About us

On 12 January‚ Haiti suffered its worst earthquake for two centuries‚ devastating what is one of the world’s poorest countries. Older people were among the worst affected because many were too frail to overcome the trauma‚ and to fend for themselves.

Worst affected was the densely populated capital city‚ Port-au-Prince and nearby settlements‚ where around 2.2 million people live. Authorities have estimated that up to 3 million people have been affected by the quake.

As of February 10th‚ the death toll in Haiti stands at around 230‚000‚ although survivors are still being pulled from the rubble‚ testifying to the incredible resilience of the human spirit. This horrific figure is approaching that of the 2004 Asian tsunami‚ which killed 250‚000 people.

Our role in the relief effort

As part of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC)‚ Age Concern and Help the Aged have been providing emergency relief on the ground in Haiti since day 1‚ as well as working alongside other agencies to fundraise and coordinate emergency efforts. Our priority has been to help older people obtain medical care and relief assistance. Our partners have also made sure that older people‚ or their representatives‚ take part in key relief and recovery meetings.

There are approximately 800‚000 people over the age of 60 in Haiti – about 7 percent of the population. Many of these older people take care of grandchildren orphaned by AIDS or left behind by their parents who have migrated in search of work.

Aid is reaching Haiti

One month on and charities like Age Concern and Help the Aged are reaching more and more Haitians in need. Some banks and street markets are re-opening‚ and people are starting to look for work. In some instances‚ charities are paying local people to take part in the recovery effort in ’Cash-for-Work’ programmes.

Among the worst affected by the quake are Haiti’s older people who are fighting for survival without the strength and stamina of younger people or their ability to access relief supplies or medical care. Working through our sister organisation‚ HelpAge International‚ we are ensuring that the needs of older people are being taken into account by other charities and the Haitian government.

Please visit our Help the Aged website to:

• Donate to help older people in Haiti.
• See the latest pictures from Haiti