Due to the overwhelming support of the public for the victims of the Haiti Earthquake, Oxfam now has enough money to fund our response to this emergency for at least three years, and is closing the Earthquake Appeal.
More than $1.8 million was donated to Oxfam in Australia, with $112 million raised by Oxfam worldwide.
Acting Executive Director Alexia Huxley said Oxfam was able to launch a rapid response to this, and other emergencies, because the agency had the funds in reserve that enabled us to start our aid effort before appeal funds had begun to arrive.
“For those people who still want to donate, their money will go straight into our International Crisis Fund, which we use in those early days when a big emergency strikes,” Ms Huxley said.
(link https://www.oxfam.org.au/donate/current-appeals/international-crisis-fund?)
“We are closing the Haiti Earthquake Appeal as we do not want to take any more money than we need at this stage. Oxfam’s plans for the next three years are now fully funded, after which other sources of income will be used for our ongoing work in Haiti.”
She said Oxfam had so far provided assistance to 170,000 people in Haiti and continued to scale up operations, planning to reach at least 500,000 people by the end of July. It was continuing to provide clean water,
sanitation, shelter, seeds as well as run cash for work programs.
“On the ground in Haiti, our focus is still reaching many more people with emergency assistance. We are also planning for longer-term reconstruction,” Ms Huxley said.
“We will be doing significant work in helping to rebuild the water system in poorer neighbourhoods and also looking at how we can help with increasing food production.
“There will also be work with local communities, ensuring that their needs are high up on the agenda of governments and international agencies’ rebuilding plans.”
For further information please contact Laurelle Keough on 0409 960 100
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