Food for the Hungry’s program will provide a comprehensive response to provide vital support to 45 vulnerable and marginalized communities across Haiti.
Phoenix, Arizona (November 22, 2022) – Food for the Hungry (FH) has started emergency distributions of 9,000 cholera kits, in direct response to the complex multi-factor humanitarian crisis that has unfolded in Haiti, consisting not only of an aggressive resurgence of the cholera disease, but also volatile large-scale demonstrations, violent gang activities (including the proliferation of gender-based violence), and the closing of the majority of schools, which are yet to reopen. The current crisis has been compounded by wide-spread fuel scarcity and acutely high inflation rates.
FH’s response is directed towards supporting 45 communities across Haiti, comprising 9,000 households (including more than 45,000 children), and 200 church organizations. FH’s principal objectives in the region are to prevent the spread of cholera through community outreach, provide educational materials to children unable to attend school due to ongoing violence, and reduce food insecurity, which is currently affecting half of the Haitian population.
The organization is prioritizing distribution of water purification tools, providing training to those responsible for handling food and other key community actors, establishing sanitation facilities across affected communities, hosting epidemic awareness sessions at a community level, and circulating educational materials to ensure continued education during this emergency.
The combined political, security and fiscal crises have naturally complicated the country’s epidemiological surveillance and control of the disease outbreak. As of 1 November 2022, there had been 2,942 hospitalized suspected cases and 89 registered deaths of cholera. While to date, confirmed cases remain localized to three departments Artibonite, Centre, and Ouest, the epidemic is expected to spread to further regions. “After witnessing the devastating consequences of the last outbreak of cholera in 2010 — which killed approximately 10,000 of the Haitian population — Food for the Hungry understands the urgency of this humanitarian crisis and with its established on-the-ground partnerships, is well positioned to deliver support to remote, coastal and mountainous communities” said Boby Sander, FH’s Haiti Country Director.
Separately, FH has committed additional resources to reducing food insecurity of highly vulnerable households in Haiti. This includes cash transfers of $252 per household ($84 per month during three months) to 800 households. The beneficiaries of this effort are the most vulnerable communities and have been specifically selected to move them from poverty.
Food for the Hungry Haiti (FHH) has been operating in Haiti since 2007 through its emergency and
development programs providing health, nutrition, and WASH education, livelihoods. FHH has reached
over 96,000 direct and 610,000 indirect beneficiaries, including 350,000 people with HIV education,
20,000 individuals through a community health worker (CHW) training program, more than 237,000 with
relief support after the 2010 earthquake, over 240,000 with cholera prevention messages, and after the
2021 earthquake.
Media Contact
Yulu Public Relations
[email protected]
About Food for the Hungry
Food for the Hungry (FH) is a Christian humanitarian organization ending all forms of human poverty by
providing life-changing development programs, disaster relief, and advocacy. For over 50 years, FH has
been working to respond to human suffering and graduate communities from extreme poverty into
self-sustainability within a decade. By creating context-specific solutions in education, agriculture, health,
livelihood, clean water, and disaster risk reduction, the nonprofit focuses on transformational
development, investing in children as the key to lift entire communities out of poverty. With 99% of staff
working in their country of origin, FH works side by side with local leaders, churches, and families to
implement innovative solutions. The organization currently serves in over 20 countries worldwide. For
more information, follow FH on Instagram and Twitter, or visit www.fh.org
link