HAITI: mother-baby tents established to protect the youngest survivors of the quake

Port-au-Prince - Amidst the camps for earthquake survivors in Port-au-Prince, Action Against Hunger | ACF-International has established multiple mother-baby centres specifically designed to provide a range of services to mothers with young children, including a safe environment for breastfeeding, as well as medical, nutritional and psychological support. Some 5,000 mothers and their infants will receive assistance in these makeshift tents.



Action Against Hunger is targeting mothers with children under six months, who are vulnerable to malnutrition, as well as diseases resulting from contaminated water supplies and poor hygiene. Breast-milk contains a high concentration of antibodies and helps protect young children from infection. The centres are also designed to provide a sense of security for mothers and children recovering from trauma.



“Breastmilk is vital for a baby’s health, especially in an acute crisis situation such as this” said Lucile Grosjean, a spokesperson for Action Against Hunger in Haiti. “It is the best way to ensure a child is nourished and feels safe and protected. Breast milk contains a high number of antibodies and helps protect young children from infection. The centres are also designed to help mothers relax under these difficult circumstances.”



A woman named Helene arrived this weekend at one of our breastfeeding centres in the devastated Canape-Vert district of Port-au-Prince. Her baby was born in the street without any medical support. Due to the unhygienic conditions, the baby quickly developed conjunctivitis. Helene is now living in a makeshift tent with her 13 day old baby and her other children but is struggling to deal with a newborn in such difficult conditions. Upon arrival, Julie, a trained psychologist who runs the centre alongside her colleague Pierre, immediately performed a quick medial assessment and provided Helene with clean drinking water, food and a mat to lie on. With around-the-clock care, Helene’s baby is now recovering and Helene is breastfeeding her child successfully.



Before Action Against Hunger established these centres, Chantal, another young mother, scavenged for food and water for her three-month-old baby Cassandra among the rubble-strewn streets of Port-au-Prince. Now, she has a place to rest while she breastfeeds her child and receives additional nutritional support and hygiene instruction.



Action Against Hunger encourages mothers to visit these tents daily or as needs arise. Soon the centres will transform into nurseries where mothers can play with their children, engage in soothing activities like sewing and basket making, and embark on the long road to recovery.



Our team of nutritionists make regular visits to each of the nursing centres. “These centres are a real help to mothers in a crisis situation like this,” said Uwimama, Action Against Hunger’s nutrition coordinator. “In an emergency situation, young infants need special care. In addition, the bond between a mother and her child is really important for the child’s development and well-being. Mothers are traumatised so it is crucial to give them support and a feeling of security.”

Testimonies from Haiti: Resilience and mobilisation sets the mood - even in the most desperate of communities

By Lucile Grosjean, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Here in Croix Deprez the mood is resilient and strong. I witness those who have lost everything, and are living day-to-day on the bare minimum. However, despite catastrophic circumstances, there is a real, heartfelt sense of community spirit, the pulling together in the name of national solidarity.

Today I met Serge Felix, a young 30 year old father. Luckily, Serge was at the barbers when the quake hit – his house was completely destroyed, and had he been there….he may not be alive today. With his head half shaven, as a result from the quake, he says:

“The clothes that I was wearing are the only things I have. I want to find a job to meet the needs of my family, and to make my contribution to those in need. Before the earthquake, I wanted to leave my country in order to do a Masters in Human Sciences, and then find work. Now everything has changed. I have solid training, I already have 10 years professional experience; I can help my country. So, without question, I must stay here to help. I am ready for anything now.”

True to his word, Serge is currently helping his community by assisting with Action Against Hunger’s relief efforts. He has already helped install a waterpoint near the refugee camp in Croix Deprez, and is distributing water units to his fellow survivors.

The same surge of solidarity can also be felt in Gonaïves, situated five hours North of Port au Prince. With a town barely recovered from the huge cyclones of 2008, and the community now faced with further destruction, locals are refusing to give into the situation, and those that can, are giving everything they have to those worse off. As such, gifts of clothes, toys and tools have all arrived at the Action Against Hunger office in the Gonaïves.

This mark of generosity and overall feeling of national solitary, in the face of adversity, gives me hope in a country so crippled by tragedy.


