Tuesday, January 12th is a day that the people of Haiti will never forget. An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale rocked their already unstable world.
Their lives have changed forever.
Hundreds and thousands of Haitians have lost everything; loved ones, homes, livelihoods. Everything has been wiped out.
In seconds.
What was wiped out in seconds will take years to rebuild.
But it can be rebuilt…
At a time when the people of Haiti are facing unprecedented loss, Bóthar is currently working with its project partners, Heifer International, to develop long-term projects that will help them recover and rebuild their lives.
The projects will provide education and training, so that local farmers can work to build a better life for themselves and their families.
In it's post-earthquake recovery efforts, Bóthar hopes that the project work will strengthen family farms through improved land and water management and strengthen food security and income through food and income producing animals suitable for the climate for example goats, pigs, fish, etc. Over the coming weeks, efforts will begin to help reconfigure land holdings and water. The work is expected to get under way next year and the estimated cost is $1 million.
Peter Ireton, Chief Executive, Bóthar knows that this will take time to implement but it’s not a short term fix - it’s a long term solution.
“The need for emergency response in this type of disaster is paramount but Bóthar is thinking long- term here. When the emergency is no longer deemed an emergency and aid is less frequent, Bóthar will working with the local communities trying to help them re-establish themselves as farmers in the community so that they can rebuild their shattered lives. It is also an opportunity for us to educate and train others who may not have had the necessary skills to look after an animal or run a farm.”
