Important Information for Sponsors of Children in Haiti

In the months since Haiti was devastated by an earthquake, Plan’s focus has been to support the emergency response and provide relief and support to those affected by the disaster. Over that time, the situation has stabilised, and Plan Haiti staff have been able to visit almost all communities to assess the welfare of their members.

In the north of the country, we are relieved to report that Plan-assisted communities in the Cap Haitien vicinity were largely unaffected. We are pleased to confirm that all Sponsored Children and their families in and around Cap Hatien are safe. However, these families may have had extended family members in other parts of the country that were affected. Sponsorship-funded projects in the north have now resumed.

In the southern part of the country, in areas such as Croix des Bouquet, Port-au-Prince and Jacmel, limited reports on the welfare of Sponsored Children and their families have been made available, but we are waiting for verification on the contents. We hope to have confirmation on the welfare of Sponsored Children and their families in these areas soon.

Sponsors with children in these areas will be advised of their welfare in writing or by phone as the information becomes available to us.

Plan Haiti has advised that Sponsor communication with children in the north of the country can resume. If your sponsored child lives in the vicinity of Cap Hatien you can now write to them if you wish. We still anticipate delays in the circulation of Sponsored Child and Community Update documents however. Communication with Sponsored Children in the south of Haiti is still not possible. We will advise you here when this situation changes.

Be assured that Plan is doing everything possible to help those affected by the earthquake and quickly resume our sponsorship-funded projects. We thank you for your continued support and concern and will update you as more information comes to hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

I sponsor a child in Haiti, how can I check if they are safe?
Sponsored Children and their families in the north of Haiti are safe. We are in the process of confirming the welfare of Sponsored Children and their families in the south of Haiti. We will notify the sponsors of children in these areas in writing or by phone in coming weeks.

I would like to help in some way, what can I do?
Plan is playing a crucial role in the rebuilding process. You can help by giving to our Haiti Earthquake Appeal

Have sponsorship-funded projects in Haiti been affected by the earthquake?
Yes. Our sponsorship program has been impacted by the disaster. Sponsorship-funded projects are still on hold in the south of the country in the areas of Jacmel, Croix des Bouquet and Port au Prince. Sponsorship-funded projects in the north have recently resumed.

I sponsor a child in Haiti, how are my sponsorship funds being used right now?
In the south of Haiti our focus in the rebuilding process is assisting in areas such as psycho-social support, child protection, water and sanitation. Some sponsorship funds are being used to support our work in these areas. In the north, sponsorship-funded projects have resumed and funds are being used to support our key areas of work.

I would like to send a letter or gift to my child right away, is this OK?
Plan Haiti has asked that sponsors continue to delay writing to their Sponsored Child for the time being. Sponsorship-funded projects in the south are still on hold and communication between sponsor and child has been suspended in the short term. In the north, Plan Haiti staff are focussing on resuming project work disrupted by the earthquake. We will post an update here when communication resumes. Plan Australia no longer sends gifts from sponsors to sponsored children. You can learn more about gifts here.

I’d like to help by sponsoring a child in Haiti – can I?
Plan is not commencing any new child sponsorships in Haiti until sponsorship-funded projects resume fully in the coming months.

If you have any other questions please feel free to contact us.