Haiti Renewal Alliance via OneDiaspora.Org Activates Emergency Response Unit for Haiti Earthquake 2021

Alexandria, VA, August 31, 2021 --(PR.com)-- Haiti Renewal Alliance (HRA) activated its Haitian Diaspora Emergency Response Unit (HDERU) shortly after the August 14, 2021, 7.2 magnitude earthquake that devastated the Southwest Region of Haiti. Diaspora organizations are invited to register at www.Onediaspora.org in order to streamline the relief efforts. With an initial pledge of $50,000, HRA also launched an appeal to raise $3M; 25% of the funds raised will go to immediate relief efforts, and 75% will go to long-term recovery and rebuilding the impacted areas of the south. “We stand in solidarity with our homeland and share our heartfelt prayers and condolences to those impacted,” said Firmin Backer, President of HRA. Friends of Haiti are encouraged to visit www.OneDiaspora.org to donate to the long-term recovery and sustainability, and corporations are challenged to match the pledge.

HDERU Framework:
Features of Haitian Diaspora Emergency Response Unit (HDERU):

- Activate an incident command center with a network of organizations when disaster strikes better to streamline the efficiency and effectiveness of relief efforts
- Register vetted organizations working both in the Diaspora and on the ground
- Coordinate with national institutions responsible for providing relief efforts in time of natural disasters
- Support the Haitian economy by purchasing needed goods and services from local vendors and provide direct funding and/or in-kind support to organizations working on the ground
- Track diaspora in-kind and financial donation via the reporting system

Support of the Haitian Diaspora Emergency Response Unit (HDERU) via the www.Onediaspora.org registry will allow for fast payments to trusted vendors, local organizations, and partners supporting these grassroots efforts. HDERU also maximizes stronger connections to fund Haiti’s private sector, mainly small-medium enterprises, to ensure the local economy is not disrupted. As stated by HDERU creators Firmin Backer and Magalie Emile-Backer, “Diasporas are the first to answer the call for action and remain active throughout the recovery. For this reason, HDERU’s efforts are sustained beyond the international relief response and are focused on diaspora projects and plans at the nexus of humanitarian assistance and development. We are appealing to our friends and friends of Haiti to join us in giving, knowing that we are Building Back Better with different players.”

About Haiti Renewal Alliance (HRA)
Haiti Renewal Alliance (HRA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that promotes sustainable development, investment, donor advocacy, humanitarian assistance, and local and government consultations. As the managing body and administrator of the HDERU for the diaspora community, HDERU has established partnerships with Haitian institutional disaster management bodies such as the Direction Générale de la Protection Civile (DGPC; FEMA counterpart) and AGERCA (Private Sector and Civil Society Disaster Risk Management body) in Haiti. Through the HDERU, the diaspora community is directly coordinating with AGERCA, who is tasked to work with the Diaspora on streamlining communications and humanitarian response efforts with the DGPC (Haitian government). To Learn more, visit www.haitirenew.org