The earthquake in Haiti and its subsequent aftermath may have passed from our collective consciousness – it’s been more than a month since Port-au-Prince was levelled – but the need to help the ravaged country has never been more dire.
There is now a proliferation of organizations seeking international volunteers to help with relief efforts and the rehabilitation of the country. If you are interested in volunteering in Haiti please refer to the list of organizations given below.
We strongly encourage prospective volunteers to scrutinize any position before volunteering.
ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that delivers technical and management assistance in agribusiness, financial services, enterprise development, community development and food security in order to promote broad-based economic growth and vibrant civil society. They are currently seeking short term experts for a 4 week volunteer assignment in Haiti. The purpose of the assignment is to help coordinate activities in Internally Displaced Person camps in Cotes de Feres, Haiti. All travel, lodging and food costs will be provided by ACDI/VOCA.
Hôpital Bon Samaritain (HBS), a full service hospital with outreach programs, is situated in the river valley of Limbé, Haiti. As the remaining medical facilities in and around Port-au-Prince are overwhelmed, families are seeking medical care at hospitals in the outlying areas of the country. The non-profit Hôpital Bon Samaritain is one of those critical medical facilities that can very much use your support. HBS needs medical professionals such as general doctors, surgeons, anaesthesiologists, PA’s, physical therapists, nurses, midwives, lab technicians, and pharmacists on a regular basis. General support staff, such as administrative personnel, computer technicians, and maintenance personnel are also sought.
Burners Without Borders (BWB) is a grassroots, volunteer-driven, community leadership organization whose goal is to unlock the creativity of local communities to solve problems and bring about meaningful change. BWB is responding to the earthquake that devastated large regions in Haiti with targeted medical missions. As they begin to make connections on the ground, they will partner with other organizations who are focused on working with the Haitians to bring about sustainable change. If you are interested in volunteering with BWB in Haiti you must fill out a simple online volunteer questionnaire form so that they can track the skills and availability of potential volunteers.
United Nations Volunteers (UNV) is coordinating with other UN agencies on the relief and recovery in Haiti. Currently, they are recruiting volunteers with a background in disaster relief, response, reconstruction and management and are planning to mobilize volunteers with a social and medical background in the weeks to come. Fluency in French is a must for all the assignments.
Hands On Disaster Relief has launched ‘Project Leogane’ which will be cooperating with other local and international NGOs, to help the community of Leogane recover from the massive Haiti earthquake. If you are interested in volunteering with HODR in Haiti, you must submit your information and dates of interest using their online volunteer information form.
Friends of the Orphans is urgently looking for a Home Correspondent (HC). The main task of the HC is to provide the public, NPH International and fundraisers with any required information. The responsibilities of the HC include, but are not limited to, annual report, quarterly newsletter, website updates, projects, and photos. The HC will be based in Kenskoff, but will regularly travel to Port Au Prince, their outreach sites and hospitals.
New Reality International (NRI) is seeking volunteers on an ongoing basis. They are currently looking for people with specific skills; primarily those in the medical/dental field, those experienced in emergency relief and construction as well as those with prior experience working in severely impoverished communities. They also like to take one photographer/videographer on each trip for documentation purposes. If you don’t fall into one of these categories don’t lose heart, they may still be able to use you. Several of the schools and orphanages they work with in Port au Prince need to be completely rebuilt and this will take man power, skills, supplies and funds.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is looking for skilled French speakers for the following positions in Haiti: midwife; nurse; medical doctor; mental health specialist; medical coordinator; financial controller; lab technician; logistician; anaesthetist; nutritionist; surgeon; epidemiologist; water and sanitation specialist. Non-French speakers are still welcome to apply for all positions.
Haiti Medical Missions of Memphis provides quality health care to the people of Haiti through a comprehensive primary care health clinic in Croix des Bouquets near Port-au-Prince, Haiti. They urgently need 2 occupational therapists and 2 physical therapists for their new 90 bed Rehabilitation and Recovery Centre for earthquake victims. The Centre is located near their existing primary care clinic in a secure compound.
REACH (Reconstruction Efforts Aiding Children without Homes) is planning to build new homes in 2010 for the orphaned children of Pwoje Espwa Sud near the city of Les Cayes, Haiti. There will probably be additional opportunities as they focus on expanding the project to not only include homes for the newly arrived orphans, but also a medical clinic and school.
