Fond dés Nègres, Haiti, December 2009

The international community is carrying out an unprecedented action to deal with one of the most devastating earthquakes of recent centuries.
At these times of great suffering for the people of Haiti, the will to help is always great, but it is not enough. For this reason, InterAction, an international coalition of humanitarian aid organisations (www.interaction.org), provides some recommendations to make each one’s contribution more efficient:

- Do not gather water, foodstuffs nor clothes for Haiti, because the country does not have the necessary infrastructures for distributing them;
- Opt to donate money to recognised humanitarian aid organisations, which will allow the professionals to obtain exactly what is needed, without overloading the already scant resources for transportation and storing;

- Anyone who wants to help on the ground, as a volunteer, has to have previous experience in disaster scenarios in foreign countries, or have technical capacities in need at the moment, and should do so through a recognised humanitarian aid organisation. More information is available through the Centre for Information on International Disasters, an agency connected to the United Nations Calamity Aid Office

The Presidential Palace before the earthquake

Portugal has joined this mission through some institutions that are accepting donations for Haiti.

- Cáritas Portuguesa – "Cáritas Ajuda Haiti"
NIB: 003506970063000753053 (Caixa Geral de Depósitos)

- Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa – Emergency Fund available in several different banks, indicated on the site http://www.cruzvermelha.pt/cvp_t/

- Help the AMI Emergency Mission in Haiti
NIB: 0007 001 500 400 000 00672
ATM Transfers: Pagamento de Serviços; Entidade 20909; Referência 909 909 909.

- Amurt Association: NIB: 0035 2168 00020393630 21 (Caixa Geral de Depósitos)
Cheque written out to Amurt - Associação de Apoio Social e Humanitário, and sent to: Rua Visconde de Santarém, nº 71 3º andar, Sala 1 1000 - 286 Lisboa.

Further information on http://www.amurt.pt/donativos 

- Fund Raising "Emergência no Haiti" through Oikos, Cooperation and Development
NIB: 0035 0355 00029529630 85 (Caixa Geral de Depósitos)

- Association for Cooperation, Exchange and Culture –
NIB: 0033.0000 45207093568 05
Non-perishable foodstuffs and medication should be brought to the main premises of the association, in Avenida Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, in Lisbon.

- Adventist Association for Development, Resources and Aid – NIB-00460 017 00600031123 74

- Miqueias Network (of Evangelical Churches) – SOS Haiti campaign
NIB: 0035 0697 0063 5859 63074 (Caixa Geral de Depósitos).

Note: If you opt to make a transfer at a Multibanco ATM point, the name of the entity chosen should always appear on the screen before you validate the operation.

 

Carlos André
Editorial Team
carlos.andre@campus.ul.pt