13 January 2015

On January 12, 2010, a devastating 7.0 earthquake rocked the country of Haiti, causing massive damage, taking an estimated 300,000 lives, and leaving more than one million people homeless in one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. In the midst of the chaos, The Salvation Army was there serving those in need immediately after the earthquake hit. The  Army has been serving in Haiti since 1950.

With the help of supporters, The Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO) has had the privilege to work side by side with The Salvation Army Haiti to help the people survivors recover and rebuild. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, 8 million meals were served. 30,000 clinic visits were provided. Shelters were opened. Medical care was provided for more than 30,000 patients, and shelter and hygiene support for 20,000 people living homeless in the Place de la Paix square.

In the initial nine months of emergency response after the disaster, The Salvation Army used their resources to feed and house, provide medical care, clean water, and security to hundreds of thousands of individuals and families.

“This program changed my life completely,” one Haitian man who has been helped by The Salvation Army says. “Before, I was like a car with no lights. Now I have something to help me protect and provide for my family.”

As time passed and the response moved from emergency lifesaving efforts to recovery, The Salvation Army set up a Haiti Recovery and Development Office in September of 2011 to develop and implement recovery projects to build back “ better”.

Over the past 5 years, The Salvation Army has put additional resources to focus on recovery in three primary areas:

• Long-term housing reconstruction projects for displaced families, which also include vocational training and income generation and capacity building strategically located in the North, South and West of Haiti.
• Primary Health Care focused on Port-au-Prince and Fond-de-Negre.
• Integrated community development programs implemented in 50 communities throughout Haiti. The integrated community development program is helping communities programs address concerns such as clean water, income generation, access to education and food security. It is also helping to develop infrastructure to mitigate future disasters.

The Salvation Army has been in Haiti for over 60 years, providing spiritual and social services throughout the country with over 70 centers of operation. The Army oversees the operation of 48 schools serving nearly 12,000 students, a primary healthcare and nutrition center, a children’s home, a hospital and dispensary, HIV/AIDS programming and more than 60 churches and church plants.

The Salvation Army facilities in Haiti sustained major damage during the January 2010 earthquake. In the city of Port-au-Prince, the main compound that housed its headquarters, College Verena – which is responsible for the education of more than 1,500 area children, a health clinic, a large corps and staff housing were largely damaged. Development is currently underway on rebuilding and equipping The Salvation Army to better accomplish its mission of supporting the poorest of the poor in Haiti.

While there is still work to do, The Salvation Army Haiti remains committed to the communities it serves in the aftermath of devastation, and appreciates the continued support of friends and donors. To support service efforts in Haiti, please consider donating to The Salvation Army World Service Office https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/SAWSO. To learn more, visit http://salvationarmyhaiti.org/.