Green Cross Australia is joining Global Green USA (our American affiliate) to respond to the tragic disaster in Haiti by providing our expertise and creating partnerships to help sustainably rebuild Haiti's devastated homes, schools and communities in the months and years ahead.

 

The response of citizens, governments, and individuals around the world is of course heartening, but does not replace the unfathomable loss of human lives and property. In any disaster, we must find a silver lining to give some small solace to such unbelievable tragedy.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Global Green put forth a plan two weeks after the tragedy to do just that. Today, Global Green's leadership in the green rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina has served both as a catalyst and has assisted directly in rebuilding schools and homes to be green.

 

As TIME Magazine stated in an article last year, "No organization is doing more to green New Orleans than Global Green USA...".

 

This has included the Holy Cross Project as well as providing technical expertise and financial assistance to the New Orleans schools, housing groups, and even city and state agencies, leveraging the $10 million we have raised and deployed to date to impact hundreds of millions in reconstruction.

Now, we plan to take several of the lessons we learned in New Orleans as the international community sets out to rebuild Haiti.

 

Our goal is help create a more sustainable Haiti, with energy efficient, healthy, disaster resistant buildings that makes the nation more resilient to future electricity shortages, public health crises, and disasters.

 

There is much more than needs to be done - including reforestation - to help Haiti to recover, but we will provide our assistance, experience and resources to create better schools and homes, as well as infrastructure.

There are many critical, important organisations working on the immediate emergency relief efforts that continue to need everyone's support.

 

As we work on the rebuilding of Haiti with other organizations, we will also help supplement aid efforts - helping to provide solar flashlights and other 'sustainable' aid for lighting and water purification that can assist in the long recovery from this humanitarian crisis.

 

Green Cross Australia is reaching out to Australians who share our vision for eco-resilient reconstruction not just duplicating problems of the past.

 

Please donate now. The funds you donate will be dedicated to helping create healthier, energy efficient, disaster resistant housing, schools and other structures in the months ahead, appropriate for Haiti.