SOS: Back-to-Back Storms and Hurricane Devastates Haiti; In Desperate Need of Rebuilding Support

Sept. 4, 2008 - PRLog -- MIAMI, FL, – First, Tropical Storm Fay drenches the island of Haiti, reportedly kills more than 30 people, and floods and destroys rice fields and plantain crops in a country already suffering from a food crisis. Less than two weeks later Hurricane Gustav follows and slams Haiti resulting in flash flooding, massive mudslides sweeping anything in its path, and more than 70 Haitians dead. Many victims have been left homeless and have had to seek refuge on their rooftops while the city of Gonaives is now under 6 and a half feet of water. Gonaive's hospitals are flooded and are asking for help in moving and securing their patients. With no break in sight, Tropical Storm Hannah immediately follows, killing ten Haitians and threatening with more devastation as Tropical Storm Ike follows closely behind. The recent storms are a grim reminder of Tropical Storm Jeanne that killed more than 3,000 Haitians in 2004. In a country devastated by a crippling food crisis, severe poverty, and devastation from natural disasters Haiti needs more than just temporary relief aid- it desperately needs investments in sustainable development

Haiti experiences such devastation when natural disasters strike primarily due to its issues of deforestation. Described by one recent U.N. report as “one of the most environmentally degraded countries in the world” with less than one percent of its forests remaining, the degraded land leaves no topsoil to hold rains easily causing flash flooding when severe weather strikes. Although reforestation efforts from various non-profits including the Lambi Fund of Haiti and The Greenbelt Movement are planting millions of trees on the island, the country’s lack of sound energy policies has left its people to chop down trees to make charcoal for cooking. Ultimately, Haiti desperately requires investments in sustainable agricultural development in an effort to restore environmental integrity and reduce poverty.

Lambi Fund of Haiti is one such non-profit organization implementing programs dedicated towards improving the conditions in Haiti’s rural communities. Their core programs focuses on sustainable development, community micro-credit, animal husbandry, restoring environmental integrity, organizational and leadership training, and sustainable reforestation. The non-profit partners with peasant-led organizations and finances agricultural and environmental projects that foster national food production and long-term food security. Lambi Fund also participates in community micro-credit funding, animal breeding projects, irrigation pumps for quality water supply, and a reforestation movement that incorporates tree planting, tree nurseries, and agro forestry practices. During 2004’s Tropical Storm Jeanne, the non-profit worked with the community of Gonaives to rebuild irrigation canals and grain mills and provided emergency fund in rebuilding projects. In an effort to address some of the crop damages left by recent storms, Lambi Fund of Haiti’s Center of Plantain Propagation is also helping in rapid reproduction of healthy plantain trees.

A close neighbor to the U.S., Haiti desperately needs support in rebuilding the communities ravaged by the recent storms, but also needs support in becoming self-sufficient. Natural disasters cannot be avoided, but the severe devastation caused by it can surely be mitigated. To support the sustainable development efforts of Lambi Fund of Haiti, please visit LambiFund.org to make an online donation or mail a check to Lambi Fund of Haiti, PO Box 18955, Washington, DC 20036.

# # #

Media Contact:

Fabiola Fleuranvil of Blueprint Creative Group
for Lambi Fund of Haiti
(404) 437-0078
Fabiola@BlueprintCreativeGroup.com
www.LambiFund.org
www.BlueprintCreativeGroup.com