Challenges Remain After Haiti Earthquake, But the UN is Still There
Issue Area: Women & Population, Technology, UN-US Relations, Children’s Health
It’s been six months since the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti, and while much remains to be accomplished, progress has been made through the efforts of UN agencies and our partners since January 12. The UN Foundation immediately reacted to the crisis by pledging financial support to help the UN help Haiti, with on-the-ground communications and infrastructure support, and by telling the UN’s story.
Thousands of people have generously supported our efforts to help the UN, from students and corporations to musicians and parents. In February, the UN Foundation showed the immediate and ongoing efforts of the UN through AMERICAN IDOL, on a special IDOL GIVES BACK episode. The show highlighted season 8 winner Kris Allen and our CEO Kathy Calvin travelling to Haiti to observe the UN’s work first-hand. Kris Allen’s cover of The Beatles’ “Let it Be” was made available on iTunes and all proceeds went to UN recovery efforts.
Recently, the UN Foundation supported the UN Population Fund’s (UNFPA) efforts to protect women in Haiti, by providing more than $250,000 for maternal health kits and solar street lights to keep women safe at night.
Here are more ways the UN Foundation has helped the UN help in Haiti in recent months*:
- A total of $3.9 million raised online and through partners
- $2.4 million granted to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to meet basic survival needs like food, medicine, water, and shelter
- $240,000 granted to the UN Development Program (UNDP) for their Cash-for-Work program, providing Haitians with temporary jobs such as rubble removal and cleanup
- $1 million donation by the UN Foundation in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake
- The UN Foundation and Vodafone Foundation Technology Partnership supported emergency communications deployment and response teams from the World Food Program and Télécoms Sans Frontières
- UN Foundation public health expert Dr. Dan Carucci travelled to Haiti to assess the on-the-ground situation days after the earthquake and communicate Haiti’s needs and the UN’s efforts.
Read our fact sheet on our work in Haiti.
Contribute to the ongoing work of the UN to help Haiti by making a tax-deductible gift.
*Updated July 15, 2010
Add your comment »
Comments