Interview opportunity: Haiti, five years on from the earthquake

GIZ has been providing extensive assistance in Haiti following the severe earthquake on 12 January 2010

Eschborn. On 12 January 2010, Haiti was struck by a severe earthquake in which thousands of people lost their lives and livelihoods. In the aftermath of this natural disaster, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH provided extensive support in the country on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). This included building 3,500 temporary shelters to provide refuge to almost 12,000 individuals. Six health centres were set up in partnership with the Johanniter, a German voluntary humanitarian organisation, in order to improve health care provision for locals. 'The population is still benefiting from these facilities five years on from the earthquake,' said Berthold Bös, who coordinated GIZ's emergency and transitional aid programme in Haiti.

In order to boost reconstruction efforts, it was important to get the economy back up and running, and so GIZ also helped to set up six fishery centres, providing fisherfolk with nets and a place to cool their catch before selling it. Additionally, GIZ worked with the fisherfolk to develop a new type of boat. 'With their old boats, the fisherfolk were only able to catch fairly small fish just offshore, but now they can sail further out to sea and catch bigger ones,' said Bös. 'This enables people to increase their incomes and contribute to Haiti's economic development,' he added.

GIZ expert Berthold Bös will be available to give interviews about GIZ's work in Haiti to interested media representatives between 10:00 and 13:00 on 8 January 2015. Please do not hesitate to contact the GIZ Press Office if you are interested in conducting an interview.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federal enterprise with worldwide operations. We support the German Government in the fields of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education. Through our work we assist people and societies in shaping their own future and improving living conditions.