Help Haiti after a Devastating Earthquake hits the Caribbean Republic

It is thought to be the most powerful earthquake to have hit this region in 120 years, gradually accumulating stress over a long period of time it has now been released in a single, large catastrophic disaster on the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

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Charities Trust have launched an emergency DEC appeal for Haiti. Thousands of people are dead, many are buried alive and countless have been left homeless and we need your help to provide clean water, shelter and medical help with fears that there will be out-breaks of water-borne diseases such as cholera in this densely populated capital of over 9 million.

Christian Aid are releasing £100,000 for immediate emergency relief to help those affected, and we ask Charities Trust supporters and Freedom Account holders to donate through our secure online DEC & Appeals page or through your account.

The quake, measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale, struck 15km southwest of the capital just before 5pm local time on Tuesday 12^th January 2010.

The Christian Aid office and United Nations Headquarters have both collapsed with most aid workers now struggling to find their own members, leaving most efforts largely in the hands of the Haitians.

Most buildings were structurally unsafe even under normal conditions, with people living in huddled shacks made from rusty corrugated iron sheets. The capitals mayor estimated 60 per cent of Haiti structures to be unsound.

It is still too early to know the full extent of the damage, but the world is waiting and expecting very high loss of life, widespread destruction of homes, schools and other buildings, and major damage to key water, electricity and road systems.

Haiti is already the poorest country in the Americas, ranking lower than Kenya or Bangladesh on the UN's human development index. Most people in Port-au-Prince live in flimsy slum housing, so an earthquake of this magnitude is catastrophic..

Help the people of Haiti

Please help the people of Haiti by donating to our DEC Haiti earthquake appeal or through your Freedom Account by accessing the My Account Area on the right of this page. Once you have done this search for the Haiti Appeal under Freedom Account, make a donation, (on the left hand side) and make a payment into the fund.

If your company have a Payroll Giving scheme in place please click here to print off a one off authorisation form, which you will pass to your Payroll Department to make a donation out of your wages that we can increase through tax efficeint relief.

If you are a employer and wish to push this appeal within your company please see the links below to help.

How Your Company Can Help: Includes Staff Letter, Payroll Giving and Gift Aid Forms.

Requirments for Your Payroll Department

Staff Email Example includes Match Funding