Haiti’s recovery: small victories for children
This past 12th of January marked the two-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010. It was an unprecedented natural disaster that ended the lives of more than 220,000 Haitians and left another 1.5 million more living in refugee camps.
During these two years, UNICEF has contributed to Haiti’s recovery by making sure that:
• 15,000 malnourished children received first aid care.
• Around 400,000 children received basic medical attention.
• More than 750,000 children returned to school. Today 80,000 of these children attend one of the 193 earthquake-resistant schools that were rebuilt by UNICEF.
• More than 120,000 children are able to enjoy their time playing in 520 Children-Friendly Spaces.
• 95 rural communities have launched programs to improve the post-earthquake cleanup process.
Currently, UNICEF continues to simultaneously put into action a combination of humanitarian assistance and capacity development for institutional and political rebuilding in order to face both the acute and chronic problems that prevent children’s’ rights from being duly fulfilled. Nonetheless, funding is still lacking. UNICEF needs at least 24 million dollars to attend to immediate humanitarian needs in order to support children in vulnerable situations. The organization is working towards this goal in five key project areas in health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education, and child/infant protection. Another 30 million dollars will be needed to fund assistance and development programs in the long run.
UNICEF, parents, teachers, public and private entities, religious organizations, Haiti’s new government as well as other international ones, and the whole nation all share the goal of keeping the world’s children safe, healthy, and learning.
We would like to thank everyone who collaborates with UNICEF for your invaluable help in supporting Haiti’s children.
If you wish to read the complete report please click here
