Hurricane Matthew has caused extensive damage in Haiti and its government is appealing for international assistance. Seven of Swiss Solidarity’s partner organisations have mobilised. Swiss Solidarity is appealing for donations.
Donations for victims of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti can be made any time either directly online at www.swiss-solidarity.org, via the Swiss Solidarity app or through Swiss postal account 10-15000-6 (specify “Hurricane Matthew”).
The destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew is enormous. According to the latest estimates given by the authorities and various humanitarian organisations, over 300 people have lost their lives, some 350,000 residents of the southwest coast of the island need humanitarian assistance, nearly 3,000 homes have been completely flooded or destroyed, wide expanses of crops have been wiped out and cases of cholera are likely to increase in number.
Seven Swiss Solidarity partner organisations have mobilised and sent specialised humanitarian assistance teams to the affected areas. Swiss Solidarity has already made one million francs available to these teams for them to set up shelters, secure access to drinking water, provide tools and materials to temporarily repair homes and enable farmers to get back to working the fields, help Haitians avoid diseases linked to polluted drinking water, and protect the most vulnerable, especially children.
Haiti is familiar territory for Switzerland’s NGOs and Swiss Solidarity, which will help them intervene quickly and effectively. Following the 2010 earthquake, Swiss Solidarity supported 84 projects with 61.8 million francs. The organisation’s partners on the ground repaired or built 2,700 homes, dug 3,300 latrines and installed 2,500 water tanks.
Swiss Solidarity, 1211 Geneva 8