Healing Hands for Haiti International is a non-profit institution dedicated to delivering physical medicine and rehabilitation programs to Haitians with disabilities. They welcome applications from committed health care professionals including: physicians; nurses; physical therapists; occupational therapists; speech/language pathologists; orthotists and prosthetists; as well as support volunteers, including: translators; skilled workers; and students.
The Gadfly Project (TGP) is assembling a team that will be based in both the USA and Haiti. The team will provide much needed geospatial and civil engineering services that will vastly improve the efficiency of the relief effort. The services will also provide a basis for the rebuilding and operational phases of the country’s redevelopment.
American Medical Association (AMA) is building a registry of physician volunteers to support the Haiti relief effort. The AMA intends to use the registry as a means to facilitate and coordinate the deployment of physicians willing to volunteer in Haiti. Practicing physicians are eligible to register.
International Medical Corps provides unique volunteer opportunities for people like you to help restore crisis-affected communities to self-reliance. Their international network of domestic and international volunteer doctors, nurses, and other professionals makes International Medical Corps one of the world’s fastest and most effective response agencies. They are requesting that all medical personnel interesting in assisting International Medical Corps in Haiti submit an application online.
AMURT’s mission is to help improve the quality of life for the poor and disadvantaged people of the world, and to assist those affected by calamity and conflict. The AMURT team based in downtown Port-au-Prince at Delmas 31 (near the airport) is running 10 child-friendly spaces throughout the metropolitan area, most of them in camps for internally displaced people. A total of 4,000 children are projected to benefit from this 6 months program from (March to August 2010). Child-friendly spaces offer care and protection for children and young people, especially those who have lost or been separated from their families. With the help of community members who they have trained, they offer tents and other suitable areas that provide children with stability, routine, supportive relationships and emergency educational support. Most importantly, they help children return to some semblance of normalcy. AMURT are currently looking for medium term (2-3 months) volunteers that are suited for this program (i.e. child animators, psychologists, project managers and administrators). French and Creole speaking volunteers are preferred.
AMURTEL is an international NGO that cares for those who society has abandoned: destitute women, orphans, the handicapped, victims of war and natural calamities, etc. AMURTEL is mobilizing a volunteer response to the recent earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti. They have identified their current volunteer needs including doctors, nurses, engineers, child psychologists and emergency response specialists. All volunteers must be flexible, comfortable working independently and adaptable to difficult conditions.
Foundation for Children in Need provides 1-3 week mission trips to Haiti volunteering in orphanages, distributing donations, and improving communities by providing basic necessities of life. Normally, volunteers spend most of their time in Haiti spent working in orphanages. However, owing to the recent earthquake, FCN are currently concentrating on relief efforts and rebuilding.
Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) provides information and guidance in support of appropriate international disaster relief. Both medical and non-medical workers can register to volunteer their services with CIDI. Relief agencies browse through the listings to find volunteers who match their needs. Individuals, groups, corporations, NGOs, embassies, media and others from around the world have come to rely upon CIDI’s resources and services in order to provide more effective international emergency assistance.
Habitat for Humanity International is currently assessing response options in Haiti. Once the organization knows the full magnitude of the disaster, Habitat will require support from volunteers. Visit the Habitat for Humanity International website to register or for updated information on its needs.
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) has developed a response to the earthquake in Haiti and has a few volunteer opportunities. They are currently recruiting structural engineers, with a preference for those designated as professional engineers whose main task would be to inspect existing structures. These positions are only open to people living in Canada or the United States, and they are only recruiting 2 people.
Heartline Ministries is a non-profit organization that cares for children and adults in Haiti. They are seeking medical volunteers and are starting to gather volunteer information for groups and individuals wanting to volunteer in Haiti.
HOPE International (HOPE) is a Christian faith-based, non-profit organization focused on alleviating physical and spiritual poverty through microenterprise development. HOPE International currently has one volunteer position available in Haiti: Haiti Summer Intern 2010. The Haiti Intern will be responsible to assist HOPE’s partner in the Haiti, Esperanza International, in various capacities, including: liaising between Esperanza and HOPE’s respective CSU offices in the DR and US, coordinating all trip logistics for visitors to Haiti’s programs, assisting in the gathering, compilation and translation of client stories for HOPE’s publications and for
Simact Foundation works in partnership with Haitian communities to help Haitians tackle chronic problems of poverty, inequality and underemployment through social, economic and environmental initiatives while providing sustainable solutions. Their programs address needs in areas which include: child health, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, food security and agriculture, water and sanitation, gender equality and emergency response.
