DEC Haiti Appeal reaches £46 million

Press release 25 January 2010

Donations continue to flood into the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) almost two weeks on from the devastating earthquake in Haiti. An extra 4 million pounds was donated over the weekend alone, bringing the total the £46 million.

Brendan Gormley, Chief Executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee commented:

“Thanks to the generosity of the British public, our member agency staff and partners are working round the clock to bring food, water, shelter and medical care to tens of thousands of Haitians.

“But the needs continue remain huge. The aid effort will continue for many years to come, as we help people to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. So if you haven’t already given, I urge you dig deep. It’s not too late to help.”

Since Friday, DEC member agencies work has included:

Care

  • Five water bladders have been established at clean water distribution points, with water provided daily to some 10,000 people. Care has also provided water purification packets to 3,000 people.

Concern

  • Work continues on building latrines, which will benefit 15,000 people.
  • Concern is working in a camp of 4,000 people to provide emergency nutrition support to children and vulnerable adults.

Save the Children

  • Today, Save the Children will distribute food, blankets and plastic sheeting to 600 families in Leogane.
  • Thanks to new water bladders, some 2,200 people have had clean water in recent days in Lakou Issa and Theatre National camps in PAP.
  • Latrines are being built and repaired in PAP and Jacmel, enabling some 3,600 access to a safe toilet.
  • 11 Child Friendly Spaces are up and running in PAP and Jacmel, providing activities for over 3,500 children in the last week.

Tearfund

  • Tearfund’s local partner, World Relief, is providing hot meals of rice, beans and porridge to 1,400 people each day.
  • Medical staff continue to treat injured people at World Relief’s 300-bed Kings Hospital, in Port-au-Prince. Its three operating theatres are working around the clock.

To make a donation to the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal visit www.dec.org.uk or call 0370 60 60 900, donate over the counter at any post office or high street bank, or send a cheque made payable to ‘DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal’ to ‘PO Box 999, London, EC3A 3AA’.

Anyone wanting to stay up to date with developments in Haiti, the emergency response and the fundraising efforts can follow the DEC on twitter at http://twitter.com/decappeal or become a fan of ‘Disasters-Emergency-Committee-DEC’ on Facebook.

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Notes to editors:

  • To make a postal donation make cheques payable to ‘DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal’ and mail to ‘PO Box 999, London, EC3A 3AA
  • Donations can be made at any high street bank, or at a Post Office by quoting Freepay 1449.
  • Text “GIVE” to 70077 to give £5 to the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal. £5 goes to the DEC. You pay £5 plus the standard network SMS rate.
  • The DEC consists of: Action Aid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund, World Vision.
  • The DEC criteria to launch an appeal are: The disaster must be on such a scale and of such urgency as to call for swift International humanitarian assistance. The DEC agencies, or some of them, must be in a position to provide effective and swift humanitarian assistance at a scale to justify a national Appeal. There must be reasonable grounds for concluding that a public appeal would be successful, either because of evidence of existing public sympathy for the humanitarian situation or because there is a compelling case indicating the likelihood of significant public support should an appeal be launched.

Disasters Emergency Committee Press Office

020 7387 0200 or 07930 999 014 (out of hours)

www.dec.org.uk