September 8

New Zealanders getting help to Haiti

The western hemisphere’s poorest country, Haiti, is under threat from more severe weather, after already enduring two hurricanes and a tropical storm.

A third storm in a fortnight hit the western hemisphere’s poorest country, Haiti, today (Sept 8) hampering efforts to reach hundreds of thousands of Haitians. The impoverished country is now under threat from tropical storm Josephine.

Ike has killed 58, bringing Haiti’s death toll to at least 319. The toll could rise because of flooding, and impending hurricane Josephine.

New Zealand aid agency Christian World Service (CWS) is receiving donations for relief operations in Haiti. CWS has a 15-year relationship with a community development organisation, Institut Culturel Karl Leveque, based in Port au Prince.

The storms have set back much of the institutes infrastructure work, like building water supplies and providing health care. CWS is receiving and will soon begin transferring donations to Haiti for emergency aid.

The Haitian government is severely burdened by the disaster which has caused nationwide damage.

Two-thirds of Haitians depend on small-scale subsistence farming and are vulnerable to devastation from frequent natural disasters, including hurricanes and floods. This situation is exacerbated by widespread deforestation and damaging trade conditions imposed on Haiti.

For more information or to make donations please contact
CWS
0800 74 73 72
www.cws.org.nz

ENDS

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