Haiti | Caribbean

Emergency relief after earthquakes | Haiti

The massive earthquake in Haiti on 14 August 2021 killed 2,207 inhabitants of the island nation. It destroyed houses, schools and water pipelines in the country’s southern provinces. After the disaster, the ASB was immediately on site and, together with its partner organisations, distributed clean water in the communes of St.-Louis-du-Sud and Tiburon. Afterwards, water and sanitation systems were repaired, protection and inclusion measures were implemented, and offers were created to deal with the events.

The project

Project title: Emergency relief by providing drinking water, protection and inclusion of people with disabilities in response to the earthquake in the South of Haiti
Project country: Haiti
Project financing: ADH, FCCD, Arche Nova and ASB. The project was carried out in Saint-Louis-du-Sud with CAPSL and in Tiburon with FEODTI, as well as with the respective local administrations and state coordination bodies for disaster management.
Project volume: € 324,843.58
Project duration: 20/08/2021 to 30/06/2022
Target group: 60,260 direct beneficiaries (residents of earthquake-affected communities, in particular people with disabilities)

On 14 August 2021, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck southern Haiti with significant loss of human lives, as well as material and environmental damage: 2,248 dead, 12,763 injured. More than 680,000 people were affected by the disaster. The infrastructure was also severely affected: 137,585 destroyed and damaged houses and buildings, devastated and destroyed schools, drinking water and sewage systems, etc.

ASB project areas were also affected by the earthquake. Despite the precarious safety situation, rapid relief measures were taken on the ground. With the support of ASB Germany, the local ASB team trained the local partners in how to use mobile water filters. This was the starting point for further project implementation.

How the ASB is helping in Haiti

Water, sanitation and hygiene

Drinking water is distributed to the affected municipalities in the Sud department via a mobile water filtration system. 60,000 people in the affected communities have access to water that they treat locally using mobile water filters.

Water collection systems damaged by the earthquake are repaired and shared water points, baths and laundries are established.

Protection and inclusion

Wheelchairs and crutches are distributed to people with disabilities to replace those that have been lost or damaged.

Inclusive humanitarian aid

The project partners and key actors are expanding their knowledge via “Sphere” and are in a position to put the most important humanitarian inclusion standards into practice. The Sphere Handbook is an important book for people who want to help others in need. There are two important aspects which are significant in terms of aid: firstly, those providing the aid themselves must be protected and, secondly, the people who are most at risk must be helped. No one should be excluded from humanitarian aid, either intentionally or unintentionally.

The standard humanitarian principles of inclusion are:

1. Non-discrimination

2. Accessibility

3. Respect for dignity

4. Active and effective participation and equal opportunities

5. Respect for diversity and acceptance of people with disabilities

6. Equality between people of different genders and age groups

7. Humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence

Students, parents, teachers and support staff received training from the ASB on “mental health first aid”. In addition, online training was given to employees and partners of the ASB and other interested parties over a period of three days. The aim was to provide basic knowledge of what inclusive humanitarian aid is and how to put it into practice.

Mental health

People affected by the earthquake are receiving psychosocial support. The ASB employees and the partners are qualified to deal with stressful, risky and traumatic experiences.