URGENT APPEAL LAUNCHED FOR HAITI CRISIS
Compassion Australia has launched an urgent appeal for the children of Haiti after the recent devastating earthquake. Compassion has more than 64,000 children supported in the country, including more than 4,600 sponsored by Australians.
100 per cent of funds will be committed to delivering aid and support to the Haitian people. Compassion Australia will not hold back any funds for administration purposes.
Compassion CEO Paul O’Rourke said the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated the country of Haiti this morning was cause for grave concern for the thousands of Compassion assisted children in the region.
He said the organisation had already mobilised an emergency response team from Miami that will fly to the Dominican Republic and bus into the capital of Port-au-Prince, as the airport has been closed.
“We have struggled to communicate with our Haitian office because communications across the city are down. However, a senior staff member in our Latin American office received an email from a friend saying that it was a terrible day for his country, a catastrophic event where whole mountains have collapsed,” Mr O’Rourke said.
Electrical power was lost during the event, which occurred just before 5pm local time, resulting in communities now being forced to seek out loved ones and begin recovery efforts under a shroud of darkness.
Unfortunately, time is already against us. The devastation caused by the earthquake means that basic needs are currently going unmet. Food, water and shelter will be just a few things that your support will help provide for children and their families around Port-au-Prince. Damaged child development centres will need to be repaired and destroyed homes rebuilt.
“There is no doubt that we will have children impacted. We hope and pray for our staff and children at this time. This is another blow for a country already in devastation. Haiti has the highest rates of infant, under-five and maternal mortality in the Western hemisphere. More than 80 per cent of Haitians live on less than US$2 a day,” Mr O’Rourke added.
In response to the vast devastation and turmoil that has already been reported from the region—and in anticipation of the immense need that will arise in its aftermath—Compassion Australia has launched a Haiti Earthquake Disaster Appeal.
Donations made to Compassion Australia will support emergency response efforts to Compassion assisted children and their families, including fresh water, clothing, blankets, food and hygiene kits. Once the extent of damage is determined, monies could go to repairing and rebuilding homes and affected Compassion Child Development Centres in Haiti.
- Donations will go to support the Compassion assisted children most affected by this devastating disaster, so please give generously and DONATE NOW.
All funds raised in response to the Haiti earthquake will be used immediately to provide for Compassion assisted children and families affected by this crisis. Any funds raised in excess will be stewarded by Compassion for additional aid in future disaster relief efforts.
PLEASE NOTE: Haitian children will be available for sponsorship once reports from the field have been finalised. We apologise for any inconvenience, but we cannot accept sponsorship requests for children in Haiti until that time.