Hurricane Ike has made some big news headlines with its devastation of coastal towns in the USA -- however the hurricane traversed several Caribbean nations first, nations which don't have the cushion of the world's most powerful economy. I'll focus on Haiti because it is the poorest nation in the Americas, and the result of being hit by tropical storms Fay and Hanna and hurricanes Gustav and Ike in just a few weeks has sent the development of the economy back several years. The UN World Food Program has asked for US$54 million to help in the recovery process, but has so far only received $1 million.
How to donate:
Australian charities are focusing on other parts of the world, but there are some international charities you can donate to.
World Food Program
Canadian UNICEF
Red Cross UK
World Vision Emergency Fund -- World Vision doesn't have a Haiti-specific appeal, but its emergency service is present and that can be donated to.
Some facts about the disaster:
-- More than 400 people have been killed in the storms.
-- The coastal city of Gonaives is waist deep in mud
-- Sixty percent of Haiti's food harvest was destroyed.
-- UN officials say about 800,000 people are in dire need of help.
-- Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80 percent of the population living under the poverty line and 54 percent in abject poverty.
More Information:
Famine fears for Haitian city drowning in a sea of mud -- SMH
Haiti warns hurricanes set country back years -- Reuters UK
CIA World Factbook Haiti
Wikipedia Haiti
Revised Red Cross Emergency Appeal PDF
The Red Cross initially set a target of $4 million, and got that mostly covered, but after Ike raised the figure to about $7.6 million.
World Food Program Haiti Fact Sheet PDF
Posted by: James Quintana Pearce
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