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Emergency Response to Haiti Earthquake:
Disaster Relief in Cite Soleil
“Relief work was not our founding mission, however INURED has taken leadership in disaster relief in Cite Soleil. International aid agencies and governments operating in large centers do not have deep reach and networks in densely populated shantytowns like Cite Soleil. That’s why it’s so important to invest in local institutions too. INURED is an agency with respected leadership, transparent resource allocation, and infrastructure to provide relief.”
– Louis Herns Marcelin, Chair, INURED
Despite unprecedented generosity in response to the earthquake we see incredible disparities in the distribution of aid on the ground. Low-income communities that were overlooked prior to the earthquake have continued to be neglected in aftermath of the earthquake.
To ensure that no community is forgotten, the Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development (INURED) has established the Emergency Response Fund to provide immediate relief in Cité Soleil, Port-au-Prince largest slum, and other hard-to-reach low-income neighborhoods in Haiti. With the INURED’s track record of working in and with communities in greatest need, the Emergency Response Fund will help ensure communities like Cité Soleil are not neglected during the relief effort.
INURED needs your support today. Your gift can help INURED address the following needs of survivors in Cité Soleil and other hard-to-reach-areas:
Strengthen Communication. The communication infrastructure in Haiti was virtually destroyed in the earthquake. Without reliable communication networks, it has been impossible to coordinate the delivery of life-saving supplies and aid to victims on the ground. As such, with your help, INURED will reestablish much needed communication networks by purchasing and strategically distributing satellite phones and two-way radios.
Distribute Medical Care & Life-Saving Supplies. Communities like Cité Soleil have been largely overlooked and have not received medical care or supplies. As such, INURED will work in hard-to-reach areas to distribute anti-malaria nets, antibiotics, water-purification tablets/kits, and blankets as well as coordinate the provision of medical and mental health services by trained workers in local relief camps.
Coordinate Transportation. With debris-filled and narrow and unpaved roads, communities like Cité Soleil have received little aid and attention due to difficulties in transporting people and goods in and out of the neighborhood. INURED will work with residents and our large network of supporters to coordinate and mobilize the use of motorcycles and cars for the common good in Cité Soleil until the roads are cleared.
Act as Liaisons. Vast disparities in the distribution of supplies and medical services have exacerbated existing tensions and anxieties amongst survivors. With frustrations rising, at times the relationship between international relief workers and residents can become strained. INURED, with its staff of 12 and 80 leaders, will serve as local liaisons to relief workers and development workers in areas that are otherwise unsafe and present challenges to entry. In the coming weeks, the Institute will play a crucial part in helping transfer Cité Soleil’s 350,000 residents into the temporary camps.
INURED is uniquely positioned to coordinate recovery efforts in Cité Soleil neighborhoods. The physical structure of the Institute remains intact in Delmas 83, Port-au-Prince and acts as a hub for aid workers and community leaders. The Institute has established close rapport amongst major national and international institutions as well as an organic relationship in the local communities. INURED knows from experience that looting and crime can be avoided if and only if community leaders are included in the recovery process. As Haiti makes the transition from immediate relief to long-term recovery, INURED will help drive to investment in a manner that is just and sustainable.
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| The Family and Youth Community Research Center, a 501(c) (3) institution, serves the Institute in Haiti as the US custodial institution - EIN number: is 31-1796935 - DLN: 205152001. |
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