One year after Haiti was devastated by an earthquake, Trocaire has thanked people in Kilkenny who donated generously to the recovery operation.
People in Kilkenny contributed to donations of €411,842 through parish collections in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin (€325,303 ) and the Diocese of Ossory (€86,539 ). These donations are being used to fund a range of emergency relief work, as well as health and education projects which will deliver enormous long term benefit for Haiti. In total, Trocaire has received €8m in donations from the Irish public following the devastating earthquake which struck on January 12 last year.
In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, Trocaire, alongside the global Caritas humanitarian network, provided shelter to 160,000 people, healthcare to one million people, and food to more than one and a half million people.
Trocaire director, Justin Kilcullen, paid tribute to people throughout Kilkenny who have donated to Haiti. “The scale of the disaster which struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, was incredible,” Mr Kilcullen said. “The number of people killed was equal to the combined populations of Kilkenny and Kildare, with the equivalent of half the population of Leinster being made homeless. Despite the economic problems we face at home, people in Ireland were quick to donate to help save lives in Haiti.
“The recovery operation in Haiti has been made difficult by a number of factors, including Hurricane Tomas, an outbreak of cholera, and the political instability in the country. However one year on, donations from the Irish public have made a real difference. Trócaire has a plan in place to deliver real long-term change for Haiti over the coming years and we will ensure that the generous donations received from people in Kilkenny and throughout Ireland will help to change the lives of the poorest people in Haiti.”
