Five years ago, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti impacting millions of lives, and leading to the largest single-country emergency response in Red Cross history.
Through support received from generous Canadians and the Government of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross acted immediately, deploying aid workers and relief supplies to affected communities.
Five years later, the work continues through long-term projects to support communities as they continue on their path to recovery. Approximately five million people have received support from the Red Cross Movement, which means that one in two has received direct assistance from the Red Cross.
Recently, Canadian Red Cross volunteer and photographer Johan Hallberg-Campbell travelled to Haiti to document that progress. His work,
Haiti five years on: An Fòm!, is a stunning collection of images of some of the people and places that tell the story of Haiti's recovery.
An Fòm is a Haitian Creole expression that means ‘doing alright’.
The exhibition, through funding provided by the Government of Canada, provides a glimpse into the strength and resilience of the communities and the long road to recovery after the earthquake.
New roads, schools, and homes have been built. Mothers and children have increased access to heath care through rehabilitated health centres in rural areas and the rebuilding of a department hospital. Community level programs are reducing disease transmission, encouraging proper hygiene and addressing issues of violence and abuse through prevention education.
As Haiti is frequently impacted by natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes, the Red Cross is also working alongside communities to build local disaster risk reduction capacities so that communities are better prepared the next time disaster strikes. The Canadian Red Cross is committed to continuing this work in the years ahead and providing support to empower a country that continues to build back stronger.
The photos will also be on display for the public in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
In Toronto, the photos will be on display at Bloom Restaurant (Jan. 7-16), Toronto Police Headquarters (Jan. 8-16) and Toronto City Hall (Jan. 12-16).
In Vancouver, the photo exhibition will be displayed at the Royal Centre, 1055 W. Georgia St., west side of main lobby (Jan. 12-31).
Students from the Centre d’Apprentissage College Suisse play an educational game called Té Male. The game teaches them how to manage risks, what do to if they are affected by disaster and encourages them to share what they learn with parents and friends. Photo credit: Johan Hallberg-Campbell
Natasha Dumolas and her three children, aged 5, 7, and 11, stand in front of their home built by the Canadian Red Cross. Homes built by the Canadian Red Cross meet or exceed standards for an earthquake and hurricane zone and are part of more than 19,000 shelter solutions provided for families in Haiti. Photo credit: Johan Hallberg-Campbell