FOR THE PEOPLE : Volume 5, Number 1 — January 2010

Port-au-Prince in the chaos and devastated

CECI and its partners already on the move

Montreal – January 13th. 2009, 9h30 – Despite the confusion, CECI and all its teams (over 150 people) are being mobilized to bring first aid to the population.  Over 3 millions people are directly affected as almost all of over one floor buildings have fallen down.  Entire families are under the rubbles. Searches have started.

CECI and its partners are currently assessing needs as well as mobilizing food and water supplies and this, not only in Port-au-Prince but also on the whole territory as rarity has started to be felt. All commerce have been shot down, there is no electricity and there is no mean by which people can get water, food or shelters

CECI is trying to contact its partners in Cité l’Éternel and Village de Dieu, two slums of Port-au-Prince. If the Presidential Palace and big hotels have gown down, small houses of the most vulnerable people must not have been saved. 

Luck Mervil, spokesman for CECI, Angelo Cadet and Pierre-Richard Casimir, General Consul of Haiti in Montréal call upon solidarity of each of you.

 «We all know at least one Haitian in Montreal, either our taxi driver or a friend, we shall all mobilize.  Port au Prince is destroyed but these are not the buildings that make a city, it is first its women, men and children who live in it.  They are the ones that today I’m asking you to support» - Luck Mervil, spokesman for CECI.

Haiti is the poorest country of America.  Development efforts have many times failed to result due to important natural disasters such as  many hurricanes in 2008; 70% of the population lives with less than 2$ a day. 

Luck Mervil as well as CECI team members from Montreal and Haiti are available for interviews.

CECI is the most important Canadian NGO that is present in Haiti since the last 40 years.  In 2004-2005, CECI has organized an important humanitarian assistance program after the passage of hurricane Jane and did the same in 2008 after 4 hurricanes have stroked again the island.

People and organizations of the region of Montreal who want to give to the Emergency Haiti Campaign can call us at 514 875-9911 or, for people outside Montreal, to the 1-877-875-2324.  We can also send a cheque to  CECI, 3000, rue Omer-Lavallée, Montréal (Québec) H1Y 3R8, with the mention « CECI – Emergency Haiti ». Donation on line :  www.ceci.ca

Your donation to CECI is a donation that acts, that builds!
You will make the difference.

Information :

Carine Guidicelli, CECI Communication director, cell Phone : 514 572-3558
Myriam Fehmiu, CECI Communication advisor, cell Phone: 514 574-7195