Agenzia Fides

Port au Prince (Agenzia Fides) - Two years after the massive earthquake that devastated the island, 750 thousand Haitian children are back at school, 80 000 in 193 seismic centers built to date by UNICEF. The United Nations organization has also started 314 therapeutic feeding programs where over 15 000 children will benefit from and has improved the health conditions in 95 rural communities. According to information Fides received, it seems that the situation is slowly improving in the field of health care, education and food. The country is home to 4.31 million children under 18, mostly with very limited chances of survival, development and protection. Although a new government has just installed, children continue to face heavy challenges in a country where the wounds of the disaster are still visible in the infrastructure, institutions and social system. In addition, half a million Haitians are still living in 800 refugee camps. Before the earthquake, about 77% of the islanders lived in rented houses, so most of them do not currently have a place to go to. In addition, the cholera epidemic has affected the already limited infrastructure and services that the country is having to face. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 10/01/2012)