Food for the Poor reaches out to Haiti
FLORIDA, USA — Food for the Poor (FFP) has again reached out to Haiti as fears mount about the possible rise in cholera cases following last weeks battering of the country by Hurricane Matthew, which left almost 1,000 dead.
The charity said, in a release, that it has shipped to Haiti critically needed items, including food, water, blankets and hygiene kits with soap, toothpaste and other personal care items to help prevent the spread of disease. The charity is also trying to secure antibiotics and oral rehydration salts to treat cholera victims.
According to FFP, damage from Hurricane Matthew and lack of access to fresh water is facilitating the spread of the potentially deadly disease.
“The situation in Haiti is serious. The people of Haiti need help, and they needed it ‘yesterday’,” said Robin Mahfood, Food for the Poor’s President/CEO.
“We have shipped supplies and we will send more, but these people need everybody’s help,” Mahfood was quoted in a release from Foor for the Poor.
According to the charity, access to clean water is a matter of life and death in Haiti, and so it has also shipped eight solar-powered water filtration units to be installed in Les Cayes, Jeremie, Torbeck, and Port Salut, which are among the sections of the country hardest hit by the deadly hurricane.
Water Mission, in partnership with FFP, will be helping to install the water filtration units, which can provide up to 10,000 gallons of water per day and reduce water-borne diseases by removing suspended pathogens.
Aid was also sent to Jeremie by a road, which was damaged by Hurricane Matthew.
Additional relief, said FFP, was expected to be sent yesterday by barge to Pestel, east of Jeremie on the north coast, which is only accessible by air.
