Rebuilding Lives, Restoring Hope

Since the devastating earthquake, the Haiti YMCA has been a lifeline to the community while simultaneously rebuilding its facilities and programs. One year later, this Y has emerged stronger than ever and is providing hope and new beginnings to those impacted. 

Haiti YMCA Response and Progress
Immediately following the disaster, YMCAs around the world pledged solidarity and support for the Haiti YMCA and today, on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake, tremendous progress has been made. 

• Emergency response teams, including convoys from the Dominican Republic YMCA, provided critical supplies to more than 5,000 YMCA families immediately after the earthquake.  The Y offered on-site medical services as well as food and other urgent necessities.

• A multi-national YMCA response team was established in collaboration with the Haiti YMCA to assess immediate needs and establish long-term strategies for community response and the rebuilding of destroyed Y facilities. 

• Three technical delegations were deployed to help organize and re-establish Haiti YMCA operations. A truck was purchased to ensure delivery of vital YMCA services community-wide, including support for those who are still living in tent cities.

• An estimated 60 percent of the schools were destroyed. Post-earthquake, an immediate priority was to work closely with families and community partners to offer support and structure to Haiti's youth, many of whom became homeless. The YMCA continues to reach thousands of young people through educational and recreational programming.

• The destroyed YMCA Konbit Youth Center in Port-au-Prince was rebuilt as an environmentally-friendly building and is both earthquake and hurricane proof. The new facility, which is also serving as the national headquarters, will help the Haiti YMCA expand its service to the community with a particular focus on the health and well-being of children and youth.  The Y also provides support to other vulnerable populations including an employment training initiative for amputees and a micro-financing program that will give women the opportunity to build a business (with revolving funds) by providing start-up funds.

• The Haiti YMCA continues to monitor and respond to the changing social, medical and environmental conditions impacting the community. It is currently delivering cholera prevention workshops and supplies in an effort reduce the rate of infection.

Looking forward to 2011 and beyond, the Haiti YMCA remains focused on its core expertise as a youth development organization—one of the few such organizations in the country. Strategic priorities include staff recruitment and capacity building, extending programming and reach, and strengthening governance, communications, financial accounting, resource mobilization and long-term sustainability. 

World Service
As a leading nonprofit for strengthening community, the Y strives to be at the center of giving people and communities the support needed to thrive – especially in times of crisis.

Since the earthquake, hundreds of U.S. Ys and donors have given generously to the Haiti Y through World Service, a division of the YMCA of the USA International Group. World Service dollars have allowed the Haiti YMCA to begin rebuilding the community and inspire hope in the devastated region. To date, of the more than $340,000 raised through World Service, close to $106,000 has been distributed in support of the emergency relief and initial recovery efforts. World Service and the International Group will continue to work closely with the Haiti YMCA to ensure that the remaining funds designated for Haiti are distributed in support of effective programs for children and other vulnerable populations as well as for the long-term growth and sustainability of this Y.

The Global YMCA Movement
Founded in 1844 in London, England, the YMCA has grown into one of the largest volunteer organizations in the world, serving more than 45 million people in 124 countries. As an interconnected global network, the Y has the resources and solutions to build bridges and make our communities stronger worldwide. Often operating in challenging social, economic and political environments, Ys deliver innovative solutions to meet community need and empower people with the skills and opportunities to create a better future for themselves and their families.

YMCA of the USA would like to thank the Ys and individuals who have provided valuable technical and financial support to the Haiti YMCA. For more information on World Service, visit www.ymca.net/world-service or call Mary Tikalsky at (800) 872-9622.

Thank you for your continued support of the global YMCA Movement.

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