Seven weeks after the massive earthquake in Haiti, the situation for those affected remains tense, especially in the affected region of Nippes. “Many roads are still impassable; health facilities are overloaded and water supply is insufficient in parts of the country. After a quick emergency response, we have now extended our support to give people a chance to build a new life in their home country,” says Jelena Kaifenheim, Malteser International’s Regional Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean. The Order of Malta’s worldwide relief agency was one of the first aid organisations to provide support to the affected populations.

Malteser International will rebuild five schools and three health facilities, repair the water supply and distribute cash aid to the most vulnerable people, thanks to the support of the German Federal Foreign Office.

Even before the severe earthquake in August, almost every second inhabitant of Haiti was dependent on humanitarian aid due to the food crisis. Political instability, natural disasters, gang crime and the effects of the corona pandemic have pushed more and more people into poverty in recent years.

Since the reconstruction after the earthquake in 2010, Malteser International has been active in Haiti, primarily in the department of Nippes, and has been implementing long-term food security projects in addition to the current emergency relief.