Haiti (2010)

RedR UK immediately responded by deploying Members, providing technical support to front-line aid workers, and setting up a training programme to support aid agencies and their staff.

An initial needs assessment undertaken by RedR UK following the earthquake demonstrated an overwhelming need to support agencies responding to the disaster. On 28th February, RedR UK set up the Disaster Response Services programme in partnership with French training agency Bioforce to provide support to the relief teams.

Over the course of the programme, which ran until the end of October 2010, RedR UK trained over 1,000 relief workers across key humanitarian areas including Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), shelter, supply chain and fleet management, safety and security, and telecommunications, helping ensure greater effectiveness and best practice in the delivery of aid. 

RedR UK delivered training and support to more than 50 aid agencies responding to the earthquake, including UNICEF, Save the Children, GOAL Ireland, Oxfam and the Haitian Red Cross.

Training by RedR UK was delivered in English, French and Creole. By providing training to local relief staff RedR UK has supported the recovery of the local economy and guaranteed that skills remain in Haiti for longer-term reconstruction.  

"We strongly believe in giving communities who have lost so much the opportunity and the support to be part of the rebuilding of their country. We are particularly proud therefore that over 90 per cent of the relief workers RedR UK has trained have been Haitian nationals," Martin McCann, RedR UK's Chief Executive said.  

In October 2010 a cholera outbreak occurred in Haiti, killing more than 1,000 people, and affecting tens of thousands of people. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster members, trained by RedR UK, are currently undertaking roles responding to the cholera epidemic. Hygiene promotion messages, as a result of RedR UK’s training programme, have reached tens of thousands of people across Haiti.

RedR UK has also been chosen as the Technical Support Service (TSS) provider for the WASH Cluster in Haiti and is supporting relief workers responding to the cholera outbreak with free, fast online technical support from a panel of 150 experts.