Haiti earthquake: How you can help

17 February 2010 | 12:00:00 AM | Source: SBS

MSF_aus_haiti_msf_100117_453913567

MSF, including Australian workers, in action in Haiti this weekend. (MSF)

Aid agencies and charities from all over the world have joined the effort in Haiti to control the chaos following the earthquake, to help provide food, water, medicine and accommodation for the victims, and ultimately to help rebuild the country.

Here is a list of some of them - click on the links to find out how you can donate:

Oxfam Australia has 200 staff on-the-ground responding with public health, water, and sanitation services to prevent the spread of disease.

World Vision Australia is organising and distributing aid in Haiti.

The Australian Red Cross is working with other Red Cross and Red Crescent teams on the humanitarian needs of people affected by the quake.

Médecins Sans Frontières Australia teams were already in Haiti working on medical projects and are now helping to treat the injured. The team are performing caesarian sections and amputations and say their medical facilities are now working around the clock.

ActionAid Australia has been working in Haiti since 1996. It's delivering aid such as food, tents and blankets to those most in need.

Plan Australia is a children's charity, which has already released $US100,000 of emergency funds to help deal with the aftermath.

UNICEF Australia has set up a fund to help children affected by the earthquake, many of whom have been orphaned, wounded or psychologically scarred.

Save The Children Australia has been working in Haiti for 20 years, and is now distributing food and medical aid.

CARE Australia is seeking donations to provide safe water, temporary shelter and emergency supplies to Haitian families hit by the earthquake.

The Australian branch of UN Refugee Agency UNHCR is hoping to raise $150,000 to help the hundreds of thousands of people left homeless by the Haiti quake. 

Act for Peace is supporting efforts to provide clean water and sanitation kits to those affected by the quake, and will be helping with long-term needs in the coming months.

Caritas has set up two mobile operating theatres to help those injured in the quake, as well as delivering thousands of blankets, tents and water cans to those left homeless.

An emergency response team from the Adventist Development and Relief Agency is in Port-au-Prince helping to provide water and medical aid to more than 30,000 people.

The website of the government's AusAID program has information about Australian assistance being offered to Haiti and how to volunteer to help.

Facebook also has a Global Relief page with more on the response to the disaster around the world.

It's recommended you donate to reputatable charities and beware of bogus online scams.

USEFUL CONTACTS

For Australians concerned about loved ones in the Haiti earthquake zone, please call 1300 555 135.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has set up a special website to help thousands of people within Haiti and abroad who have lost contact with their loved ones.

Your Comments

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27 Jun 2011 14:37 AEST

Cougil

From: School

:)

i totes agree with everybody.

Agree (0 people agree)
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20 May 2010 12:34 AEST

anthony

From: roma

RE:

i totally agree with all of you guys

Agree (0 people agree)
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04 Feb 2010 20:03 AEST

BINGO

From: SYDNEY

GAME OVER

UNLESS GOVTS (OTHER THAN SOUTH AMERICAN ONES) START COMPLAINING LOUDLY ABOUT PRIORITIES & SHAME THE US WAR MACHINE INTO ACTUALLY PROVIDING AID TO HAITI -INSTEAD OF THIS OBVIOUS POLITICAL COUP OF HAITI - THIS POOR COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE ARE DOOMED. WHEN I HEARD THAT THE US HAD TURNED AWAY A DOCTORS WITHOUT FRONTIERS PLANE 3 TIMES.. I WAS HORRIFIED BY THE WORLD'S SILENCE

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29 Jan 2010 12:36 AEST

Luke Weyland

From: Sydney Australia

US aid to Haiti

USA is helping Haiti through its army, through providing accomodation, medicines, food and transportation. It provides soldiers with machine guns, accomodation for the soldiers, food for soldiers, medicines for the soldiers, armoured vehicles for soldiers and clears the roads of the rubble for the soldiers. Where once aircraft carriers, military helecopters, armoured vehicles, army, navy and airforce expenditure were 'defense expenditure' - here they are called "aid.

Agree (6 people agree)
Disagree (1 people disagree)
 

23 Jan 2010 13:54 AEST

adnan

From: suburb

aaa

By Giving $5 ( the price of coffee & cake) each we can make such huge difference to help the people of Haiti,,,,thats one simple way we can assist.....go to a NAB (Bank) in person and donate to 'Save the Children' for

Agree (2 people agree)
Disagree (3 people disagree)
 

21 Jan 2010 10:01 AEST

rickie

From: india

make this world a better place........

the people in haiti have gone under big time disater atleast the people who cannot help we can pray for the people who have lost there life in the earthquake. We can collect the fund and can donate the clotthing throght any of the NGO and we can do that "the friend in need is a friend indeed" the packet of cigratte we smoke in a day rather than spending on that donate to them you save both the lifes many thanks people be together "god bless all of them with lot of love"

Agree (2 people agree)
Disagree (1 people disagree)
 

20 Jan 2010 18:19 AEST

Rashid

From: Perth WA

Un-Coordinated help, Haiti

Indeed, we should all help. Yet it must be realized that a country like Haiti, a failed State for centuries before the quake, has no infrastructure to receive, accommodate and distribute the massive International aid in terms of goods and medicine that is pouring in all at once. There was no infrastructure of any sort left for the country run by the corrupt governments of dictators created and supported by the powers such as US, France and Spain of the past. It is a fact that where ever such un-coordinated AID was rushed all at once in disaster area of the world, for example Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other countries of Asia, Africa and South America; the corrupt officials controlled the distribution where the rich got every thing free of our ‘charity’ and the poor had to pay for their bare necessities including medicines. There has to be one organisation to coordinate and control the whole thing. May be the UN could be the best choice out of the worst of the lot who invariably give AID with some political strings attached. One must say “Bravo” to the hundreds of volunteers who give unselfish help.

Agree (6 people agree)
Disagree (1 people disagree)
 

19 Jan 2010 16:30 AEST

Nick

From: Brisbane

TXT Donations

I have seen in various media how in the US that have given amazing amounts by TXT message. I have yet to find an Australian operation doing this. Any one found one?

Agree (4 people agree)
Disagree (3 people disagree)
 

17 Jan 2010 11:20 AEST

Gringo

From: Rowville

Uncle Sam

How they call on US in time of need and slam them for `interefering' and vested interest at other time! Even Thailand and others can help in some small way - financially or in kind. The US is recovering from the GFC, too, and then there is the UN - a sleeping giant!

Agree (6 people agree)
Disagree (10 people disagree)
 

16 Jan 2010 22:07 AEST

Anna Mango

From: Ayr Qld

If you Give $5.....

By Giving $5 ( the price of coffee & cake) each we can make such huge difference to help the people of Haiti,,,,thats one simple way we can assist.....go to a NAB (Bank) in person and donate to 'Save the Children' for example...do it on Monday!

Agree (3 people agree)
Disagree (2 people disagree)
 
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