HAITI: TWO YEARS LATER

Two years after the earthquake in Haiti, Music for Relief reflects on how you’ve helped.

Today, we ask for your ongoing support for the Haitian people via Power the World.

Photo Courtesy of UN Foundation

It’s been two years since the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, Killing 316,000 people on January 12, 2010, laying waste to a country already suffering from extreme poverty and environmental degradation.  The crisis in Haiti continues today.  Since the earthquake Haitians have endured hurricanes, flooding, and a cholera outbreak.    Perhaps worst of all for families who survived the earthquake is the uncertainty of what’s to come.  While many homes and schools have been rebuilt, the majority of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince remains in ruins, leaving over half a million Haitians homeless and tens of thousands of children unable to get an education.  Adding to the chaos, a staggering 8 million people live without access to reliable energy, meaning families spend 12 hours every night in complete darkness.  But there is hope.

Music for Relief responded to help Haiti immediately following the disaster in 2010, implementing Download to Donate for Haiti.  To continue our support, MFR re-launched Download to Donate V. 2.0 in 2011.  Thanks to your generous contributions, Music for Relief was able to support our extraordinary partners on the ground as they delivered food, clean water, medical care, education and tackled long-term challenges of reconstruction.

Funds raised through Download to Donate also supported the UN Population Fund’s installation of environmentally friendly LED solar streetlights to protect women and children from violence when walking down the street at night.  After visiting Haiti in 2011, Linkin Park bassist Dave “Phoenix” Farrell reflected, “Something as simple as a lighted pathway can make a huge difference for a woman trying to survive the night without fear of violence.  We all have a role to play in helping the UN help Haiti and everyone can make a difference.”

Now MFR is bringing light to families in Haiti through Power The World, a pledge to bring sustainable energy to those without access to electricity.  In support of UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon’s Sustainable Energy for All Initiative, LP and MFR are empowering Haitians through Power The World by raising awareness about energy access and providing solutions.

That’s where you come in.  With a $10 donation to http://powertheworld.org, you provide a solar powered light bulb to a family in Haiti. This $10 donation will improve the quality of life for Haitians, enabling children to study, families to read, and all to feel safe and healthy.  Even with the chaos and destruction around them, families who can simply turn on a light at night are one step closer to returning to everyday life in the wake of this disaster.  Thank you for your support.  Go to Power the World to donate and share the message.