Concern grows in hurricane hit Haiti

Neil Fetherstonhaugh

TWO Dubliners working with Concern Worldwide are in the thick of relief efforts in Haiti, where over 1.4 million people need immediate humanitarian aid and the death toll continues to rise in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.

Seasoned aid workers, Peter Doyle, from Ballinteer, and Graham Woodcock, from Glasnevin, flew to Haiti last week as part of Concern’s Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) and are currently distributing vital emergency supplies to those worst affected.

They joined the 106 Concern staff already in Haiti, led by Country Director Nellie Kingston who has been coordinating with other aid agencies and the local Haitian authorities as they transport vital supplies to the storm’s survivors by air, sea and road.  

 Speaking from Haiti, Concern’s Emergency Response Manager, Peter Doyle, said: “Many houses have been destroyed and people are in dire need of assistance. 

 “People need shelter and those who lost their crops need help to start again and get food to eat. 

 “Many have no money to buy goods. Roads have been destroyed so we have had to use boats to get to badly hit areas. 

 “Haiti never seems to get a break,” Peter added. “It has had coup d’états, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and cholera outbreaks – the country seems to be constantly threatened by various hazards, and yet the people remain very resilient.”

Peter, a fluent Haitian Creole speaker, also worked for Concern in Haiti between 2003 and 2006 and has returned twice since then including in 2010 after the earthquake that killed over 300,000 people.

 “Haiti is actually a beautiful country with lots of history, culture and art and would have a lot to offer visitors, but unfortunately it has been hit by disasters such as this,” Peter explained.

His fellow Dubliner, Graham Woodcock, Concern’s logistics advisor, added: “We are getting our supplies to the people worst affected, and distributing items such as soaps, sanitary ware, aqua tablets for purifying water, blankets, and jerry cans, while helping to fix problems with sanitation.”

The François family are just one of hundreds needing help. They evacuated during the hurricane but shortlyafter they lost all their possessions when their home collapsed.

The two Dubliners have worked in many other countries around the world like Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lebanon and Rwanda.

Official figures coming from the UN show that 2.1 million people are affected by the hurricane in a country with a population of 10.1 million.

A massive 13 per cent, or 1.4 million require urgent, immediate aid and assistance over the next three months. 

It is feared that the death toll could rise and there are also significant concerns that there could be a significant cholera epidemic given the grave conditions people are surviving in.

Concern says their main aim is to focus relief efforts in preventing more people from getting the waterborne disease. 

Donations  can be made o www.concern.net/donate/appeals/haiti-hurricane-appeal or by calling Concern directly on Freephone 1850211844.