Action Against Hunger has launched a public emergency appeal. Call 08456 003618 or click here

Action Against Hunger extends programmes to towns outside Port-au-Prince

Port-au-Prince – One week since the devastating earthquake struck Haiti, it is now a race against time to provide access to clean, safe drinking water to the survivors. Action Against Hunger | ACF International is already providing safe drinking water to 40,000 individuals in the neighbourhoods of Champs de Mars and Canape-Vert while finalising the setting up of additional water reservoirs in the stadium and the Croix de Pres district. The organisation’s teams are also finalising preparations to set up water reservoirs and rehabilitate water points in Leogane, 30 kilometres west of the capital. The water network in the region had already been seriously damaged during the cyclones of 2008, and with 80% of the city destroyed, some 125,000 quake survivors are in desperate need.



“Our 120 strong-team is working with local communities to manage the security and effective distribution of water at all water points,” said Action Against Hunger’s Lucile Grosjean in Haiti. “Four community members are nominated to join each water management committee, in charge of running the distributions. By involving local volunteers, Action Against Hunger ensures the effective delivery of water to those in desperate need.”



Meanwhile, the organisation’s teams in the neighbouring town of Gonaives, which has seen a massive influx of people from Port-au-Prince, have started to distribute water to hospitals and health centres. “Not a single drop of water is currently available in the K-Soleil hospital,” reported Lucile Grosjean on Tuesday. “Doctors and nurses have no water to wash their hands and patients are desperately thirsty. Relatives are trying to buy water in the streets, but with little money available and prices doubling in most regions, it is nearly impossible to find drinking water.”



Action Against Hunger is also finalising preparations to launch food distributions, despite facing severe logistical problems, including fuel shortages and the hugely congested airport. 45 metric tons of protein biscuits to provide for the nutritional needs of 18,000 children under five years old are currently being transported from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince, and will be distributed from tomorrow onwards.





Action Against Hunger has launched a public emergency appeal. Call 08456 003618 or click here

Haiti: Access to Water and Sanitation Urgently Needed

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI — Less than 48 hours after a massive quake devastated parts of western Haiti, Action Against Hunger’s teams already on the ground have fully mobilised to meet humanitarian needs. External emergency experts from Action Against Hunger | ACF International have also arrived to reinforce relief efforts already taking place, assess needs, and set up programs to assist disaster victims.

Action Against Hunger’s top priority is access to safe water and sanitation, and the organization is especially concerned about controlling epidemics, as large swaths of the population are living on the streets among the deceased. This massive population of homeless people has no access to adequate sanitation, including latrines, which greatly increases their risk of disease.

While conditions make it extremely difficult to carry out accurate assessments—with more than 80% destruction in certain parts of Port-au-Prince—ACF’s initial response will ensure access to clean water and sanitation, nutritional support for children (especially infants under six months of age), distributions of food rations, public health and hygiene promotion, and mental health services for at least the next several months. Emergency stocks of water and sanitation supplies have arrived from ACF’s programs in the nearby city of Gonaïves. These water treatment stations, vehicles, and communications equipment will enable the organization to begin mitigating the enormous water and sanitation challenges facing the Haitian population.

In response to the urgent need for additional emergency water and sanitation supplies, Action Against Hunger has partnered with Airbus to send an A340 cargo plane with 150 metric tons of material to Haiti, including: flexible water tanks, latrines, emergency units of water treatment, jerry cans, drinking water kits, computers and communications equipment, and an additional team of four technical experts.

Action Against Hunger expresses its appreciation to Airbus for their support in sending cargo and to Aquassistance for their provision of units of water treatment in response to the crisis in Haiti.

Action Against Hunger has implemented programmes in Haiti since 1985, carrying out emergency measures in the areas of health and nutrition. Since 2001, ACF has focused primarily on food security and water, sanitation, and hygiene programs in both emergency and development contexts in Port de Paix, Gonaives, Anse Rouge and Jeremiah.

Action Against Hunger has launched a public emergency appeal. Call 08456 003618 or click here...

Read more about Action Against Hunger's response to the earthquake in Haiti