Sheltering Haiti’s survivors
Tuesday evening 12 January 2010, a violent earthquake shook the island State of Haiti, and developed into a catastrophe of vast proportions. At least 200,000 people are said to have been killed, and 1.2 million people have lost their homes.
The physical damages are massive and major re-construction work lies ahead in years to come. Right now, there is a need for re-housing facilities, water supplies and sanitation for the survivors.
Danish People’s Aid has many years of experience with sheltering in connection with disasters. In Haiti, we have chosen to concentrate our activities in the Carrefour area of the capitol Port-au-Prince, one of the areas most severely affected by the earthquake.
On its own or together with partners, Danish People’s Aid is building 4,100 temporary shelters in Carrefour. The houses are 14 m2 – easy to build with a little help from the future occupants. Elias Jean, 35 years old and unemployed, is one Haitian who has profited by this activity.
“I appreciate very much our shelter. After the earthquake, it was very difficult for us to live on the street. Danish People’s Aid helped us, and we are very proud of our house”.
Before the earthquake, Elias Jean and his family counting four members lived in a two-storey house, which was reduced to ruins by the violent quake.
Throughout 2010, other organisations in Haiti have chosen to use the Danish People’s Aid’s concept for temporary shelters providing protection against wind and weather, assault and rape.
The money for the shelters comes from private donors, organisations, the newspaper “Ekstra Bladet”, Shelterbox and the organisation ADRA. Moreover, Danish People’s Aid has contributed DKK 1.2 million from our own emergency fund, and EU has contributed DKK 5.5 million for 700 temporary houses in Haiti.
Danish People’s Aid has key competencies within construction of transitional shelters and the establishment of water supplies and sanitation. In connection with the tsunami in Sri Lanka we organised 600 houses in less than three months”, says Allan Vokstrup, head of the International Department of the organisation.
Together we can help a Haitian family build a shelter for DKK 5,000. We can establish toilet facilities for DKK 1,000, beds for DKK 500, and for DKK 100 pots and pans.
| Facts The Haitian earth quake struck on 12 January 2010. The most afflicted areas were Carrefour, Leogane and Petit Goave. End of January 2010, Danish People’s Aid established an office in Port-au-Prince and has since set up another office in Carrefour. So far, Danish People’s Aid has built 374 transitional shelters in Carrefour for ADRA, Shelterbox and “Ekstra Bladet”. On 1 August, Danish People’s Aid started building another 700 shelters for ECHO, also in the Carrefour area. Further, we help ADRA International build an additional 3,000 shelters. At the end of February 2011, Danish People’s Aid will – on its own or in cooperation with other organisations – have built nearly 4,100 temporary houses. The concept of Danish People’s Aid has been acknowledged as a standard in Haiti by the UN’s Shelter Cluster. |
