Overview:
Bypassing the Haitian government to provide relief after Hurricane Melissa, organizations such as World Vision and Direct Relief, the United Nations and Canada have mobilized nearly $10 million in funding, emergency supplies, medical care and food to local groups and authorities.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s deadly passage, a number of organizations announced they will provide funds, supplies and support to groups in Haiti closest to victims instead of going through the Haitian government. Totalling nearly $10 million, the aid will cover emergency supplies, hygiene kits, medical care, and food for Haiti and other affected nations.
Working alongside Haiti’s Civil Protection Directorate, the international organizations have already begun relief efforts in the regions most affected by Melissa. In Petit-Goâve, the hardest hit area that lost 23 of the 30 lives reported killed by the storm, both non-governmental organizations (NGO) and foreign governments say they are aiming to support grieving families and survivors directly.
“The funds mentioned [are] not given to the Haitian government,” Guy Faubert Vital-Herne, a communication manager at World Vision International – Haiti, told The Haitian Times. “They are managed directly by World Vision Haiti to respond quickly and effectively to the needs of the most affected families.”
Meanwhile, the Haitian government, operating as a provisional council, has mobilized three disaster management and recovery units.
Melissa’s toll beyond the dead
On Saturday, Haiti continues to count its victims. According to the Director General of Civil Protection, Emmanuel Pierre, 10 of the 30 confirmed dead are children. Twenty have been reported missing and another 20 sustained injuries. Pierre said the toll may rise once Civil Protection authorities begin to access previously unreachable disaster areas.
With more than 1,046 homes flooded and sections of roads cut off or blocked by landslides, about 2,400 families, totaling 15,861 people, are staying in shelters, Pierre said.
Melissa’s aftermath remains difficult also for residents of the Artibonite whose farms were destroyed and for people living in displacement camps in the capital. In the Southeast, at least four suspected cholera-related deaths have been reported, highlighting the risk of a resurgence of the disease in the region.
About $4 million slated for Haiti
Filling the void are organizations mobilizing aid with local partners, though travel restrictions to the country and within Haiti have slowed deployment. As of Saturday, approximately $4.3 million of the nearly $9.5 million allocated is specifically slated for Haiti.
World Vision Haiti announced support for families in the Great South region. It plans to disburse $300,000, relocate vulnerable families to emergency shelters and assist 3,000 households by distributing hygiene, food and child protection kits.
Direct Relief has announced an initial $250,000 commitment for Hurricane Melissa relief in Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba that it will manage independently. Working with local partners such as NGOs, clinics and hospitals, Direct Relief’s funds are used to supply essential medicines, support community health centers and distribute emergency medical equipment.
The United Nations activated its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) plan for Haiti, which includes a $4 million donation. Véronique Durroux-Malpartida, head of the regional office, stated that the assistance was provided in advance of the hurricane based on the forecasts. These funds are not given directly to the Haitian government but are managed by UN agencies such as the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The UN’s humanitarian assistance is carried out in coordination with national and departmental authorities, particularly the Directorate General of Civil Protection (DGPC).
“Thanks to the funds disbursed, UN agencies were able to deliver assistance ahead of the storm’s landfall,” Durroux-Malpartida told The Haitian Times. “The CERF channels resources directly to United Nations agencies, which in turn assist people identified as most at risk of being impacted by the hurricane—based on vulnerability data from the MAST system and agency assessments.”
Canada also joined humanitarian efforts by providing $7 million Canadian dollars, about $5 million USD, to support relief operations in the Caribbean after Hurricane Melissa. The country stated that the bulk will be allocated to partners for food, water, health, and logistics, while some will fund the WFP’s regional center.
The United States has not yet announced specific financial support for Haiti or other affected countries. Its focus is on the rapid deployment of Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DART) and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams to the hardest-hit areas in Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba. Assistance includes essential supplies, logistical support for relief operations, rapid assessment of humanitarian needs and guidance on transferring donations to humanitarian organizations that enable faster on-the-ground aid.
Meanwhile, across the diaspora, from Florida to New York, people of Jamaican and Haitian descent are mobilizing to deliver emergency supplies to communities. According to an Associated Press report, Haitian Americans are tirelessly working to support their country, with many urging donors to prioritize verified Haitian NGOs to ensure that aid reaches the most vulnerable communities.
Haitian government promises support, but no funds
The Haitian government also mobilized in response to Hurricane Melissa, although no specific funds have been announced. On Oct. 29, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé brought together members of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), the government, the Civil Protection, and the Haitian National Police to coordinate with humanitarian partners and international donors on the country’s disaster response.
At least three institutions have been mobilized to assist the victims, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. The Ministry of Public Works, Transport, and Communications (MTPTC) is tasked with clearing roads and repairing damaged infrastructure. The Ministry of Agriculture is assessing agricultural losses and proposing recovery measures. Meanwhile, the Economic and Social Assistance Fund (FAES) is distributing food, drinking water, and hygiene kits to affected families.
Haiti’s National Committee for Risk and Disaster Management is also continuing to coordinate efforts among ministries, local authorities, the Haitian Red Cross, and technical and humanitarian partners.
Reporter Danise Davide Lejusta in Jacmel contributed to this article.
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