Swiss Solidarity plans to continue Haiti work

Haitians demolish a collapsed building in Port-au-Prince in March 2010 Keystone

Five years after an earthquake killed 250,000 people in Haiti, fundraising organisation Swiss Solidarity says it has spent CHF61.8 million ($60.5 million) on 84 projects run by 21 partner relief organisations. 

Around two-thirds of the funds have gone towards reconstruction projects, said the organisation – the fundraising arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), swissinfo.ch’s parent company. 

Taking stock on Thursday, it said the money had helped repair or construct 2,700 houses, 3,300 lavatories and 2,500 water reservoirs. A total of 58 projects have already been completed. 

Last year Swiss Solidarity announced it would finance seven more projects, including some focusing on catastrophe prevention and risk reduction – in particular reforestation projects. Other projects involve improving education and health. 

The organisation said its approach in Haiti filled a gap by linking emergency aid with reconstruction work and development cooperation. 

By January 2015, Swiss Solidarity said it had spent 93% of donations made by the Swiss public to the earthquake fund. On the national collection day on January 21, 2010, it received CHF66.2 million in donations.