Earthquake Update
February 19, 2010
Canadian Association Step by Step has been working diligently
with its partner in Jacmel Haiti, the Pazapa Centre, to assist in addressing
the emergency relief needs of the disabled children and their families
in that community. We are pleased to report that no children or their
family members, of the Pazapa centre, lost their lives in the earthquake.
However many lost their homes and in the early weeks following the quake
there was a desperate struggle to survive due to the loss of shelter and
the lack of resources to purchase food or clean water.
Canadian Association Step by Step was able, with the assistance of a
medical team going into Jacmel just days after the quake, to ensure that
Pazapa staff had funds to purchase food and emergency supplies for the
children and families most severely affected by the quake. We are now
working with Pazapa management to identify ongoing needs as they seek
a temporary location for the centre’s operations and also explore
opportunities for a permanent site for the centre. As seen on this page,
the damage to the centre’s facilities were severe and irreparable.
Pazapa staff continue to provide outreach services to children and their
families to ensure that they are able to access essential resources to
manage the days and months ahead, with the Jacmel community facing months,
if not years, of recovery work.
We ask that Canadians continue to consider the needs of this community
as Haiti still needs our help. Canadian Association Step by Step will
be focusing its efforts in 2010 exclusively to the recovery efforts of
the Pazapa Centre and to the children they serve. We would ask that you
continue to make the Association your charity of choice for 2010.
To those who have donated already to C.A.S.S., the board wishes to express
its profound gratitude and will ensure that your funds go directly to
these relief efforts. We will continue to post regular updates of our
activities on this webpage and also invite donors to contact us anytime
by email ( canadianassociationstepbystep@gmail.com ) if there are specific
enquiries or opportunities that you believe could assist with fund raising
efforts in 2010.
The PAZAPA Centre - Front
It is not clear but that side wall has separated from the main
building.
The PAZAPA Centre - Back
The back wall has collapsed.
Earthquake in Jacmel Haiti on January
12, 2010
January 16, 2010
C.A.S.S. is sending an urgent appeal for donations for the people
of Jacmel, Haiti and more specifically to the disabled children
and their families of that community. No doubt everyone has seen
pictures and news coverage of the incredible devastation caused
by the earthquake on Tuesday January 12th in Port au Prince Haiti.
However, what
many people do not know is that Jacmel, Haiti suffered a similar
fate on that same day and is virtually cut off from the rest of
the country as the main road to Port au Prince was completed destroyed
by the quake. Intermittent contact with friends and family in Jacmel
describe unfathomable loss of life, destruction of thousands of
homes, and the collapse of schools, healthcare facilities and places
of worship. Many friends are still missing and families are living
in constant fear of further building collapse with the daily continuation
of
aftershocks.
Information is coming in very slowly, with communication networks down
and elecrtricity unavailable. C.A.S.S. has learned that
the PAZAPA centre, its primary partner in Jacmel has lost its
building with the back walls collapsed and the remainding structure
unsound. The fate of many of the children and their familes remain
unclear but we know that many have lost their homes and likely
some have lost their lives. The staff of the centre are clearly
devastated by the catastrophic distruction of their community
but they are also bravely willing to move forward to help Jacmel
and the children of the PAZAPA centre
recover from this crisis.
C.A.S.S. is urging all donors to contribute in this first week to the
immediate disaster relief efforts currently being undertaken
by large organizations such as the Red Cross, UNICEF, World Vision
and World Food Program. Then
in the weeks and months that follow C.A.S.S. is asking for donors
to continue to consider C.A.S.S. as a charity of choice as the
recovery of Jacmel
and PAZAPA will be a long process. C.A.S.S. will be working with
PAZAPA staff to ensure that critical needs of the disabled children
and their families will be addressed. This will include basic
needs such as food, shelter, clothing, medical supplies, and
the rebuilding of educational and rehabilitation facilities.
C.A.S.S. believes that these children will struggle the most
in this crisis, due in part to limitations of mobility, communication
and comprehension, as well as their vulnerability to disease
and neglect. We are also anticipating an increased demand for
services for more disabled children in the community, due to
the injuries sustained in the earthquake. This is indeed the
most traumatic time in Haiti's existance and they need
our help more than ever before. C.A.S.S. will ensure that regular
updates are provided in the weeks ahead as we ensure that all funds
are provided directly to the people in need.
Pictures from Jacmel Haiti on January 13, 2010,
the day after the earthquake
For more pictures please click here.
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