A Child's Right

Haiti earthquake relief

A week after the major earthquake in Haiti- which claimed the lives of more than 65,000 people and has displaced as many as 200,000- our agency has been deluged with offers of support as well as questions concerning what our plans are to assist. We actually have some exciting news to share, which is always hard during such a tragic time. But first a bit of background:

Having worked in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka and the 2008 earthquake in China, we have seen many well intentioned groups simply get in the way of the organizations that are better equipped and far more capable of working in the chaos of the initial days after these types of disaster. A Child's Right is not a first response organization. Our strengths are simply not utilized in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters. Thus, our focus is on long-term measurable and sustainable support of vulnerable and displaced children, as it always has been. This is something we specialize in and are very successful at. As such, we have taken the first steps toward creating a multi-year clean water project in Haiti.

Through a generous donation by A.J. Antunes and Co. of more than $100,000 in water purification equipment to A Child's Right and to Healing Waters International, we plan to initiate the project in concert with the opening of displacement camps and more permanent clinics in and around the capital city. The second and third waves of disaster relief are often lacking in long-term support and we believe this is where we can actually offer the greatest support.

Working with multiple NGO partners in Haiti as well as here in the US, we will be installing 15 water filtration systems, each capable of providing clean water to as few as 200 and as many as 10,000 people a day. We will then fully support those systems for a minimum of 5 years, which is the projected time frame for the dissolution of displacement camps in Haiti.

This update serves as nothing more than a notice to our amazing supporters of our agency's approach and intent. We do not need, nor are we seeking, any financial support for this project. Our funding is secured, our equipment is donated, and our focus is to provide assistance for years to come at every site we work with in Port au Prince. As the project plan becomes clearer, we will update our supporters accordingly.

We highly recommend checking out some of the relief agencies listed below. They have proven track records, staff in country, and are capable of successful first response work in Haiti. Any support you can provide to their work is appreciated.