Port-au-Prince, 13 January 2017– Seven years after a devastating earthquake killed more than 200,000 people and displaced some 2 million others, the Haiti Red Cross Society is still hard at work supporting the survivors and building more resilient communities.
The 12 January 2010 earthquake was one of the biggest disasters in the country’s history. In the days following the tragedy, thousands of lives were saved by Haiti Red Cross volunteers and staff with the support of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners.
Dr Jean-Pierre Guiteau, President of the Haiti Red Cross, said: “Our volunteers were among the first to assist the victims, despite the fact that they were themselves affected by the disaster. They are indeed the pillars of the Movement and we hope that in the near future Haiti will have a legal framework that protects and promotes their services.”
Over the past seven years, Movement partners have continued their work in Haitian communities to make them more resilient.
Ines Brill, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Head of Country Cluster for Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, said: “Our primary goal seven years later is to strengthen the capacity of the Haitian Red Cross so that it can effectively fulfill its role as auxiliary to the government. All our interventions in promoting resilience within communities are done through the Haiti Red Cross Society."
Today, with the support of its partners, the Haiti Red Cross supports the implementation of sustainable projects in education, health, disaster risk reduction and the fight against health epidemics, notably cholera and Zika. The National Society has also responded to several disasters, including Hurricane Matthew in October 2016.
For more information
Haiti Red Cross: +509 4893 7414 h.israel@croixrouge.ht
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: + 509 3170-6963 marjorie.jasmin@ifrc.org