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Haiti Earthquake Children's Appeal

"I was panicked, petrified and puzzled"

Ifanise, 23, Plan International youth volunteer

"I was in a car when suddenly I saw people running, falling on the ground and a lot of dust, I couldn't immediately understand why it was so dusty. In the following minutes, when houses started to collapse and crack, I knew that it was an earthquake.

"I am still perplexed about what I feel, it’s difficult to find the words to explain it. When you see a mother lose 2, 3, children at the same time. When you see people ask for help while you are helpless".

- Ifanise, 23, Plan International youth volunteer, experienced the quake first-hand.

Our Response

Plan International and other humanitarian organisations continue to work in Haiti to support communities, with a specific focus on the needs of girls and young women. We are working with some of the rural communities most affected by the earthquake, where people are at risk of being overlooked for emergency assistance. 

In the aftermath of a crisis, many families no longer have a regular or reliable way to earn money. This can increase the presence of harmful survival and coping mechanisms, including child labour, or the sexual exploitation of girls in exchange for goods and food. To give families and households the power to make their own decisions and keep money circulating in the local economy, Plan International and our partners have been giving cash and vouchers to households that have been affected.

To support girls and young women, we have set up safe spaces where they can access counselling and assistance. We are also working with communities to ensure that all children can live safely as the country rebuilds from disaster.

Thank you for your continued support. 

Natacha, 38, and her children are now living with her mother
Natacha, 38, and her children are now living with her mother

Natacha, 38, and her children lost their home when the earthquake hit. Natacha does not live with the father of her children and often struggles to provide for her family. “Sometimes when I can't afford to feed my children, I have to send them to their father’s so that they can get some food or money to buy clothes or pay their school fees.” 

Natacha was among the first group to receive a cash transfer from Plan International. “I used the money to buy food - rice, milk, oil - for the children. This money will help me to protect the children and put my small business back together. I hope that the project will continue because it has helped us a lot, I had no money and no hope of getting any when my family was selected to receive these funds.”

Thank you for your support

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