Disaster Relief and Livelihood Support in Haiti
Peace Winds began support activities in Haiti after a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck just west of the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, in January 2010. Peace Winds has remained active in Haiti since then and currently has an office in Les Cayes in the southern department.
Natural Disaster Relief
Beginning in 2019, Peace Winds worked with local carpenters and masons to construct six community centers in Les Cayes. In the event of hurricanes, storms, earthquakes, or other natural disasters, the buildings serve as short-term evacuation sites, and each is equipped with solar electricity with batteries and inverters enabling charging of mobile phones, radios, and computers even when electricity is scarce.
Peace Winds’ community centers proved to be essential in the wake of one of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the southern part of the country on August 14, 2021. Haitians were able to shelter there while Peace Winds delivered much-needed essentials such as food, water, tents, blankets, and hygiene kits.
Our teams have remained active in providing long-term support after the earthquake as well. In 2022, Peace Winds supported families whose homes had been destroyed by helping to clear debris, distributing home repair kits to more than 1,600 families, and providing briefing sessions so Haitians would know how to use the kits to repair their homes. Peace Winds also assisted disabled Haitians–many of whom became disabled due to injuries following the earthquake–by donating 140 mobility aids, including walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, and canes, to people with disabilities.
In addition to providing relief after natural disasters, Peace Winds is involved in disaster preparedness activities so that Haitians can be prepared ahead of time. In Peace Winds’ disaster workshops, residents participate in evacuation drills with local experts and learn how to use community centers as shelters in the event of a storm or earthquake.
Disaster preparedness training at a Peace Winds community center in Haiti
Ongoing Livelihoods Activities in Haiti
When community centers aren’t being used as emergency shelters, they serve as educational centers for Haitian youth and women’s groups. Peace Winds works with local partners to provide vocational training in subjects including tailoring, fishing, and cashew and peanut processing. In addition to learning skills in these subjects, participants learn business and marketing skills, helping them create packaging for their products and sell them at local markets.
Check out the blog posts below to read more about specific activities in Haiti, and click here to make a donation and read the activity reports.
Women’s group after a cashew & peanut processing training course
