Haiti Earthquake Response

On August 14th of this year — just a month after the assassination of Haiti’s president — a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the island. Over 15,600 Compassion-assisted children were impacted, including 16 children who tragically lost their lives. Hundreds more were injured or lost family members, homes and their sense of safety. 

The people of Haiti are strong, and they will overcome this tragedy just like they have overcome those of the recent past. But God is calling us to walk this path alongside them and lift them up in their time of need, and the need is clear. Aventura’s generous gift has helped make it possible to heed the call. 

August 14th Earthquake

The Immediate Need: Home Repair and Rebuild

Every day that goes by without a sufficient home places young people at severe risk of illness, environmental dangers, and abuse — not to mention the mental and emotional trauma of being homeless. Compassion has already provided immediate survival needs like food kits, hygiene packs, and medical care. Starting soon, staff will implement an intervention to help families gain long-term shelters.

For the approximately 7,000 beneficiary homes that were damaged in the earthquake but are still standing, we will provide vouchers to pay for materials so repairs can be made based on the extent of the damage. And for the roughly 5,000 families who lost everything, we will provide the materials and support necessary to build basic shelters that can become a part of permanent homes in the future on family-owned land. These homes will have a floor area of 13 square meters and will be designed with timber walls and a steel roof, situated on top of stone and concrete foundations.

All of these repairs and new homes will be implemented with the future in mind. Due to Haiti’s risk for natural disasters, all construction will incorporate international seismic codes to protect against future events. They will also be built to SPHERE Standards: a set of principles that ensures humanitarian responses address key needs such as water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion, food security and nutrition, adequate shelter, and health.

Aventura’s gift makes it possible to ensure that every child in our care has a safe place to call home while they continue healing, learning, growing, and working toward a future free from poverty.

 

How Aventura is Helping

The distribution of vouchers for home repair will begin immediately, and construction on new homes has begun. The hoped for outcome is that families will be moved into their new homes after March 2022.

 

Compassion relies on its ministry partners to accomplish meaningful work for children and families around the world. We are so grateful for your support.

 

To learn more about ways you can get involved, visit Compassion International’s website.