Haiti: Housing challenges persist,
World Vision responds
In response to the continued need for secure housing, World Vision has transitioned more than 14,000 Haitians into improved shelters, provided 11,000 people with funds to pay for rent or education, and offers life-skills and business training.
Standing with Haiti over the long term
When the 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, at least 220,000 people lost their lives, and millions were displaced from their homes.
World Vision responded within hours. With more than 800 local staff members, 30 years of experience in Haiti, and disaster-relief supplies pre-positioned in the region, World Vision was uniquely prepared to provide immediate relief and assistance.
Over the last three years, as the focus has shifted to reconstruction and long-term development, World Vision has met the needs of several million Haitians, helping communities build back stronger, creating safe environments where children can thrive, and empowering parents to provide for their families.
The Haiti earthquake response has been one of the most challenging humanitarian endeavors in World Vision’s 63-year history. Even before the quake, Haiti was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, struggling with high unemployment, a weakened social infrastructure, and inadequate water and sanitation systems. The largely urban setting added a new dimension of complexity.
Yet there is hope in Haiti. You can see it in classrooms where more children are returning to school every day. You can hear it in their voices, as they share their hopes and aspirations for the future. Haiti’s children are starting to dream again, and that should give all of us hope as we face the challenges ahead.
Thanks to the support of generous donors, quake-affected families are recovering and rebuilding. World Vision will continue to remain active in Haiti for years to come, equipping families to create a better future for themselves and their children.