January 14, 2010: In the aftermath of Haiti's devastating January 12 earthquake, SOS Children's Villages is organizing relief efforts to directly aid Haitian children and adults.
Since the infrastructure of SOS Children's Villages has been severely damaged and staff members have been personally affected by the earthquake, coordination of relief efforts will be handled from facilities in Dominican Republic, where SOS Children's Villages is also well established. Teams there have already started to purchase medical supplies, basic food supplies and other essentials. Three co-workers from SOS Children's Villages Peru experienced in earthquake relief projects are overseeing the emergency effort.
The national director of the nearby SOS Children's Villages Dominican Republic has flown by helicopter to the Haitian Santo Village to establish to what extent the village might become a base of help. Santo is an ideal relief hub because of its close proximity to both the Dominican Republic and the airport. SOS already supports children and families there and will reach out to the community in the immediate vicinity as soon as possible.
SOS relief efforts will include:
- Temporary shelter for unaccompanied children in the Santo and Cap Haitian villages or other locations,
- Safe areas for mothers with children,
- Food, medicine, clothing, shelter materials,
- Trauma counseling,
- Reunification programs for families and children,
- and additional activities according to needs
Full recovery from this catastrophe will be possible only with continuing support over the months and years to come.
Please, visit our Haiti Earthquake Relief page to learn more, donate or sponsor a child in a Haitian SOS Children's Village.