Aid for Haiti

The situation in this hard-hit country is extremely depressing and heart-rending. The human suffering there is hard to bear and the external circumstances make it difficult to provide speedy assistance.

As so often in the past, Nehemia reacted spontaneously to the devastating disaster on Haiti.

Just two days after the earthquake, the first consignment containing medicine designed especially for earthquake victims was flown out to Port-au-Prince. One of our workers was there on location, confronted with unfathomable suffering, great misery and deep mourning. 

Nehemia already had local contacts since it had provided disaster relief back in 2004 after the hurricane in Haiti. In addition to experience, such contacts are a very significant prerequisite for the aid to reach its destination and not leak into the wrong channels.

Help in concrete terms

After initial investigations in Haiti, the following kind of aid has been decided upon. Primarily outside of the capital, NEHEMIA intends to meet the greatest needs. We will concentrate on handing out medication and food rations. This provides for what is currently the most urgent need. There are sufficient doctors available, but medication and dressing materials have been almost fully exhausted and there is a shortage of food.

11,000 people in Titanyen (20km north-west of Port-au-Prince), 2,000 in Gonaïves, a further 2,000 in Léogâne (50km west of Port-au-Prince) and 300 in an orphanage in Carrefour are to be provided with special food rations that have been specially adapted for emergency situations and contain supplementary vitamins and minerals. This should enable around 16,000 people to survive. That is worth all the effort.