As anyone following Haiti's earthquake aftermath knows, time is of the essence in providing support -- especially for dependent children.
In any disaster, the most vulnerable population of all is the children who do not have families or adults to protect and support them. They are the most vulnerable to disease as well as to predators -- after the 2004 tsunami thousands of children disappeared and wound up sold into sexual slavery.
In 2006, World of Children honored Susan Krabacher for her outstanding work with Haiti orphans and children with disabilities. She has always worked on the ground in Haiti, providing life-sustaining support directly to the country's neediest children. She's not a third party organization, nor does she need to develop or bring in an infrastructure to help. She is, and always has been, a part of Haiti's community, and has the infrastructure and the firsthand knowledge to help its children right now.
When we spoke to Susan last night, here's what she relayed:
"We arrived at the Williamson project this afternoon and, unfortunately, things are not as we had hoped. Typically, we have approximately 85 employees working eight hour shifts around the clock. Now there are only a handful of employees on site, trying to care for hundreds of children.
Many of the children have not had food or water in two days and the handicapped children have a bed sores. There is no diesel fuel to run the generators, which power the water pumps, electricity and internet communications. The well hand pumps are largely ineffective.
We're getting reports that the children in our abandoned baby unit have been without food and water for two days. The morgue located right next door is piling up with hundreds of bodies. Our pediatric hospital in Port-au-Prince has been completely demolished and completely looted. We're getting reports that the Cazeau orphanage isn't safe because the walls collapsed, and there are men with machetes robbing anyone with anything of value. People in the neighborhood have stormed the building, overpowered the guard, and have taken up occupancy in what is left of the buildings on that property. We intend to remove all the remaining children from Cazeau and take them to Williamson tomorrow."
Now more than ever, funds are needed to secure Mercy & Sharing's facilities and provide Haiti's most vulnerable children with food, water and medication. Those who want to help can contribute at www.worldofchildren.org -- click "donate now" and on Pay Pal indicate "Haiti Relief".
To amplify your impact, World of Children will match the first $10,000 received dollar for dollar, thus significantly leveraging you gift.
World of Children will ensure 100 percent of the funds go immediately and directly to Susan and the Mercy & Sharing team.