Hurricane Matthew’s Arrival In Haiti

Since Friday, the nation of Haiti has been under red alert due to the oncoming Hurricane Matthew. Thousands of Haitians fled to local shelters, churches and other safe havens seeking refuge. It was reported that U.N. Organizations were available to pick up disabled individuals and take them to safety.

When Hurricane Matthew began to pass over Haiti, Jacmel, a principal city, received heavy rain and winds since Sunday morning. Overnight, lots of trees were torn to the ground and broken branches were strewn across the land. It has been reported that whole housetops were blown off of houses, leaving many homeless and unprotected. Only 2 casualties have been reported.

Major flooding has been a problem since Hurricane Matthew made its way into Haiti. Eighty percent of houses in the town of Boucan Carre have been destroyed. With winds which reached 140 mph, the hurricane caused great damage and this was assisted by the fact that it is traveling at 9 mph as it moves north across the land.

Harsh living conditions for almost all of the Haitian people have made it difficult for many to seek shelter. Many live in little shacks made of clay or large tarps and canvas tied together. While they may be somewhat earthquake safe, they are a fire hazard as cooking inside sometimes causes the tarps to catch on fire due to heavy smoke and heat.

The majority of Haiti is at sea level and many streets and houses have been flooded due to the torrential rain. There has been flooding in the touristic city of Les Cayes.

Hurricane Matthew & The Children Of Haiti

The children of FOHO (Future of Haiti Organization) are thankfully safe. Because of our supporters, we have recently been able to complete construction of 2 dormitories and have rebuilt our cafeteria which was earlier damaged after a tree fell on it. The children were safely sheltered and kept safe.

It is unfortunate that others who live on the streets are not so lucky to have a “fortress” such as ours.

This is why we need to expand our efforts and make the country safe against natural disaster. Minimally, we can help them to be better prepared for future emergencies.

We are preparing 20 cases of clothing, 6 barrels of food supplies and other materials for our children and we ask for your help to donate so we can send even more support.

All our online donations are made via PayPal–all you have to do is visit our Donate page and enter the amount you wish to contribute.

The children of the Future of Haiti Orphanage and School thank you for your continued support. We at FOHO will continue to do our part to make a difference in the lives of the children of Haiti.