Aide et Action Hong Kong

Haiti Post Emergency Educational Support and Reconstruction

On 12 January 2010, Haiti, a country on the Caribbean Sea, was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 7.3 on the Richter scale. Being one of the poorest countries in the world – 70% of the population live with less than US$2 a day, at least 220 thousand Haitians were killed, 310 thousand were injured and 1 million lost their homes during the earthquake. Due to the very limited resources of that region, the clearance progresses slowly.

Besides short term relief, long term reconstruction of education system is key

In face of such a disastrous scenario, apart from heavily involving in distributing daily necessities, Aide et Action also concerns about short term educational support and long term reconstruction of education system. Ms. Claire Calosci, Managing Director, Aide et Action International, put the stress on the reconstruction of the education system as a key element for the development of the country at the first videoconference meeting for the reconstruction of Haiti on 17 February, in which Haiti’s President René Préval was also present.

According to the Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste, over 70% of schools in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas were destroyed by the powerful earthquake. Moreover, parents are still afraid to put their children in concrete structures, whereas the overcharged hospitals cannot handle all patients sent to them, not to say providing healthcare services to children.

Aide et Action launched "Nap Vanse", a camp for New Beginning

Therefore, Aide et Action has quickly established a hosting area called "Nap Vanse", meaning "New Beginning" in Haitian Creole language, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, in cooperation with the University of Quisqueya. This hosting camp aims at, on one hand, providing a reassuring environment to Haitian children, where they can receive educational, medical and psychological services, on the other hand enabling children and their families to restore faith in life and to discuss reconstruction matter.

Currently, it is decided that the project will last for at least six months, reaching 5000 children and their families.

The "Nap Vanse" project involves four axis of intervention:

-	Space of living: The camp site has a resource centre, which includes a canteen, medical rooms, a reception area and sanitation facilities. Moreover, "Nap Vanse" offers rooms for group activities built by lightweight but solid material, where children and families can utilize.
-	Physical and mental health: Student volunteers from the Faculty of Health Sciences and a mobile clinic provide the care and counseling to the families in the camp. As at 1 March 2010, over 1,000 children have already received healthcare services.
-	Education and nutrition: The Faculty of Sciences of Education is preparing the children to return to school through educational and psychosocial activities (e.g. learning activities, classes on environmental protection and hygiene, drawing, puppet show, cartoons, skits, singing and dancing). Children receive a balanced breakfast and a hot lunch each day.
-	Support for a new start: On one hand, the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and the Faculty of Agricultural and Environment Sciences support the training of management committees of the camps; on the other hand, AEA has established a permanent forum for reconstruction where the community can voice out their opinions about reconstruction.

Your generous support is most crucial to the Haitian children

Including the set-up of “Nap Vanse”, Aide et Action estimates the overall budget for the post emergency educational support and reconstruction is around €1.3 million (equivalent to HK$13.8 million). Your generous donation will give these vulnerable population hopes of rebuilding their homes. Click here to make a donation online.

Aide et Action, which has been present in Haiti since 1989, developed emergency and post-emergency programs in 2008 after the cyclonic season destroyed the country and made thousands of victims.

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