Where Will Haiti Flash Appeal Money Go--$575 Million to Help 3 Million People Until July

The Haiti Flash Appeal is a coordinated response plan of the 29 major organizations and UN agencies working together in Haiti providing different types of humanitarian aid. To help approximately 3 million people until July 2010, the various programs of these international agencies will need $575 million. The figure is based on the current assessments of the appealing organizations in cooperation with the Haitian government.

According to USAIDs Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) Population Explorer and the United States Geological Survey's map, there are more than 3.7 million people living in the earthquake-affected areas.

For early recovery, $41.2 million will be needed. Coordination and support are estimated to come up to $10.5 million and camp coordination and management up to $1.3 million. Child protection and protection of vulnerable persons and groups, people living with HIV and psychosocial support will amount to $16 million.

Costs of World Food Program (WFP) Emergency Operations from January to July 2010 covering food assistance to 2 million people are estimated to reach $279 million, $33 million for logistics and $246 million for food operations. Additional $48 million will be needed for nutrition of women and children.

For emergency shelter $ 38.2 million will be required. It is estimated that over one million people are in need of emergency shelter.

Damage to Haiti agricultural production system has been substantial. Already the 2008 hurricane damaged 70% of Haiti agriculture leaving behind 1.8 million people with severe malnutrition. To ensure long-term food security, agricultural production has to be restored quickly. FAO is estimating the costs at $23 million. The next planting season starts in March and outside support is crucial. Supply of quality beans, vegetable seeds, fertilizers and tools is vital. Restoration of production infrastructure is also critical.

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) will cost $58.8 million. Water and sanitation systems have been severely damaged. Wells are heavily contaminated. Emergency rehabilitation of water and sanitation systems alone will cost $46.2 million.

Health care costs will amount to $34 million. There are now 40 operational health facilities and eight operational field hospitals in Port-au-Prince with 50 teams from different countries providing health services. A team of epidemiologists is on the ground setting up an Early Warning System for communicable diseases. So far, there are no reported outbreaks of cholera, measles or rubella or any other diseases.

United Nations Development Programme has started a-cash-for-work program paying Haitians to help to distribute food, water and medical supply, remove rubble, clear roads and help build camps for homeless. Once the program will operate completely, it will offer over $200,000 people temporary jobs thus indirectly helping up to 1 million people.

Similar program, so-called UNDP's Briquettes Project, was running in Haiti before the earthquake and was launched after the 2008 hurricane to combat poverty. To expedite the cash-for-work program, UNDP started with Briquettes Project staff and resources. The costs of the cash-for-work program are estimated to reach $40 million.

Education will require $23 million. Save the Children alone will need $500,000 to start temporary classrooms. Already before the earthquake, the education system was barely functioning with only 50% of children in school and barely 2% of children finishing secondary education. Save the Children was active in Haiti before the quake running various education programs.

Among the major agencies leading various programs are Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Source: UN, UNDP, WFP, UNICEF, FAO, WHO