International Relief And Development Awarded Over $6 Million To Help Haitians Rebuild

Main Category: Aid / Disasters
Article Date: 11 Mar 2010 - 1:00 PST

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The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded International Relief and Development (IRD) more than $6 million to help with transitional shelter, sanitation, and infrastructure in Leogane, Haiti. These activities will enable families and communities to achieve long-term recovery and will better prepare local government for future natural disasters.

The yearlong program will provide 28,000 people in Leogane with transitional shelter and access to sanitation facilities, hygiene supplies, and hygiene education. The infrastructure portion will involve a cash for work component, paying community members for rubble removal and clean-up initiatives, small-scale construction projects, drainage and road repair, and water system rehabilitation. Post-earthquake assessments have provided baseline information on damage and family vulnerability. This information will help IRD establish village-based, skilled work teams, who will receive training and share resources to rebuild their communities according to their own need.

"We're thankful that we can continue important recovery work in Haiti," said Adam Koons, IRD Director of Relief, "And we are looking forward to providing training and sharing new reconstruction methods with the people of Leogane in order to help prevent this level of devastation from happening again."

Since the January 12 earthquake, IRD has distributed shelter material for more than 3,000 families, solar flashlights for security patrols, and water. "Our emergency response team departed for Haiti within 36 hours of the earthquake and began driving in relief supplies upon arrival," said Koons. "IRD is committed to helping Haitians get the support they need to get back on their feet."

The IRD team is also working to coordinate the shipment and distribution of more than $9.5 million worth of donated commodities, including medical supplies, medicines, rehydration salts, water purifiers, shelter materials, hygiene kits, and solar-powered lights.

Source
International Relief and Development