Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has recently sent a relief delegation to the Republic of Haiti, in a $500,000 humanitarian mission funded by Qatar Fund for Development (QFD) to sustain up to 2,400 families affected by Hurricane Matthew.
In initial response, QRCS activated its Disaster Information Management Center (DIMC) in Doha for timely information gathering and updating. A QR 3,650,000 humanitarian appeal was also issued to secure health, food, nonfood, shelter, water, and sanitation aid for 40,000 severely stricken people.
The operation is closely coordinated with Red Cross and Red Crescent partners, local charities, and United Nations agencies.
Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari, General Manager of QFD, stated, "This contribution will help the population affected in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. It is part of the humanitarian strategy adopted by Qatar to alleviate human suffering everywhere".
"The agreement with QRCS falls under QFD's 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan for affected populations. We appreciate the partnership with Qatari organizations and charities, remarkably QRCS," Al Kuwari remarked.
Secretary-General of QRCS, Ali bin Hassan Al Hammadi, said, "From its long crisis-management experience, QRCS took the initiative as an Arab National Society to lend a helping hand to the victims of Hurricane Matthew. Our intervention was corroborated by the contribution by our strategic partner QFD, which always supports us in various relief operations".
"In its humanitarian commitment," Al Hammadi noted, "QRCS is always there wherever aid is urgently needed, as is the case with Haiti. The initiative by QFD indicates the State of Qatar's sense of responsibility towards humanity at times of disasters".
Under the relief plan, QRCS will provide medications, medical consumables and equipment, personal hygiene kits, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, and kitchenware sets. These distributions are estimated to benefit 22,000 Haitians.
