The British Red Cross is still holding it down on the frontline in Haiti as the dreaded rainy season begins to kick in across the country. A full month after the tragedy unfolded, more than 20 British Red Cross representatives are now in Haiti to helping deliver aid and provide much needed shelter, sanitation and other vital services during this difficult time. With more than 500 workers from 22 countries deployed by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the Haiti relief effort is in full swing but there is still so much to do.
Speaking from Haiti, British Red Cross representative, Sharon Reader, said –
One month on from the quake, the needs are still overwhelmingly real and urgent. We’re now in a race against time to prevent further damage from another potentially catastrophic problem: Haiti’s looming wet season. The rains normally hit the island in mid-February and last for three months. With hundreds of thousands still living in camps, the onset of rain may destroy the sanitation systems we’ve worked so hard to set up and would accelerate the spread of disease. This is a country still very much in crisis and we are going to have to continue to meet basic life-saving needs such as access to clean water and basic shelter for many, many more months to come.
The British Red Cross has equipped a mini digger and flat-pack latrines to help is provide sanitation to 20,000 people currently housed in two camps. As this work continues, the Red Cross is also working in the neighbouring Dominican Republic to help ensure a smooth flow of aid into the quake stricken country. By donating to the British Red Cross, the money raised will help those on the frontline to deal with the crisis as quickly and efficiently as possible.
