Habitat for Humanity: Haiti Earthquake Response

Habitat for Humanity International would like to thank you for the support you have sent to the Haitian people who were impacted by the powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Haiti’s southwestern peninsula on August 14, 2021.

Habitat has worked in Haiti since 1984 and has a strong, ongoing presence in the region impacted most by the earthquake. In coordination with government and humanitarian agencies, our colleagues have been hard at work responding to the needs of affected families.

Though we continue to have conversations that will guide our ongoing response in the months ahead, we are proud of the immediate actions we were able to take— thanks in large part to your support!

Immediately after the earthquake, Habitat for Humanity deployed a team to assess the shelter needs in the impacted area and develop a response for early recovery and reconstruction. Habitat’s preliminary strategy focused on responding to the immediate needs of affected households, completing a housing habitability assessment, and beginning housing repair and construction.

HYGIENE KIT DISTRIBUTION: Immediately following the earthquake, Habitat partnered with Concern Worldwide and Christian Aid to distribute hygiene kits to affected families in rural communities. The kits contained soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, masks, towels, toilet paper, water purification tablets, and other hygiene items. 

SHELTER KIT DISTRIBUTION: Habitat and ShelterBox, a UK-based organization, partnered to distribute emergency shelter aid. These kits include tarpaulins, tools and fixings, thermal blankets, solar lights, kitchen sets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets and water carriers.

IMPACT STORY
Marcel lives with his son, Maxo, and older sister, Suzette, in Chantal, Haiti, a rural community about an hour drive from the closest city of Les Cayes. Marcel was working in a plantain field and feeding his two bulls when the earthquake hit. He told Habitat he was initially frightened, but he immediately jumped into action to check on the safety of his sister and son. Luckily, all three were uninjured. However, the walls of his home, which contained three rooms along with an outdoor kitchen, collapsed. In the immediate aftermath, Marcel built a makeshift wooden shelter next to his home where his family slept for about two weeks. Through the support of a shelter kit from Habitat and ShelterBox, Marcel was able to move back into his original home. He used the tarpaulin, to secure the walls and keep his family safe from the elements. In the future, he hopes to be able to rebuild his home in a way that will be able to withstand earthquakes and hurricanes, so that he and his family will not have to experience this again.