Disaster in a Crisis Zone: Understanding the Impact of Haiti’s Earthquake Webinar

An M7.2 earthquake struck southwest Haiti on Aug. 14, leaving hundreds dead and causing widespread devastation, and Tropical Storm Grace passed over Haiti on Monday, Aug. 16, bringing heavy rains, flash floods and landslides, further complicating response efforts.

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) hosted a webinar to look at the impact of the earthquake and tropical storm. Speakers shared the latest information, including critical needs and gaps, and provided concrete takeaways for funders to effectively support relief and recovery efforts.

Even prior to this latest disaster, Haiti was a country in crisis. It still hasn’t recovered (economically, socially, culturally, etc.) from the January 2010 earthquake that devastated the capital and killed approximately 200,000 people. Eleven years later, 33,000 people live in displacement camps and an additional 300,000 live in informal settlements. An additional 140,000 are still displaced from 2016’s Hurricane Matthew. The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent assassination of President Jovenel Moïse have further destabilized the country.

During the webinar, we examined the 2021 earthquake and Tropical Storm Grace in the context of the existing disparities and social disruption in the country.

CDP Director of International Funds Alex Gray moderated the discussion and panelists included:
- Karen Keating Ansara, New England International Donors
- Pierre Noel, Haiti Development Institute
- Marie-Rose Romain Murphy, The Haiti Community Foundation/Economic Stimulus Projects for Work and Action
- Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, UNOCHA

This webinar was co-sponsored by Giving Compass, Council on Foundations, Philanthropy New York, Alliance Magazine and National VOAD.

Learn more: https://disasterphilanthropy.org