In Haiti, a country that is extremely vulnerable to natural hazards, more than 96% of the population lives in an area susceptible to natural disasters (UN, 2017). The southern peninsula continues to rebuild following hurricane Matthew in 2016. According to an assessment conducted by the government, the hurricane caused over $2.7 billion in damages, amounting to 32% of the GDP. Poverty is also an important factor: Haiti continues to be the poorest country on the American continent, resulting from a complex history of political, economic, environmental and social problems. These two factors – exposure to natural disaster and extreme poverty – make Haiti one of the countries most vulnerable to catastrophe.
Caritas International has been active in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake and has established a representative office in Port-au-Prince. We concentrate our efforts on the resilience and protection of communities facing two major challenges: extreme poverty and disaster risk.