Ministries of Aides International Inc has over 20 years of experience working in Haiti. Now they are working toward bringing over 100 doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in Haiti to care and help out the victims of the 7.0 magnitude Earthquake. They ask doctors, nurses, surgeons, psychologists, ER personnel and other people to contact them if interested in volunteering in Haiti.
Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) is the leading U.S.-based Catholic charity focused exclusively on global healthcare. The crisis in Haiti has spurred many MVP alum to take up the cause of service once again and volunteer their time to those survivors of the earthquake in Haiti. Short-term mission teams are available through a number of CMMB partners. These trips are typically 2-12 weeks in length. Preferences for Haiti volunteers are: occupational therapists; physical therapists; ER/ICU RNs; mental health professionals (with PTSD expertise); infectious disease specialists; hospitalists/generalist physicians; paediatricians; generalist/RN; medic teams; trauma/general surgeons; rotating clinic teams.
Global Art of Living family has pledged support to help fellow Haitians by: immediate supplies and food; trauma relief programs; and long-term rehabilitation programs. They are seeking French-speaking volunteer.
Hope Village allows you to journey hand-in-hand with the poorest of the poor: the homeless children of southern Haiti. It is a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of real people, all while working with an exciting team of dedicated individuals.
World Hope International – a faith-based relief and development organization based in Alexandria, Virginia – will mobilize volunteers to assist their Haitian staff and communities in clean-up and rebuilding once the work of its first responders ebbs.
RNRN/NNU (RN Response Network/National Nurses United) has a signed contract with the US Navy to provide RN volunteers. They are deploying nurses to the USNS Comfort, the humanitarian Naval ship providing medical services to victims of the Haiti Earthquake.
Global Volunteer Network currently has opportunities to join a rebuilding and rehabilitation team to Haiti. Volunteers have the opportunity to be involved in a variety of work, including: working with children; teaching; health/medical; counselling; building and construction.
Anir Experience is planning on pulling together 3 teams of 15 persons each, one medical/health care team, one construction team, and one social response team (working with orphans and vulnerable children).
Force d’Entraide et de Developpement Integre (FEDI) partners with God’s Children Inc. God’s Children Inc., provide projects where people from diverse backgrounds can work together to help overcome the need, poverty, hunger, and environmental challenges facing Haiti. These voluntary service projects are an opportunity to assist the victims of the earthquake, and to participate in meaningful community service while living and interacting in an intercultural environment. Work projects include: construction/renovation of low-income housing or community buildings, environmental education, organic farming, healthcare assistance, social services, working with children, the elderly, physically or mentally handicapped, and homeless. Contact: godschildrenhaiti@yahoo.com or fide.haiti@yahoo.com
Based on U.S. Geological Survey figures, Saturday’s 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile could rank as one of the most powerful in history.
Rescue teams have begun to search for survivors after one of the largest earthquakes on record killed at least 300 people in Chile and sent giant waves roaring across the Pacific Ocean.
The massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile early Saturday morning has now left at least 120 dead, with the toll expected to rise. The earthquake has also triggered a tsunami that has led officials throughout the Pacific to issue Tsunami warnings.
This small family run hotel is looking for someone to help out with various duties including cleaning and preparing rooms, preparing and serving breakfast, and general reception work when required. The hotel is based a short stroll to some excellent beaches. Here you can surf, snorkel, sunbath, ride horses or take a beach buggy for a drive. You can also swim freely with dolphins feeding in the bay every day at low tide. Previous hotel experience and a second language are a big plus (Portuguese, Spanish or Dutch). The hotel is looking for someone to start in May 2010.
This hostel (guesthouse) is perched atop a hill with a spectacular views over the town and surrounding mountain range. It is looking for someone to help run the hostel for a minimum period of six weeks. Responsibilities range from greeting arriving guests and visitors, to preparing light snacks and drinks. Volunteers work five days a week with two days free to relax or go sightseeing. 
The British government’s decision to explore for oil in the Falkland Islands has revived tensions between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Experts say there could be 60 billion barrels of oil located in a 200 square mile zone surrounding the Falkland Islands, as much as there was in the North Sea. This would make it one of the largest oil reserves in the world.
A massive magnitude-8.3 earthquake struck near Concepcion, Chile early today (Saturday). The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at 0634 GMT at a depth of 59.4km (36.9 miles).
Critics are concerned that private military contractors are positioning themselves at the centre of an emerging “shock doctrine” for earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
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