Education International (EI) has launched a Solidarity Fund to help the families of educators who have been affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The funds are channeled directly to the National Confederation of Haitian Teachers (CNEH) members. Disbursements will be used first to secure lives, and second to support the resumption of education.
The Haiti Press Network reports that many school buildings have collapsed and that hundreds of students are trapped under the rubble. The President of Haiti, René Préval has described a bleak situation to the Miami Herald, saying “Schools have collapsed. There are a lot of schools that have a lot of dead people in them.”
Immediate rescue efforts are vital and humanitarian aid agencies must be supported in their work. The long-term impact of the earthquake is immense and Education International is committed to assisting the local teacher union affiliate so that they can support teachers, students and communities in their task of rebuilding their lives and returning to work and school.
Show solidarity with Haitian colleagues and contribute to the EI Solidarity Fund. Donations can be sent to:
Haiti Earthquake Recovery
National Education Association (NEA)
1201 16th St. NW, Suite 614
Washington, D.C. 20036
The NEA will forward all donations directly to EI for humanitarian assistance to CNEH.
The AFL-CIO Solidarity Center’s Earthquake Relief for Haitian Workers’ Campaign. Click here to make a donation and here to learn more about how the center is working to help Haitian workers. You can also send a check to: Solidarity Center Education Fund, 888 16th Street, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006
Partners in Health: or send your contribution to Partners In Health, P.O. Box 845578, Boston, MA 02284-5578. Partners in Health, which had staff on the ground in Haiti before the earthquake, provides daily updates on its assistance efforts.
Doctors Without Borders: or call toll free at 1-888-392-0392. USA Headquarters: 333 7th Ave., 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001-5004. Doctors Without Borders is a well-respected and highly effective humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe.
American Red Cross International Response Fund: or call toll free at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions also can be mailed to American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter (specify if you want to make sure your donation will benefit Haiti).
United Way Worldwide Disaster Fund: or mail checks with the fund reference to United Way Worldwide, P.O. Box 630568, Baltimore, MD 21263-0568.
If you or someone you know is a registered nurse, the National Nurses Union is coordinating volunteers to go to Haiti. Contact the RN Response Network: www.NationalNursesUnited.org.
Those interested in providing volunteer assistance should contact the Center for International Disaster Information, at http://www.cidi.org.
EI represents nearly 30 million teachers and education workers. Their 401 member organizations operate in 172 countries and territories, from pre-school to university.
As the world’s largest Global Union Federation, and the only one representing education workers in every corner of the globe, Education International unites all teachers and education workers no matter where they are.
Education International protects the rights of every teacher and education worker, and every student they educate; assists in the development of democratic organizations for Teachers and other Education Workers; and build solidarity & mutual cooperation.
EI combats racism & discrimination in education and society, fostering good relations between education workers in all countries.
Education International is the voice for the education sector world-wide.