Haiti
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Photo: Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps
Our strategy
Transition from emergency assistance to long-term support that helps rural communities, entrepreneurs and youth to build a stronger, more self-sufficient country.
The context
The January 2010 earthquake dealt a tragic blow to a country where 55 percent of the population already lived below a poverty line of $1 a day. Still struggling to rebuild, many families have no means to support themselves. Harmful environmental practices have also harmed the country's vital agricultural land, decreasing production and leading to increased food insecurity.
Our work
- Emergency response: Reached more than 1 million people with emergency supplies, clean water, cholera prevention and temporary jobs immediately after the January 2010 earthquake
- Economic opportunity: Helping women start small businesses to support their families — and protecting them from future disasters with affordable microinsurance
- Agriculture & Food: Boosting farmers' harvests and helping rural communities organize for improved production
- Environment: Promoting sustainable land use practices and establishing alternative fuel sources that provide jobs
- Children & Youth: Using soccer to teach leadership, gender awareness, conflict resolution skills and HIV/AIDS prevention education
All stories about Haiti
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Haiti: Why it's better to donate cash than canned goods January 15, 2010
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Haiti: Mercy Corps and Haiti get the "Colbert Bump" January 15, 2010
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Haiti: We met our Nike challenge! January 15, 2010
Yesterday, Nike generously offered us $25,000 to match donations to our Haiti Earthquake Fund. We met this match in record time — thanks to all who contributed!
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Haiti: Getting water to survivors January 15, 2010
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Haiti: What magic is all about January 14, 2010
I’m sitting here — way after regular working hours would have ended on a Thursday — typing away on my laptop, trying to help raise money for the Haiti earthquake response.
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Haiti: Lighting a candle for Haiti January 14, 2010
The crowd grew. Candles lit children's faces. A Haitian-American woman stood up and started to to talk about the earthquake. She lamented that she had not been able to contact her family and had no idea if any of them were alive. She choked up, and couldn’t continue as grief overwhelmed her.
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Haiti: Meet our Haiti response team January 14, 2010
The first members of our emergency-response team are headed to the quake zone, where they'll quickly assess needs and begin delivering relief to affected families.
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Haiti: Ready to lead January 14, 2010
There just aren’t that many people as qualified to lead an emergency response team as Richard Jacquot. And today, Mercy Corps is counting on him to lead our disaster relief and recovery efforts in earthquake-struck Haiti.
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Haiti: Satellite images of the destruction January 14, 2010
Here are three satellite images that detail the scale of the destruction in Port-au-Prince. The images include the National Palace, Downtown Port-au-Prince and Sylvio Cator Stadium.
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Haiti: Humanitarian veteran Jenny Vaughan prepares to depart for Haiti January 13, 2010
One of our Boston-based staff, Jenny Vaughan, is headed to Haiti first thing Thursday morning as part of Mercy Corps' earthquake response team. Jenny has been with Mercy Corps for two years and is currently working with our Conflict Management program.