World rallies behind Haiti earthquake response
John Kisimir, Internal Communications Editor

More than a week and a half after Haiti’s earthquake, transport delays are clearing up and signs of recovery are emerging as the global community rallies behind the devastated nation.

So far, the official figures of those killed by the earthquake stands at 150,000. A total of 3 million people have been affected.

Aid groups including World Vision are reaching out to more people amidst myriad challenges in distributions and supply of needs due to the destruction of infrastructure and sometimes security concerns.

World Vision has started operations at the epicentre of the quake, Port au Prince, and Jimani, a border town in neighbouring Dominican Republic. The operation in Jimani is targeting an exodus of Haitians from Port au Prince. World Vision has an Area Development Programme (ADP) in the area.

At the time of publishing this article, World Vision has raised a total US$49 million from various offices around the world.

Paramadic Victor Matamoros cleans the terrible gash Marie Catherine, 16, received during the earthquake. Photo by James Addis.

The organisation also saw unprecedented media coverage with WV Haiti Communication Officer, Magalie Boyer, quickly becoming a credible World Vision source at ground zero in Port au Prince. With Support Office media teams coordinating journalist interest from around the world, Magalie conducted round-the-clock interviews during the first 24 hours after the earthquake hit.

She also acted as the Partnership's spokesperson in World Vision's first-ever virtual international media conference call on January 14 to brief dozens of international media outlets such as AFP, Sky News, the Independent, DW TV, the Times of London, ITN, UK's Channel 4 News, CBC TV etc. The call demonstrated World Vision’s increasing capacity to meet the demands of breaking news with first-hand reports from the field.

In West Africa, WV Ghana was nominated by the Ghana government and UN mission to coordinate fund raising efforts in that country in support of Haiti.

There are 800 World Vision staff members in Haiti. About 90 of them are based at the national office in Port au Prince. All staff members have been accounted for but many have lost family members, friends and homes. Only a fraction of them are back to work.

Within hours of the quake happening, World Vision deployed staff from around the Partnership to help in launching what it seems to be one of the most challenging operations in recent years. Members of the Global Response Team (GRRT) have arrived in Port au Prince to accelerate relief efforts that were started by the national office while other staff members have been deployed from support offices and the Latin America and Caribbean region.

World Vision Dominican Republic staff member comforts Haitian kids who have fled the earthquake to go to Jimani, on the border with Haiti. Photo by Jon Warren, World Vision US.

Food and essential items are being distributed by World Vision in various parts of Port au Prince despite major challenges from restless crowds.

"Everywhere you go, people are still hungry, still thirsty, still desperate to feed themselves and their families," said Jean-Claude Mukadi, relief response manager for World Vision in Haiti. "We don’t want to turn away people who need help, but we need a safe and secure environment for in these camps."

The size and locations of existing camps presents another substantial problem. The situation is very different from most emergency set ups that are mostly rural.

"Urban disasters differ greatly from rural ones," says Mr Mukadi. “We don’t have the huge open spaces that rural areas afford us so we can’t set up central camps and bring supplies to reach tens of thousands at once. Rather, people are scattered all over the city in abandoned soccer fields, along roads, in parks and tucked up in the hills. It is incredibly difficult.”

With all these of the challenges, World Vision is still moving food and other supplies and plans to have reached 72,000 beneficiaries in 32 camps in Port au Prince by February 1.