Children in a Plan child-safe zone In Haiti designed to take their mind off the horror arround them

This money will allow Plan to make significant, long-term improvements to the lives of Haitian children and communities. Plans for recovery and rehabilitation programmes are being put in place and these will cover Plan’s key pillars – education, child rights and protection. They will also have health, livelihoods, water and sanitation and disaster risk reduction elements.

Some highlights of Plan’s response to the disaster in Haiti

January 12th - Because Plan has been working in Haiti for 37 years it was in a position to respond immediately the earthquake struck on January 12.

January 13th - Plan releases US $100,000 of emergency funds, sends disaster response specialists to Haiti. Plan and staff from Dominican Republic to assist.

January 14 - Plan releases more than €500,000 of emergency funds. Roger Yates, Plan Director of disasters and humanitarian response, says: “Of all the countries in the region, Haiti is the most vulnerable… Our priority is assisting children and their families and getting people at risk into safe accommodation wherever possible…”

January 18 - A Plan aid shipment containing 4,000 tents food, clean water and more than 300 family survival kits (each containing items such as soap, towels, cups, flashlights, nappies, toilet paper etc), docks at Jacmel.

January 20 - Plan establishes child- safe zones where children can join in organised games and other activities to give them a break from the misery. These play sessions are vital in helping children to overcome the trauma.

January 22 - Having conducted an assessment of children living in Croix des Bouquets (a suburb of Port Au Prince), Dr Unni Krishnan, Plan’s disaster response expert, says:  “Almost all the mothers told me that their children are waking up four to six times a night screaming” … “What is needed now is a comprehensive approach in which we place children at the centre of the response.”

January 22 -  When I felt the earthquake… I was so scared that I just ran and ran. When I try to sleep, I think about that and I pray to God to not let this happen to us again." These are the words of a16 year old who received assistance from Plan.

January 27 - Students volunteer to help Plan to get aid to 20,000 people in Croix-des-Bouquets. One 22-year-old student said: “Everyone is a victim …  so we have to do something …We are the ones who have to rebuild the country. We couldn’t do this kind of thing before in this country. But I think now we have a chance.”