Haiti: In Need of Help
The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that destroyed Haiti last Tuesday has left the city of Port-au-Prince in ruins. The doctors and people in need are searching for more help. The looters are fighting to death over basic necessities such as toothpaste, and doctors do not have enough of the right tools to save all the injured people they find.
An estimated 200,000 people are dead and 1.5 million people are left without homes. The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) has joined in and brought food for 67,000 people on Sunday and will feed around 97,000 people on Monday. This help is not sufficient, though. Hundreds of thousands are still hungry and struggling to live even after making it through the initial earthquake. The WFP still has to have over 100 million meals in the next 30 days to continue feeding those in need.
The European Union has promised to help Haiti by pledging 606 million in aid and the U.S. has agreed to give 100 million. 1,700 troops are currently in Haiti helping out and will be met by 2,000 Marines expected to arrive Monday (yesterday). 9,000 U.N security officials are also there, working to maintain the peace between the looters and panicked people. The gun fights over supplies are multiplying the craziness of the disaster. Doctors have to focus on surgeries for earthquake victims, and also now the victims of gang violence.
Things in Haiti are not looking up anytime soon. It is predicted that the complete rebuilding of the city will take years if not decades. However, many officials and doctors are not looking into the distant future but are worried about the immediate future of the people of Port-au-Prince.
The United States is filled with organizations that people can make donations to. Most of the popular charities have been working diligently to donate to Haiti. If volunteering your time is something you prefer, there are several opportunities for people of every age to help out. Donate your time, money or blood to the Red Cross. You can even find places accepting clothes donations for the people of Haiti.
Most non-profit organizations need our help in order to maintain a sufficient amount of aid to the people of Haiti. These groups were formed so that citizens like us have somewhere that they can contribute their efforts and time to. It’s up to us to uphold the consistency of help. It’s time to come together as a world in order to rebuild an injured country. Be a part of the fight to save the people of Haiti as they try to recover from this disaster.
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