Earthquake in Haiti

On January 12th a major earthquake hit the region of Port-au-Prince in Haiti.

Oxfam has a staff of approximately 200 people in Haiti, including a group of highly-experienced emergency specialists. This emergency team is supporting rescue efforts, assessing the damage, and responding with public health, water, and sanitation services to prevent the spread of waterborne disease.

Oxfam's work

So far, Oxfam’s programme has helped almost 204 000 people by providing clean, fresh water, sanitation facilities, hygiene kits, emergency shelter, seeds and food; this will be scaled up and during the first six months period after the earthquake we plan to help a total of 500 000.

The priority needs for humanitarian assistance at this stage of the response include the provision of shelter materials; sanitation and hygiene, solid waste management and rubble removal; food security (food aid, nutritional and agricultural support); cash-for-work programmes to support livelihoods; as well as protection of vulnerable groups. Oxfam is active in all of theses areas.

Oxfam-Québec key programme highlights

Oxfam-Québec is currently working in 26 sites in Port-au-Prince, Léogâne (where the epicentre of the earthquake was located) and in Jacmel (South West of the capital, also badly affected), and is reaching 49 055 beneficiaries. We aim to reach 80 000.

Water: Water has been provided across OQ sites – 87 000 gallons of water have been supplied via bladders, and another 2 466 crates of water distributed.

Sanitation: In Port-au-Prince, Oxfam-Québec teams are providing latrines and bathing areas in 19 sites. 244 latrines have been built so far with 64 bathing areas for women.

Health: Medical support has been provided – a mobile clinic was set up in Delmas 62, and other medical facilities were supported. Psychosocial support work is ongoing - discussion groups have been set up for adults, theatre groups for adolescents, and children are supported through play activities and painting.

Distributions: Distributions of essential non food items have been taking place, such as 2403 tarpaulins, 8643 mattresses, 720 kitchen kits, 714 boxes of baby food and 1582 sheets and 384 hygiene kits. A total of 10 459 familiy essentials kits have been assembled using cash for work, and 10 409 have been distributed (reaching 49 055 people). 7748 food kits have been distributed to date of 10 000 planned.

Oxfam's five priorities for Haitian reconstruction

Beyond meeting the immediate needs of people, Oxfam is advocating that long-term reconstruction must focus on five key areas:

Debt cancellation
Support for Haitian farmers and small business
Ensure poor areas benefit from cash grants to speed economic recovery
Support for civil society and the Haitian government
Build back better, for example earthquake proof buildings and alternative fuel sources to reduce deforestation.

Oxfam-Québec's report: Haiti, one year on

Emergency response

12 January 2011
From Relief to Recovery

Supporting good governance in post-earthquake Haiti

6 January 2011
Haiti Progress Report 2010

An overview of Oxfam’s humanitarian response to the Haitian earthquake

6 January 2011
Planting Now

Agricultural challenges and opportunities for Haiti’s reconstruction

5 October 2010
Haiti: A Once in a Century Chance for Change

Beyond reconstruction: re-envisioning Haiti with equity, fairness, and opportunity

26 March 2010
Reconstructing Haiti

23 January 2010

Press releases


2011-07-12	Haiti: Leadership needed to relocate the 630,000 people still living in tents
2011-06-08	Oxfam expands its area of intervention in Carrefour to contain cholera outbreak
2011-01-06	A year of indecision leaves Haiti’s recovery at a standstill
2010-10-26	Cholera outbreak in Haiti: Oxfam to reach 40,000
2010-10-24	Haiti : Oxfam responds to cholera crisis - Aid agency already reaching 25,000

Donate now

online here or
by calling 1 877 937-1614 or
by mail to Oxfam-Québec, 2330, Notre Dame Street West, suite 200, Montreal (Québec) H3J 2Y2

Thank you to all our supporters

In total to date, the Oxfam family has received nearly $90 million, around $18 million of which we plan to spend within the next six months to carry out ourimmediate relief operations.

The scale of the destruction and the level of poverty in Haiti means that we will still need money for our longer-term rehabilitation and development work. Haiti will need help for years to come. Official estimates indicate a ten-year time frame to rebuild the country. Oxfam will allot all future donations for Haiti towards our plans over to help rebuild Haiti over the next few years as it emerges from the aftermath of this terrible disaster.

Blogs

Justine Lesage, Oxfam-Québec's Media Officer, is in Haiti.
Read her blog (in French)

Lynn Dolen, Oxfam-Québec's Communications /marketing Director, takes a few minutes every day, to inform you on what is happening at Oxfam-Québec during the humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
Read her blog (in French)