As you are most likely aware, on Tuesday 12th January the Caribbean nation of Haiti was devastated by an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 and equally devastating aftershocks, just 15 miles from the capital Port-au-Prince. The current death toll is estimated to be 200,000 people. That’s loss of almost unimaginable scale to the poorest nation in the western hemisphere that has 80% of its ten million people below the poverty line. Before the disaster only 50% of the people had access to clean water; now the almost all of the population is reliant upon imported water.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an alliance of humanitarian aid agencies, has been around for over 50 years but became well known in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that devastated many of the islands and coasts in the region by bringing together thirteen aid agencies to ensure that aid was delivered where it was needed without any of the usual political, religious and ideological problems that plague individual agencies. In recent years, it has also been instrumental in providing aid to the Niger famine and Asia earthquake in 2005, and the Darfur & Chad war and Bangladesh cyclone in 2007.

According to their How the Money is Spent frequently asked questions (FAQ), 88-95% of donations will reach the actual people in need. Compare this to what newspapers have reported over the years with donations to certain individual agencies going towards bonuses and company cars for CEOs and Directors, and even paying off their debt. The purpose of the DEC is to avoid both the likelihood of that happening and the public perception that it happens so that the business of humanitarian aid can be done.

Haiti needs the world’s help.

On top of the devastation and loss of life, it’s now descending into the chaos of looting and violence. Please give within your means. Whatever you can afford will make a difference.

Donated items may be possible through Global Hand (who specialise in matching donated items with agencies that can use them), but money is preferred as it can be used to obtain needed items faster and much more easily without having to ship them around the world. You can donate money to or through your preferred charity, or you can do so via DEC and be assured that no less that 88% of your donation will reach the people who need it.

Click here to see how you can donate to the DEC Haiti Appeal.

What’s more, if you are a UK taxpayer, Gift Aid will allow an additional 28% to be claimed by the Appeal.

Here is a video of the appeal’s launch:

How to Help Haiti