Priorities for Earthquake Recovery in Haiti
Summary: So far, over 500,000 people have fled Port-au-Prince for the rural communities in Haiti. This massive exodus to the countryside has put a tremendous strain on rural communities’ needs.
The Lambi Fund staff convened regional assemblies of local peasants to define immediate needs and prioritize rebuilding. The Lambi Fund is focusing on how to sustain the needs for the mid and long term by working with grassroots groups to rebuild, strengthen, and expand sustainable development in the rural areas. As a result, the Lambi Fund of Haiti has begun implementing a four-phase strategy to help rural communities throughout Haiti cope with this mass exodus.
- Phase 1 — Deliver food and essentials to rural communities to help meet the immediate needs of the droves of people who have flooded into rural communities from Port-au-Prince following the earthquake.
- Phase 2 — Build in rural areas. There has been little damage reported in rural areas so Lambi Fund is building 880 latrines to meet the needs of the displaced persons in the rural areas.
- Phase 3 — Expand sustainable agriculture programs. Given that there is a high likelihood that most of those currently migrating to rural communities will stay permanently, there needs to be a dramatic increase in agricultural capacity to meet the increased demand for food. We are expanding the existing sustainable agriculture projects to help meet this demand. It is essential that Haiti's capacity for local food production is strengthened — not diminished — in the wake of this disaster.
- Phase 4 — Increase opportunities for sustainable income and livelihoods for those displaced by the earthquake. Lambi Fund partners with rural grassroots organizations to create sustainable development projects to increase self-sufficiency. These projects are run cooperatively by grassroots organizations and range from animal husbandry to sugar cane and grain mills to community micro-credit funds, to name a few. An increase in these sustainable development projects will provide those uprooted by the earthquake the opportunities to become productive self-sufficient members in their new communities.
Here are some of the specific things the Lambi Fund is doing as part of its response:
- Expand women's program to address the special needs of women (more vulnerable to domestic violence and sexual assault in tent cities but several organized women's groups are standing up for the rights of women and children)
- Support Policy Advocacy program to express voice of the Haitian people in rebuilding Haiti. As foreign corporations and governments jockey for rebuilding contracts, the Haitian voice has been neglected. Haitians must be involved in all facets of rebuilding.
- Help members of peasant groups get food and essentials for their families to re-establish their lives.
- Provide seeds, tools and equipment for peasant groups to plant more crops to feed local communities.
- Recapitalize micro-credit funds run by peasant organizations so that people can replenish and continue their small businesses.
- Build more latrines in rural areas for increased sanitation and less disease.
- Expand sustainable development enterprises such as fish farms, sugar cane mills, pig and goat breeding projects so the displaced persons can become self-sufficient.
- Expand number of rainwater cisterns so people will have a supply of safe drinking water.
- Plant trees critically needed to stabilize topsoil and prevent mudslides.
- Create strong partnerships with a coalition of like-minded groups working together to rebuild Haiti.
- Take a leadership role in advocacy for the voice of the people.
- Support the unique needs of women and their rights.
About the organization: The Lambi Fund of Haiti is a 501(c)(3) organization with offices in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Denver and Miami. Over the past sixteen years The Lambi Fund has supported over 175 peasant-led projects reaching almost two one million Haitians.
The Lambi Fund's mission is to assist the popular democratic movement in Haiti. The Lambi Fund provides financial resources, training and technical assistance to peasant-led community organizations that promote the social and economic empowerment of the Haitian people. As part of its regular programming, Lambi Fund supports new and continuing peasant-led projects all over Haiti including grain mills, seed banks, goat breeding, ox plowing services, fishing, micro-credit funds, irrigation, potable water, irrigation, and reforestation projects
How you can help:
- Donate via cell phone by texting SUPPORT to 50555 to give $10 to Lambi Fund of Haiti
- Send a check to: Lambi Fund of Haiti, PO Box 18955, Washington DC 20036
- Follow Lambi Fund online for updates on recovery efforts in Haiti:
- Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#/LambiFund
- Twitter - http://twitter.com/LambiFund
Support one of the few organizations founded by Haitians and run by Haitians for Haitians. Lambi Fund has been recommended by Google, major news outlets, and philanthropies for donations to help in earthquake recovery. Endorsed by Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator, Lambi Fund has been working in Haiti for the past 16 years.
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Distributed tents and basic supplies to 17 grassroots groups in South (donated by Hope for Haiti)
