February's Cause of the Month: CARE

For the month of February, Scrapblog Designs by Hilary will be donating $5 from every blog layout purchased towards the CARE organization, specfically towards their efforts to distribute aid to survivors of the recent earthquake in Haiti. Here's a little bit about CARE:

"CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. We place special focus on working alongside poor women because, equipped with the proper resources, women have the power to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty. Women are at the heart of CARE's community-based efforts to improve basic education, prevent the spread of HIV, increase access to clean water and sanitation, expand economic opportunity and protect natural resources. CARE also delivers emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters, and helps people rebuild their lives."

And here is a little bit about CARE's response to the earthqake in Haiti:

"CARE is on the ground delivering aid to survivors.
On Sunday, January 31, CARE and other international aid agencies, the Haitian government and the World Food Programme (WFP) embarked on a massive food distribution effort in Haiti intended to reach 1.2 million people over a 15-day period. CARE is responsible for helping 1,700 families each day receive 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of uncooked rice in Delmas, one of the 16 distribution sites in the greater Port-au-Prince area. The rice, a stable food in Haiti, is intended to help feed each family for two weeks. By the end of the program, CARE will have reached almost 120,000 people in desperate need of food.

These distributions, like all of the ones we've carried out in Haiti since the earthquake, are orderly and calm. We are working closely with local communities to assure that everyone's needs are met, especially pregnant women, children, the elderly and disabled people. Only women are allowed into the WFP distribution sites, however, CARE is working with local community leaders to be sure that men in need are not excluded. At the first distribution, pregnant women and disabled people went first with assistance from CARE's staff. We noticed that a few men outside of the cordoned off area seemed frustrated byt there was no unrest. Several men were on hand to help the women carry the the bags "home." On the second day of distributions, some of the rice was provided in 50 kilogram bags so women will have to divide a bag.

In other news, as of January 30, CARE had reached more than 50,000 people thus far with the distribution of food, clean water and water purification packets, jerry cans, hygiene kits, mattresses and blankets and the installation of water storage systems. This figure does not include the WFP distributions.
This aid includes:

• High energy biscuits to displaced families in Jérémie, which will provide enough calories per person for four days;
• PUR® water purification packets;
• Hygiene kits, with a special focus on the needs of women (each kit includes: toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, detergent, shampoo, a comb, towels, safety pins, clothes line, sanitary napkins and toilet paper);
• Mattresses were distributed, with priority given to families of pregnant women and women with children;
• Blankets; and
• Delivery kits to pregnant women to help them deliver safer in emergency situations (each kit includes plastic sheeting, gloves, a razor and gauze).

In addition, five water storage bladders were installed in Léogâne and Pétionville, providing potable water to 7,600 people daily through CARE water tanker deliveries.

What is in the works
We are in the process of acquiring and bringing in more supplies, such as jerry cans, tents, temporary warehouse structures, generators and high-protein food from distribution hubs in Dubai, Karachi and Nairobi.

CARE's long-term relief and recovery plans
The CARE team in Haiti has begun planning for our longer-term response to the earthquake in Haiti, one of the largest humanitarian disasters the world has seen in recent years, both in terms of the number of people affected and the magnitude of the damage.
During our relief phase, which started immediately after the earthquake on January 12 and will continue through April of this year, we are concentrating on the immediate needs of the 3 million people affected by the disaster by helping them access clean water, nutritious food and emergency supplies.
Beginning in March 2010 and lasting through January 2011, what we are calling the transition phase, CARE will add activities to strengthen health programming, provide economic opportunities, help people with temporary or transitional shelter, distribute school kits and furniture and raise awareness around prevention of gender-based violence.
Following the transition phase will be CARE's rehabilitation phase that runs from January 2011 – 2015. During those years, we will address communities' long-term issues such as earthquake-resistant construction and preparedness, rehabilitation of water systems, and reconstructing schools and health systems."

As always, you can make a separate donation without purchasing a blog layout, if you wish. You can do this by pressing the PayPal Donate button on the top of the right sidebar of the blog or you can donate directly to CARE.