UNICEF responds in Haiti in wake of Hurricane Gustav
Massive storm forces 6,300 people from their homes in one of the world's poorest countries
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (August 29, 2008) — An estimated 6,300 Haitians, mostly city-dwellers from Port-au-Prince, Jacmel and Leogane, were forced from their homes by Hurricane Gustav as torrential rains pounded the deforested southern peninsula of the country on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"The population of Haiti is already suffering from extreme poverty, and soaring food prices are aggravating the situation," says Annamaria Laurini, UNICEF Representative in Haiti. "Whenever a natural disaster such as Gustav hits the region, the consequences of its impact are amplified."
With nearly 45 percent of the country's population under the age of 18, children are among those most affected by the grinding poverty, high food prices and now a substantial natural disaster striking the country.
UNICEF, the World Food Program (WFP) and their partners are working with the government to ascertain the extent of the damage and to determine what actions are required to assist those affected. While humanitarian access to most of the disaster areas has improved as weather conditions have slowly begun to return to normal, damaged roads and insecurity still impede rapid assessment of some areas.
Of special concern to Laurini is the impact the hurricane may have on schools. Only 51 percent of girls and 48 percent of boys of primary school age attend school in Haiti, and in a country faced with such immense challenges, education represents a key source of hope for the future. Too many Haitian families are already being faced, this year, with a decision no family should ever have to make: whether to feed their children, or whether to send them to school. While a UNICEF initiative aims to help get children back into school in Haiti as the new school year begins, the effects of the hurricane may be disruptive.
"If schools are seriously damaged or used as temporary shelter, this could seriously delay children's return to school, which is due in about a week," says Laurini.
About UNICEF
For more than 60 years, UNICEF has been the world's leading international children's organization, working in over 150 countries to address the ongoing issues that affect why kids are dying. UNICEF provides lifesaving nutrition, clean water, education, protection and emergency response saving more young lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. While millions of children die every year of preventable causes like dehydration, upper respiratory infections and measles, UNICEF, with the support of partnering organizations and donors alike, has the global experience, resources and reach to give children the best hope of survival. For more information about UNICEF, please visit www.unicefusa.org.
For more information, contact:
Richard Alleyne, The U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 212.880.9177, ralleyne@unicefusa.org
