Haiti
Haiti Earthquake Response
Rooftops Canada is in contact with Canadian, US and international agencies about how best to respond to the massive homelessness created by the tragic earthquake in Haiti. The immediate priority is survival – food, water, medical care, tents and tarps are among the most urgent necessities. Rooftops Canada urges Canadians to support the relief effort by contributing to large humanitarian agencies such as the Canadian Red Cross. The Canadian government matched donations made before February 12, 2010 dollar for dollar.
The next step is to support the transition from basic survival to recovery. This includes repairing viable housing and building temporary homes where families can live during the recovery period. Urban unemployment was very high even before the earthquake. Reconstruction can help to generate livelihoods and develop new skills. This can be done by employing people in the clean up of their community, repairing and installing water and other basic infrastructure, and building earthquake resistant housing, clinics and schools.
Rooftops Canada has worked in other post-disaster contexts including Turkey, Rwanda, Central America and Aceh, Indonesia where we designed and initiated the Canadian Red Cross post-tsunami housing program. Coordination is key to reconstruction efforts. We expect to partner with other organizations to provide some of the housing experience that will be needed in the coming months and years. We will need your support for this effort.
We will keep our partners and supporters informed through our website and e-bulletins.
For more information or to offer your assistance, please contact info@rooftops.ca or visit www.rooftops.ca.
Related Link:
Rebuiliding Haiti [April 2010]
