International version N°7
Dear Reader, This seventh International edition of the Crosswords magazine focuses on the Red Cross humanitarian activities in the world with a special focus on the Haiti and Burkina Faso projects. We hope that you will enjoy reading our news! Redaction Committee, members of the Red Cross International Section Contact Details for the International Section and further information : T: 661 56 74 52 - section.internationale@croix-rouge.lu
HAITI: An overview of the Red Cross activities 6 months after the earthquake in Haiti On 12 January, 2010, Haiti was rocked by a massive earthquake which caused great material damage and cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Within 35 hours after the earthquake the canine section of the Luxembourg Red Cross and the civil defence arrived on the ground to locate people buried under the rubble. 17 professionals and 7 dogs, including 6 volunteers and 4 dogs from the Luxembourg Red Cross, struggled for 48 hours to save lives. In the second phase of the operation the volunteer emergency unit of the Red Cross, ERU)-Benelux,-including Luxembourg members, helped to ensure the distribution of the relief supplies from several Red Cross societies. Thanks to the donations of the Luxembourg population, 2,500 hygiene kits, 2,500 kitchen sets and 1,000 shelter kits could be purchased and shipped to Haiti. Moreover, a dredging-machine was sent which has allowed the WatSan-team (Water and Sanitation) from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to dig latrines and to organize waste disposal in the humanitarian camps. Even before the earthquake, Haiti was one of the least developed countries in the world and now to make matters worse, it is also facing a major humanitarian crisis. , Nevertheless the Luxembourg Red Cross, supported by local authorities and the International Federation of Red Cross Societies, , was able to set up sustainable projects just weeks after the disaster. The work that must be done in Haiti continues to be enormous. Besides the repair of the public infrastructure, 250,000 housesneed repairing. The reconstruction of this country may take up to 20 years. Given the scale of local needs, the Luxembourg Red Cross has decided to support the reconstruction of the basic infrastructure (such as health centres, schools etc.) and to concentrate on the construction of a hospital in Gressier. Dr. Christian Huvelle, délégué international
The construction project of a hospital in Gressier Gressier town is a priority area of intervention During the initiate reconstruction, the Red Cross has identified the town of Gressier as a priority intervention area. 80% of the houses in this town of 60,000 inhabitants (located 20 km west of Port au Prince) were destroyed. A program to support the health sector has been developed, and it will last over a 9 year period. Currently, it focuses on the construction of a hospital. To do this, the Luxembourg Red Cross intends to develop a partnership with the Haitian Red Cross and the Ministry of Public Health and Population. SEPTEMBER 2010