Citi Foundation Visits Haiti

The Citi Foundation has played a major role in Haiti's recovery from the massive earthquake that rocked our nation just a few short years ago. Through a $500,000 grant, the Foundation has helped rebuild our country and save lives. Citi Haiti recently had the pleasure of hosting Pam Flaherty, President and CEO of the Citi Foundation, during a visit in which she toured the island and witnessed the recovery effort first-hand.

The trip, organized by the American Red Cross, included a tour of the global Red Cross base camp. The tour provided an inspiring view of the dedication of everyone involved in this great effort and of the wonderful impact the Red Cross has had on thousands.

The base camp hosts 700 Red Cross workers, consisting of 100 expatriates and 600 local team members, working together with one common objective. Initially, the group focused on providing post-earthquake emergency relief. Today, the focus has shifted to helping beneficiaries rebuild their lives.

The most impactful part of the trip was our visit to the Mega IV and Villambetta displaced persons camps, where we witnessed the switch from tent cities to transitional shelters. The switch represented a significant improvement in the quality of living for its inhabitants. During our visit, we also had the opportunity to go inside the home of a family of five. The mother's eyes glowed with pride as she welcomed us, and told us that her children were off attending school.

Haitian ingenuity was also on display, with one family having built a small shop adjacent to their new home where they sell basic products such as rice, beans, cooking oil, and soap.

The visit was an incredibly fulfilling experience and all of us at Citi Haiti are grateful to the Foundation for its support of our country.