Short Supplies-Hitting Haiti Hard
It’s now almost a month since areas around Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince were devastated by a massive earthquake, yet conditions continue to deteriorate.
The current lack of food and water shows no signs of improving anytime soon. And even where food is available it’s in limited amounts and sold on the street- many families simply do not have the money to pay for it.
Unmanaged logistical and security issues still hamper attempts by Aid groups to supply basic needs to victims. However ACCWR’s partner on the ground, Convoy of Hope, were able to breakthrough these and other difficulties due to them already having in place teams of workers and a warehouse full of supplies. By being prepared for the worst they responded quickly and effectively when the need arose.
“The situation regarding food and water remains dire,” says Kevin Rose, Haiti director for Convoy of Hope. “The lack of fuel and security issues has made it very difficult to move food around the city. But through our network of partners we are getting food into some of the most desperate places.”
Convoy of Hope worked behind the scenes to get water distributed to victims by installing two water filters at an orphanage in the capital city. Children in the orphanage were surviving on half a cup of water a day, which was not nearly enough considering the heat and humidity in Haiti.
During the first two weeks after the disaster Convoy of Hope successfully distributed 1.6 million meals to victims – all due to generous donations and ongoing support.
“The reason we were able to get food to so many people so fast was because we were already feeding thousands of children each day throughout Haiti,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “Long-standing, strategic partnerships such as the one we have with Mission of Hope became pipelines that enabled us to quickly and efficiently get food and supplies to some of the hardest-hit areas.”
