UMCOR Approves $1.5 Million for Start-Up for Work in Haiti
UMCOR is establishing an official presence in Haiti in response to last year's hurricane and resulting floods.
The relief and development agency of the United Methodist Church is establishing an official presence in Haiti in response to last year's hurricane and resulting floods.
On Friday, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) announced that directors of the aid group had approved $1.5 million for start-up and program implementation costs on the Caribbean island. The action came after directors met during the Apr. 11-14 spring board meeting of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, UMCOR's parent organization.
Marc Maxi, UMCOR's regional director for Africa and the Caribbean, said that although United Methodists have worked in Haiti for years—particularly through the Methodist Church in Haiti—this is the first time UMCOR has undertaken the legal process of registering as a nongovernmental organization there.
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According to UMCOR, the floods resulting from Hurricane Jeanne last September not only claimed more than 3,000 lives, but created rockslides and thick areas of mud, destroying livelihoods for thousands of farmers, stock breeders and traders. Nearly 30,000 people were left homeless, many in the Gonaives area.
After an UMCOR team surveyed the damage, "we decided it was time for us to go on the ground," Maxi said.
The director accompanied the Rev. R. Randy Day, the board's chief executive, and the Rev. Kristin Sachen, head of UMCOR's emergency services, to Haiti at the end of February to begin the process. Although Maxi is a native of Haiti, he had not returned to the island in 25 years.
"I see what UMCOR does,” said Maxi, who was clear on why the step was important. “I see the need on the ground. I think it's a perfect match."
Meanwhile Sachen told the directors she believes UMCOR "will be able to leverage grant money for additional projects" with its new status in Haiti.
According to UMCOR, the agency’s headquarters will be in Port-au-Prince and it will maintain a field office in Cap Haitien—where some 10,740 women, children and men are expected to be project beneficiaries.
UMCOR’s work will focus on northern Haiti and include the repair and rehabilitation of homes, conflict resolution, revival of economic activities and income generation.
The agency reports that it will continue to work with the Methodist Church in Haiti and provide "a degree of capacity building" for the church. Maxi said he expects the projects to "complement what the church is currently doing."
Ongoing church work in Haiti includes a school hot-lunch program, health care and medical mission, and community health worker training program.
For recovery efforts on the island of Grenada, UMCOR directors allocated another $511,344. About 5,000 people are expected to receive assistance from programs for housing reconstruction and rehabilitation and sustainable agriculture recovery.
Directors also approved $1.9 million to the denomination's Florida Annual (regional) Conference over the next two years in response to continuing "Hurricanes 2004" recovery work in the United States.
