Canadian unions have responded to an appeal issued by the Confederation of Public and Private Sector Workers of Haiti, the CTSP, as it aims to respond to the recent devastation wrought by the August 14 earthquake, followed two days later by the impact of tropical storm Grace. The estimated impact at the end of August of this double hit was 2,207 dead, 344 missing, 12,268 injured, 125,508 homeless, 77,066 houses severely damaged, 52,923 houses destroyed and more than 300 churches destroyed and/or damaged.
The CTSP has a strong presence in the affected area and received damage updates from regional representatives that more than 500 homes have been destroyed in the area around the southern city of Les Cayes.
The CTSP immediately effected an emergency response by:
• providing impacted communities with tents, hygienic kits and water;
• supporting teachers and nurses for the start of the school year by purchasing school supplies and subsidizing transportation to get children back into school;
• assisting in building temporary shelters for farmers and helping them purchase livestock, poultry and seeds; and
• providing economic stimulus for small merchants and support for informal workers.
The CLC, CUPE, NUPGE, PSAC and USW have responded to this appeal. For more information or to support this work, please contact the CLC at sep@clcctc.ca.
