Haiti (MNN) ― Humanitarian shelter in Haiti is in a scramble for time. There is less than a month to go before the start of the rainy season.
However, the end of February announced itself in heavy rains that caused flooding and deadly mudslides. By Tuesday, there was still standing water in many homes.
Fleeing from conditions either unsafe or unsanitary, these refugees swelled the ranks of others who were seeking refuge from the quake in Port-au-Prince. Authorities estimate more than a million are without shelter.
Food for the Hungry is focusing on creating shelter, child-friendly spaces and cash-for-work programs in areas where people are flocking for refuge away from the capital.
The communities of focus for FH's relief work are: Bellevue La Montagne, Siloe, Kenscoff and Aux Cadets. More than 50,000 displaced people are in these communities, and more than 120,000 people are affected.
The recovery program led by Food for the Hungry is meant to help affected families remain in their home communities. The team is helping these people re-establish a routine as well as lay a foundation for further recovery.
This approach will serve as an alternative to the large temporary camps being constructed for displaced people. Tent cities meet immediate needs but cannot address long-term recovery.
A deeply-spiritual people, the trauma has brought questions to many. FH is also training pastors and church leaders in holistic Biblical worldview, child protection, gender-based violence prevention, psychosocial care, disaster preparedness and community organization. Teams are also providing grief counseling services to help communities cope with trauma.
Even as revival breaks out, FH is training church leaders and pastors to be the hands and feet of Christ. They need your help. Click here.
