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USAID Assistance to Haiti

September 18, 2008

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

A resident of Gonaïves who received vegetable oil from USAID.

• On September 17, the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) specialist traveled to Gonaïves with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff to survey the current situation and prepare for a second visit scheduled to take place during the weekend of September 19. According to the USAID/DART WASH specialist, while water continues to recede in Gonaïves, up to a meter of mud in several areas continues to hinder access to numerous shelters in Gonaïves that have yet to be reached by relief staff.
• The total value of U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian assistance in response to recent storms is nearly $30 million.

Humanitarian Assistance Fact Sheets

09/18/08: Haiti Storms Fact Sheet #8 (pdf, 95kb )
09/18/08: Haiti Storms Map Book #8 (pdf, 4mb )
09/10/08: Hurricane Season 2008 Fact Sheet #3 (pdf, 133kb)
09/10/08: Hurricane Season 2008 Map Book #3 (pdf, 1.2mb )

FY 2008 HUMANITARIAN FUNDING PROVIDED TO DATE FOR 2008 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON

1 Government of Haiti (GOH)
2 U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
3 Internally displaced persons (IDPs)
4 This amount includes actual assistance provided and funds allocated for forthcoming assistance as of September 14, 2008.
5 USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP)
6 This amount does not include previous USAID/FFP contributions in response to other emergencies in FY 2008.
7 U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
8 U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

CURRENT SITUATION

• Despite increased transportation assets and improvements in food and relief distribution in many parts of the country, multiple relief agencies note that a number of communities remain inaccessible, including areas situated in the corridor between Gonaïves and Cap Haitien, Cote de Fer, Bainet, and Marigot, Southeast Department, as well as Plaisance, L’Asile, Anse a Veau, and Petit Trou de Nippes, Nippes Department. As humanitarian assessments have yet to be conducted in these communities, the humanitarian situation remains unclear.
• According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), recent storms have affected approximately 80 percent of the population in Gonaïves, representing 240,000 people. To date, 30 percent of Gonaïves remains inaccessible. IOM staff noted that while other parts of Haiti may soon begin to transition to the early recovery phase of the humanitarian response, many areas of Gonaïves require continued critical emergency humanitarian interventions.

  Access

• According to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP), sufficient transportation assets are available to access coastal areas and stockpile food assistance in Cap Haitien, Port de Paix, Gonaïves, Jeremie, Les Cayes, and Port au Prince.
• WFP notes that additional resources required to transport assistance by sea can easily be contracted if necessary. However, damaged and destroyed roads and infrastructure are hindering access to the interior of the country. WFP reports that roads may not reopen for at least several weeks.
• Four helicopters provided by WFP are scheduled to begin operations on September 25, which will facilitate the access to interior areas.
• According to the USAID/DART, U.S. Navy teams identified two possible sites in Cote de Fer, five sites in and around Bainet, and an additional four sites in Belle Anse for future deliveries of emergency relief supplies to isolated areas.

  Emergency Food Assistance

• According to OCHA, a total of 1,042 metric tons (MT) of food aid has been distributed as of September 17, reaching more than 245,000 people.
• As of September 17, WFP had distributed 316 MT of food, including 27 MT of high energy biscuits, to nearly 152,000 people in Gonaïves, according to OCHA.

  Shelter

• According to OCHA, approximately more than 111,000 IDPs are residing in shelters throughout Haiti. IOM reports that an estimated 50,000 IDPs remain in shelters in Gonaïves. IOM notes crowding in shelters, with a number of shelters housing up to 4,000 IDPs.
• OCHA reports that all shelters in Les Cayes, South Department, had closed as of September 16. In Nippes Department, ten shelters remain operational, according to OCHA.
• IOM is currently coordinating with GOH officials and relief agencies to define a strategy to improve shelter conditions.
• USAID/OFDA is providing funds to IOM to support shelter and settlements activities.

  WASH

• During a September 16 shelter cluster meeting, IOM noted the need for adequate sanitation in shelters in Gonaïves. While a major disease outbreak has not occurred, IOM reported that diarrhea has affected more than 50 percent of IDPs in shelters in Gonaïves.
• USAID/OFDA has committed more than $400,000 to implementing partner World Vision to support WASH activities, benefiting more than 56,000 people.

USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Haiti

• On September 2, U.S. Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson issued a disaster declaration in response to Hurricane Gustav and resulting flooding throughout Haiti. In total, the USAID/DART is working to program nearly $10 million in funding from USAID/OFDA for programs to assist disaster-affected populations in Haiti.
• On September 4, a USAID/OFDA-chartered aircraft arrived in Port au Prince, delivering USAID/OFDA emergency relief supplies including 5,088 hygiene kits, 10,800 ten-liter water containers, and 500 rolls of plastic sheeting. Worth nearly $335,000 including transport, the supplies were transported to affected areas with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and implementing partner IOM. On September 11, a second USAID/OFDA-chartered aircraft arrived with 10,200 ten-liter water containers, 5,088 hygiene kits, 700 rolls of plastic sheeting, and 2 water bladders, valued at more than $410,000, including transport. This airlift will benefit more than 5,000 families and provide shelter support for temporary facilities such as child-friendly spaces.
• USAID/OFDA is providing $500,000 to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in response to PAHO’s appeal for funding to support health activities for individuals affected by Hurricane Gustav and Tropical Storm Hanna. This funding will assist 10,000 people.
• USAID/OFDA is committing $2 million to WFP to augment logistical capacity for delivery of humanitarian aid to affected areas.
• USAID/OFDA has also committed $750,000 to implementing partner World Vision to support the distribution of emergency relief supplies and WASH activities, benefiting nearly 70,000 people.
• USAID/OFDA is also contributing more than $1.5 million to IOM. This assistance will support shelter and settlements projects as well as humanitarian coordination activities.
• USAID/OFDA is providing $500,000 in funding to the American Red Cross for emergency relief supplies and logistical support. Programs supported by this funding will benefit 12,000 people in Haiti’s Artibonite, Grand Anse, and South East departments.
• On September 7, USAID/OFDA authorized the deployment of a three-person Americas Support Team to Haiti to supplement the U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination team based in Gonaïves.
• USAID/Haiti is working to re-direct $5 million in funds toward food and other assistance to meet critical needs related to the growing humanitarian crisis.
• USAID/FFP is providing an additional $7 million in response to the U.N. flash appeal. The contribution will enable WFP and private volunteer organization (PVO) partners to respond to relief and recovery food aid needs in Haiti. To date, USAID/FFP has contributed a total of $14 million for the U.N. flash appeal.
• To date, DOD is providing support worth nearly $660,00 in response to a USAID request for helicopter transport. The contribution does not include fuel cost for the USS Kearsarge.

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