SOS Children's Villages operates in the Haitian communities of Santo and Cap Haitien

January 21, 2010: The first SOS rescue team from Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic arrived at the SOS Children's Village in Santo, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince this week. Their first-hand report follows.

When we arrived at the Village, it was relatively calm. The fear of further after-shocks is apparent. The SOS staff and children go about their daily activities outdoors and even sleep in the courtyard of their houses due to fear that another earthquake will endanger their lives.

Celigny Darius, the National Director in Haiti was clearly relieved to have additional support. Several staff lost their homes and are temporarily living in the Village with their families.

Despite the SOS Village being a safe and quiet place, there is an atmosphere of great sadness amongst the children and staff. They all lost family and friends in the earthquake and cannot escape the fact that their capitol city is in ruins.

The SOS Children’s Village in Santo has food that will last approximately ten days, and a working water supply. The houses withstood the earthquake, giving the children and staff shelter when they choose to use it.

The two SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools in Santo and Cap Haitien will remain closed until at least February 17 as ordered by the Haitian government.

The Family Strengthening Programs in Cap Haitien are held in Community Centers and have been temporarily suspended. They are expected to resume by the end of January. In Santo, the sixteen Community Centers that house SOS child care, counseling and outreach programs are not open. Many of the program participants have died, are injured, or left the area to live with relatives outside of the city. SOS staff will resume these programs as conditions stabilize. 

SOS Children's Villages will remain in Haiti for the long-term. We will provide secure, stable homes for the orphans of this disaster as they mature, and we will prepare them for lives as independent adults.

Please support SOS as we pave the way for a brighter future for these orphans. Sponsor a Disaster Orphan now.