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Orbis Efforts in Haiti Gained Additional Support Committment
World Food Program, United Nations Children’s Fund and the Organisation for Food and Agriculture Receive Emergency UN Funding for Chad The UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated $6 million to three UN agencies so that they may begin emergency interventions in response to the food crisis in Chad. “This will finally enable a quick response in support of vulnerable populations affected by a period of drought that promises to be particularly early and difficult this year,” said Alice Martin-Dahirou, the UN’s interim humanitarian coordinator for Chad. This sum, split among the World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO), will enable the organizations to aid approximately 127,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition as well as 4.5 million people battling food insecurity in 10 regions in the Sahel in Chad. In these regions, the rate of global acute malnutrition (GAM) is above the critical threshold of 15 percent. The WFP will receive $3 million dollars to distribute food in the Sahel; UNICEF will obtain $2.2 million to fight malnutrition in children under five years of age, and the FAO will have
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approximately $817,000 to support farmers. According to the government of Chad, the country recorded a decrease of approximately 455,000 tons of cereal or 50 percent compared to the 20102011 season. This situation was caused by light and poorly distributed rain as well as locusts, caterpillars and granivorous birds. Faced with this crisis, on December 21, 2011, the government issued an appeal for aid to the international community. CERF, which is managed by the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, was created in 2005 by the General Assembly of the United Nations. From 2006 until today it has allocated more than $75 million to Chad pour humanitarian emergencies, of which more than $25 million was in 2011, putting the country at the top of CERF’s list of beneficiaries in west Africa and in the middle of the list for the year. This budget was used to assist populations faced with serious epidemics, Chadian refugees from Libya as well as those affected by the food and nutritional crisis.
Aircastle Limited is partnering with Orbis International to provide eye care services to Haiti to further the country’s reconstruction following the 2010 earthquake. Orbis prevents and treats blindness by providing quality eye care to transform lives. Aircastle CEO, Ron Wainshal, commented, “As part of our efforts to provide relief aid to Haiti following the devastating earthquake in 2010, we are partnering with Orbis International, an organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness. Orbis will be delivering medical treatment to those suffering from blindness in Haiti and helping to rebuild its infrastructure in ophthalmology, and we are proud to offer our assistance for this important cause.” Dr. Barbara DeBuono, president and CEO of ORBIS, stated, “Aircastle’s commitment will help alleviate the burden of preventable blindness in post-earthquake Haiti. We commend its on-going support of Haiti and its people.” Aircastle donated to this effort in late 2011, and will contribute again in 2012.
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