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A relief fund has been created for Haiti and donations are being sent directly to purchase food, water, medical supplies, survival kits and tents for shelter. Plans to establish a recovery/rebuilding fund are in progress.
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CNN.com has added Salesian Missions to the approved charities on its “Impact Your World” section of its site.
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Over 200 of our students and personnel were killed.
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This includes students who were in class at the time of the earthquake at our renowned facility, ENAM (National School of Arts & Trades) and were buried in the rubble. They
were all between the ages of 5-17 years old.
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Many of those killed were our best and brightest young women and men studying to be teachers.
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Salesian Missions has been in contact with the UN team to assist in recovery efforts of the bodies under the rubble at ENAM.
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Nineteen people were killed at our “Little Schools” facility (headquartered at ENAM-LAKAY compound).
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In the Little Schools (established by Fr. Bohnen, now deceased) the silence is deafening. The youngsters who were killed and Bro. Sanon, who lost his life with them, have been buried
in a common grave. Among the ruins, pages from school books drift in the warm breeze, chairs, colored pencils, school reports have been scattered among the dust and
the rubble by the earthquake.
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Our church and parish center of Cite Soleil have collapsed.
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The majority of our buildings are completely destroyed, including our vocational school, orphanage and the facility used for meetings and retreats.
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The Italian Navy has offered our Salesians support to remove debris and verify the safety of Salesian facilities still standing.
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Over 13,000 homeless victims are being sheltered in the limited number of our facilities which are stable.
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More than 800 tents have been set-up and 2,000 more have been ordered and are on the way. We are in the process of obtaining sturdier brick structures, that are quick and simple to assemble. These safer and more comfortable structures will provide improved housing for the homeless and can also be used as classrooms for the children.
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We have arranged to have ten generators delivered to Haiti to be used where the need is most critical.
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The UN is providing medical care to refugees at the Salesian Missions location in Carrefour.
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Our Salesians in Spain are deploying a team of doctors and nurses to supply medical care to the many sick and injured.
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An 11-truck convoy with water, dry foods and emergency relief items has arrived in Haiti from La Vega, Dominican Republic. The convoy was escorted by a Dominican Military detail. There is enough food for 20,000 meals.
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Salesian Missions has already sent two freight containers of rice. More rice is on its way from our Salesians in Thailand.
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Salesian Missions has obtained 1 million water purification tablets to be shipped. 300,000 were already delivered. The balance of tablets is en route. Two donated water purification systems have also been delivered and two more are en route. They will be powered by solar panels.
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We are securing warehouse space in the Dominican Republic to store freight containers of food and relief items en route to Haiti.
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We are purchasing several small trucks and a forklift to deliver the food and relief items to the people of Haiti. The Salesians have also received a donation of two mini school buses that will be shipped to Haiti and used to transport children to makeshift classrooms.
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Fr. Mark, director of Salesian Missions, is in Haiti supporting our missionaries and helping coordinate the relief efforts. He delivered satellite phones so they can communicate more effectively.
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Salesian Missions efforts include the assistance of the Salesian Sisters (their facilities in Haiti are also badly damaged) and we have also partnered with other humanitarian organizations.
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Salesian Missions has a water truck moving about the city offering its precious contents to the needy. We have also been able to repair several water pipes at some of our locations and people now have access to clean water.
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Salesian Missions has assessed the needs of the children it serves, for the purposes of obtaining “schools in a box” to help bring a sense of normalcy to the children.
It is estimated that 20,000 children will be served, which means they will need 500-600 schools in a box (purchased through UNICEF). Funds/donations are sought
specifically for this purpose.
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The Salesians are focusing on restoring the education system as fast as possible. This effort consists of constructing temporary classrooms, hiring teachers and other trained personnel, replacing books, desks and other school supplies and providing sanitary toilet facilities. It is essential that the children resume their daily school schedule.
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Soccer balls, basketballs and other sports equipment have been donated and the Salesians will include sports and recreation in the childrens’ schedules to give them much needed happiness and enjoyment.
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A second convoy of food departed the Dominican Republic on January 26th, destined for Haiti. Trucked commodities include rice, beans, water, and dry fish. Additional
trucks of food will be dispatched from the Dominican Republic twice weekly.
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A shipment of medicines has arrived in Santo Domingo and is awaiting customs clearance for transport to Haiti. A medical clinic has been set-up in one of our youth center buildings that remained intact after the quake.
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Transition from emergency relief to reconstruction is expected to begin within the next several weeks. A Salesian team is currently assessing the situation in Haiti.
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Some of our lesser damaged vocational training centers outside of Port-au-Prince are operational again. There are children attending and receiving meals 3 times a day.
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We were able to open a bakery training center and fresh baked bread is being distributed to the hungry in the area.
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Fr. Mark, still in Haiti, reports some improvements but the situation is still
critical. Thousands of people are still sleeping in the streets and tents, food,
water, and medicine supplies are low. Heavy rains are expected to deluge
Haiti in March and April which will hamper progress. There is great fear of the
outbreak of epidemic illness.
