Photo Essay: ACDI/VOCA Responds to Earthquake Victims in Haiti
The largest-operating international NGO in the Southeast Department of Haiti, ACDI/VOCA has been working with the local civil sector, USAID and UN agencies to aid relief efforts. Read about ACDI/VOCA's response.
“It is a complete devastation here….Jacmel is a disaster zone. Many houses have collapsed or are severely damaged….There have been many deaths from the way the houses collapsed, and given poor construction practices and materials.”
—Emmet Murphy, ACDI/VOCA Chief of Party in Jacmel, Haiti
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A man walks by a collapsed house in Jacmel, Haiti. Last week's 7.0-magnitude earthquake created disaster throughout Haiti.
 ACDI/VOCA Chief of Party Emmet Murphy (on right with red hat) talks with USAID and U.S. Army officials. ACDI/VOCA is the largest-operating NGO in the Southeast Department of Haiti and has been coordinating with the local civil sector, USAID and UN agencies to aid relief efforts and begin assessing immediate, on-the-ground needs following last week’s devastating earthquake.
 The earthquake caused severe damage in Jacmel. Rescuers are still looking for survivors in the debris.
ACDI/VOCA Early Warning Systems Director Gerry Delphin (in blue shirt on left) talks with aid workers. To help immediate relief efforts, ACDI/VOCA has provided its stock of megaphones and flashlights to help with search and rescue efforts by the Jacmel fire department, which lacked enough equipment.
According to an initial survey by CROSE (La Coordination Régionale des Organisations de Sud-Est), nearly 1,800 families have lost their homes in Jacmel town with 1,039 buildings partially destroyed and 151 buildings collapsed. Nearby communes have similarly been affected, such as in Cotes de Fer where 1,300 families have lost their homes.
 ACDI/VOCA's Deputy Chief of Party Mathieu Lucius (on right in red cap) helps with relief efforts. ACDI/VOCA will work to conduct assessments using Haitian government forms, with priority communes being the most vulnerable. Accessing areas which lie outside of Jacmel town will be difficult with the current impassable road conditions. As communications to the field and road access improves ACDI/VOCA will expand assessments to all program areas
There are approximately 50,000 people in Jacmel town and 150,000 people in the Commune of Jacmel, and the World Food Programme has initially estimated that 80 percent of the population in Jacmel will need food aid. Immediate food needs are apparent. ACDI/VOCA will assist the WFP in assessing the amount of food needed for the next three months for the Jacmel area.
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