Haiti earthquake - one year on

The earthquake caused a large-scale humanitarian disaster. An estimated 200,000 people died, almost 100,000 houses were destroyed and up to 200,000 were damaged. Due to the destruction over half a million people left Port-au-Prince for outlying areas, leading to over 3 million people being affected by the disaster.

As part of the  Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), Age UK has worked with other agencies to raise funds and coordinate emergency efforts. This cooperation has helped to increase the effectiveness of relief work on the ground.

One year after the earthquake struck (January 2011 update)

12 January 2011 marks the first anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti that devastated large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Age UK has been supporting older people in the country by working together with our sister organisation, HelpAge International. The vast majority of this work was funded through donations by the British public, either through Age UK’s own fundraising efforts or through the DEC appeal.

The scale of the devastation was so widespread that it will take years, if not decades, for the country to recover. We have been working tirelessly to help people in later life recover from the physical devastation and mental trauma of the earthquake.

Significant achievements despite considerable challenges

But it has not been easy. Haiti was already the poorest country in the western hemisphere before the earthquake struck. Since then, the country has been plagued by a cholera outbreak, battered by tropical storms and floods, and affected by political turmoil through contested elections. People are at breaking point.

Despite these challenges, Age UK and HelpAge International have achieved a significant amount in the first year of the emergency response.

• We distributed food, cash, shelter, mobility aids and solar panel kits with a radio and lamp to 25,000 older people and their families
• We organised medical consultations and the distribution of medication to 9,000 older people in health clinics
• We trained 209 carers to provide home-based care to older people in 93 camps. These ‘friends’ pay regular visits to 4,000 of the most vulnerable older people and participated in a campaign to raise awareness about cholera control and treatment
• We established a 35-bed emergency medical facility in partnership with a privately-run, state-owned hospital, thus establishing the country’s only geriatric ward. This facility has provided emergency inpatient care for 481 older people and outpatient care to 220 older people.

Age UK’s Charity Director Michelle Mitchell said: 'The scale of the challenges faced by the Haitian people over the last year cannot be overestimated. Many hundreds of thousands of people have lost everything and are having to rebuild their entire lives. This is a daunting task for the young and able-bodied, but for those who are older and vulnerable it can prove a challenge too far.'

Working with HelpAge International, we are committed to providing support to older Haitians for as long as we can.