WORLD VISION HAITI QUAKE RESPONSE UPDATE: May 15-28

May 30, 2010, Port-au-Prince – Thanks to well laid plans and careful coordination, massive food distributions have been conducted safely and smoothly. World Vision and other aid groups are conducting programs to meet basic needs beyond the life-saving focus of the initial disaster response.

Distribution of food and non-food items:

• 84MT of food commodities were provided to 1,557 households in Cabaret.
• Distributed mosquito nets and tarpaulins to approximately 1,300 families at Corail.
• Continue distributing bed sheets, blankets, tarps, water containers, hygiene kits, cooking sets, tents, mosquito nets, and mats to displaced families throughout Port-au-Prince and the outlying areas.

Cash-for-Work and livelihood:

• Staff collected cash-for-work project proposals from camp committees and organizations in Delmas, Tabarre, and Croix des Bouquets
• Cash-for-work-need assessed in La Gonave.
• 450 beneficiaries are currently working in 27 camps through the cash-for-work programs
• This week, World Vision is launching a massive cash-for-work campaign to meet the vast need for economic livelihood development in Corail. 1,310 beneficiaries will be targeted for a one-month intervention.

Health:

• Current priority activities in the clinics at the camps: delivery of primary health care services through fixed and mobile clinics; screening and enlisting of people with disabilities; referral of patients identified with mental health and psychosocial disorders; and disease surveillance and health information systems.
• The health team in coordination with other sectors has been coordinating preparedness planning for the upcoming rainy and hurricane seasons, which are expected to increase health risks, especially for people living in temporary shelters. Suspected cases of malaria are already on the rise.
• In cooperation with Children In Emergencies, Mothers Clubs facilitated the celebration of Haitian Mothers Day May 27-28-29. The mothers performed songs, dances, plays and poems around health messaging for women’s health and safe motherhood. Some of the children participated with songs and dances for the mothers. Health and hygiene kits, cooking sets, mosquito nets were given as gifts to mothers on Mother’s Day and the mothers with their children were also treated to a small party with cake, cookies and drinks.

Children In Emergencies:

• 100 Early Childhood Development Learning Space animators in Port au Prince were trained in preschool education with Tipa Tipa, a Haitian education organization.
• Ongoing registration of children in Early Childhood Development Learning Spaces
• Started musical workshops for 30 Child-Friendly Space animators.
• The first two hours of the “what to do in case of hurricanes” curriculum was carried out in all Child-Friendly Spaces. This activity will continue over the next 3 weeks.
• Children made Mother’s Day cards and decorations for the Mother’s Day celebration held in conjunction with the Health Team in World Vision’s integrated camps.
• 9 Child-Friendly Space kits with items like books and craft supplies delivered.
• 34 children were reunited during the last two weeks.
• Registration in orphanages have started in Tabarre in line with Family Tracing and Reunification and Anti-trafficking guidelines.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH):

• 3240 cubic meters of water delivered to fourteen locations
• 790 meters of drainage have been dug in Truitier by cash-for-work beneficiaries. Work also continues on UN-funded rehabilitation of Truitier dump site.
• 374 latrines were cleaned

Shelter:

• Five trial foundations completed in La Gonave
• Finalizing beneficiary selection for La Gonave based on completed assessment

Donations can be made online at www.worldvision.org or by phone at 888-56-CHILD. World Vision also has launched an SMS text giving option. Texting “GIVE” or “WORLD” to 20222 will make a $10 donation to the Haiti relief fund.

World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. We serve the world’s poor —regardless of a person’s religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.worldvision.org/press.