awaiting the creation of a transition government with no guarantee this will alleviate the crisis.

Displaced child sheltering with group of other displaced people in Haiti
Displaced families sheltering at a disused school in Port-au-Prince. (Photo: Ralph Tedy Erol)

Children and families facing violence and hunger

Haitians are living in fear of their lives, exposed to unimaginable violence. Murders, robberies, rape and kidnappings are rife. According to the U.N.’s World Food Programme, almost 4.5 million Haitians face ‘acute food insecurity‘. With armed gangs in control of major ports and the international airport no longer functioning, basic necessities including food, drinking water, medicines and fuel are harder to find. The plight of the Haitian people is likely to only get worse. Thousands of families are desperately trying to flee the capital and surrounding areas. Over 360,000 Haitians are now displaced and over half of them are children.

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NPH helping those in dire need

Our team in Haiti is working tirelessly to ensure the safety of the children in our care and our staff. We are also providing humanitarian aid to desperate families.

  • At our Kenscoff site, away from the violence of the capital, all the children in residential care are safe and the school is open to students from the community.
  • We are offering shelter to many of our staff, as it is too dangerous for them to travel to and from work.
  • St. Damien Hospital in Port-au-Prince is currently fully operational, providing life-saving medical care to those in need when many other hospitals have been forced to close.
  • Our community schools and therapy centres in Tabarre in the capital are closed due to high levels of insecurity. We are providing emergency food kits to families.
  • We are supporting an increasing number of displaced families to flee Port-au-Prince and travel to safer provinces.
Family fleeing home with a few belongings in Haiti
Family fleeing their home in Port-au-Prince after it was attacked by gangs. (Photo: Ralph Tedy Erol)

How you can help

£15

An emergency food kit for a family in need

£60

A 25kg bag of rice and a 25kg bag of beans

£600

Refuge from the violence of Port-au-Prince for a family

Support Haitians in need

A family devastated by the earthquake

Posted on by John Maughan

Jean Max tells of his family’s suffering

Jean Max
Jean Max

Jean Max is a young radiologist, who studied medicine with financial support from NPH.

He was determined to help his country but he wanted to be well prepared to do so, and therefore chose to study at one of the few universities still standing in Port au Prince after the 2010 earthquake.

He’s been working for some years now at St. Damien Paediatric Hospital, providing assessments and diagnoses, especially in the area of maternity and gynaecology. He gets satisfaction from helping to improve lives in his country.

Jean Max has experienced first hand the suffering of many Haitians since the earthquake of 14 August, and the initial anguish of not knowing whether those of his family living in the South-West had were still alive, in the areas around Les Cayes and at Perenie in the countryside.

Everything lost

Jean Max's family home in ruins
Jean Max’s family home

The first news he received was that his aunt and uncle had lost their home and their lifetime belongings. Jean Max then heard that an uncle had died during the earthquake.

A gang blocks access

Some days later he decided to go to Perenie with a cousin and an uncle, to provide support to his family. However, they were unable to get there because of a gang controlling road access to Les Cayes, near Martissant. “They prevented us from getting through to the area affected, where my family lives, which was a real disaster for us”, says Jean Max.

After talking by phone they received photos showing that his family had lost everything: their home, garden, animals and personal belongings.

Ruined home of Jean Max's family
Jean Max’s family home

They need shelter from the tropical storms, bedding, a new home and everything to put their life back together. Emotionally they have suffered the loss of a loved one, and they will have to manage that loss as best they can during this humanitarian disaster.

Aid yet to arrive

Jean Max’s family live in the countryside, in the Perenie area, isolated from international aid, which is arriving chiefly at the large cities such as Jeremies and Les Cayes.

They hope that NPH Haiti can help them to overcome their tragic personal situation. NPH Haiti is evaluating the situation of dozens of families in similar circumstances to Jean Max’s family to see how they can deliver aid as swiftly as possible in such adverse conditions.

More than 1.5 million earthquake victims are experiencing similar dramatic situations and they are waiting for our support.

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Your help for those in need

Posted on by John Maughan

Work goes on to help victims

It’s tough to get aid to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti for various reasons: roads cut and collapsed bridges make it very tough to get through to the areas affected.

Injured baby receiving treatment from NPH

Gangs and storms

Gangs all around the capital, Port de Prince, and in the areas worst affected, Jeremies y Les Cayes, add an extra layer of difficulty. Additionally, Storm Grace hit the South-West immediately after the earthquake.

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In spite of all these difficulties, your donations from NPH UK are getting through, via our local organization, NPH Haiti, and also the related organization, St. Luke Foundation for Haiti.

Short- and long-term support

We have managed to get through by road and sea to the worst-affected areas in the South-West. NPH is providing medical care to the sick and injured and is delivering water, food, shelter and psychological support.

Aid on route to earthquake victims
Aid from you on route to the victims

At the same time we are preparing an aid plan for the victims in the medium and long term (reconstruction of homes, planting crops and reviving the countryside as a means of sustainable support for those affected). NPH has been offering care to those we have encountered on route, as well as those in the worst-affected areas.

The Haitians are accustomed to suffering and to keeping their spirits up, but they really need our help in the face of this new humanitarian disaster.

Local staff committed to their country

Our organizations in Haiti (NPH Haiti and the St. Luke Foundation) are staffed by trained local staff, with a very high commitment to their country and its communities. They speak the local languages, French and creole, which is essential for doing their work and showing their compassion with those in need.

NPH has the necessary experience on the ground: 35 years developing education, health and nutrition programmes, as well as our involvement in humanitarian emergencies. We help to improve the lives of more than 100,000 Haitians every year.

Aid delivered directly by NPH

Donations received from our supporters are managed directly by NPH Haiti and the St. Luke Foundation for Haiti, allowing us to ensure their efficient and effective use in improving and saving lives.

Thank you for your commitment

We are grateful for your support. Don’t forget Haiti.
And, please, keep the donations coming.

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