A senior representative from Save the Children arrived in Haiti today as part of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's delegation in an effort to accelerate the delivery of aid to the most vulnerable people, children and families. The move comes as Save the Children announced it had so far committed $10.5 million to the Haiti relief effort.
President and CEO of Save the Children America, Charles MacCormack traveling with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said, "It is a race against time to get food, water and medical supplies to the people who for five days now have received very little aid. However, even in the most challenging of situations, Save the Children has been able to deliver urgently needed food, water and medical supplies."
On Sunday a 20-foot container sent from Save the Children's warehouse in the Dominican Republic was delivered to Hope Hospital in Port-au-Prince, allowing the organization to provide 2,200 people with food, water and also medical and hygiene supplies.
Save the Children is also working to set-up Child Friendly Spaces in areas where families have been setting up camp. These areas will ensure the safety of children in the camps and give them the opportunity to play and begin to recover from what the death, injury, and destruction they have witnessed and the lack of necessities they have endured.
"Despite the hardships faced by the Haitians, I have always been impressed by their resilience," said Lee Nelson, Save the Children's country director in Haiti. "We must continue to help however we can and we cannot give up on the hundreds of thousands of people in desperate need."
Since the earthquake on January 12, Save the Children's staff members in Haiti have been responding to the immediate needs of children and families. The aid agency has worked in Haiti since 1978 and has close to 200 staff members in the country.
To Donate to Save the Children's Haiti earthquake emergency appeal:
* call 1800 76 00 11
* visit www.savethechildren.org.au to make a secure online donation
* donate at National Australia Bank nationally
For more information, or to arrange an interview call Ian Woolverton on 0437 355 096