DISASTER RELIEF
Haiti is very prone to natural disasters. The Haitian government is in no way equipped to deal with natural disasters.
EARTHQUAKES Haiti sits on a fault line between huge tectonic plates, big pieces of the Earth's crust that slide past each other over time. These two plates are the North American plate and the Caribbean plate.
There are two major faults along Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In 2010, Haiti suffered one of the deadliest earthquakes in history.
TROPICAL STORMS The island lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and is often subjected to severe storms. Extensive deforestation leads to frequent, dangerous flooding.
DISASTER RELIEF CENTER
When a storm is approaching Haiti, people in the endangered areas often have no idea about its possible severity or, if they do, they have nowhere safe to go. Project Living Hope will be building a large facility specifically designed to provide emergency shelter in times of need.
Until the disaster relief center is built, PLH will continue to partner with local organizations, people stateside knowledgeable in disaster preparedness, and local leaders in order to provide relief in times of disaster.
2021 EARTHQUAKE
On August 14, 2021 a 7.2 earthquake hit the southern peninsula of Haiti and was felt throughout the country. Our community felt a shake for about 30 seconds, but there was no damage in the area. The southern part of the country, around Jeremie and Aux Cayes, were hit the hardest and are still working on rescue and relief efforts. As of August 16, 2021 reports indicate 1,297 deaths and 5,700 injured.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
A huge number of non-governmental organizations work in Haiti, but they are almost completely managed by non-Haitians and most work independently from one another. Haiti is beginning to see organizations working together and teaming up to respond in times of disaster. Project Living Hope wants to see systems in place before disasters happen and for relief efforts to be managed by Haitian people.
If you would like to learn about or give to organizations that are on the ground working and responding to urgent needs as they arrive, check out HERO Foundation, HaitiONE and Haitian Air Ambulance.
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS RELIEF
Photo source CNN
Severe political unrest such as that which has plagued Haiti during the fall of 2019 can lead to a major humanitarian crisis where people struggle to feed their families, food prices increase substantially, people are unable to work and schools close.
As a response to this crisis, Project Living Hope has devised a multi-faceted relief strategy. Our mission is to empower, not to enable or create dependency. This is why we choose to offer short-term relief in times of crisis by empowering individuals and partnering with churches within the community.
Emergency Food Relief
We partner with local churches to help with emergency food assistance. The local churches organize the purchasing and distributing of food to those who need it most.
Planting for Tomorrow
We invest in local farmers to help bolster the agricultural efforts within the community. Creating opportunities for the Haitian people to grow more will empower them to sustain themselves through this challenging time.
Youth Programs
We hire a few individuals who have participated in PLH’s English and athletics training programs to hold camps for the kids in the community. Schools close due to the country shutdown. These English, basketball, and soccer camps will offer kids a fun, positive activity to participate in.
Employment
We create short-term work opportunities for locals. During times of crisis, many are unable to go about their normal work due to road closures, gas shortages, and other challenges. These job opportunities allow individuals to spend their time in purposeful work and earn money which empowers them to provide for their families.
Do you have interest or experience in this area? Contact us. We would love to connect with you!
