DISASTER RELIEF
After the earthquake in August 2010, AMURTEL volunteers distributed tarps to families whose homes were destroyed. Volunteers also created a Child-Friendly Space. Child-friendly spaces help support and protect children by establishing a safe environment to play and learn. Their objective is to restore a sense of normality and continuity to children whose lives have been disrupted. AMURTEL has continued with these and other disaster relief programs through the years as Haiti has faced hurricanes and earthquakes in 2012, 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2021.
Many Haitians in 2010 were forced to leave their homes, to live in precarious settlements or camps. Because of this disaster, other disasters, and economic and political crises, many Haitians continue to live in displacement camps. AMURTEL’s mission is to develop community-based programs and in 2010 we began working with four local Haitian women trained as community organizers. These organizers (or animators, as they are called in Creole) work in the camps helping women organize into committees, performing regular needs assessments, and partnering with the camp leaders to determine relevant interventions.