On January 12th, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck just off the coast of Port Au Prince, killing more than 160,000 people and injuring millions more.

Today, five years later, hundreds of thousands are still living in makeshift dwellings amid sorely unsanitary conditions and every form of violence.

Additionally, more than 90% of Haiti’s countryside has been deforested, making farming nearly impossible in most areas and contributing to Haiti’s pervasive food shortage.

With Haiti carrying the mantle of the ‘Poorest Country in the Western Hemisphere’ even before the earthquake, clearly Aid is Still Required.

Aid Still Required: Haiti Awareness Campaign

Beginning on the first anniversary of the 2010 earthquake and continuing to the present, ASR has created extensive outreach with high-profile public figures to raise awareness of the ongoing need in Haiti. Activities include widespread use of social media, videos, public service announcements and contests to engage and educate the public and to raise funds to support effective programs. Other partners include Dutch company WakaWaka which donated 2000 solar lamps as a result of purchases made during the 3rd anniversary campaign.

In a matter of minutes, the December 26, 2004 tsunami claimed 230,000 lives and destroyed the livelihoods of millions in 12 different countries.

Hardest hit was Aceh, Indonesia which alone lost 160,000 people. Today, 10 years later, thousands of fishing and farming families in rural Aceh are still piecing together their ravaged marine and ground eco-systems.

At $81 billion Hurricane Katrina remains the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Worst hit was New Orleans where floodwaters rose up to 15 feet, covered 80% of the city, killed 1,836 people and destroyed 200,000 homes.

Today, 10 years later, most of New Orleans has recovered well, with the notable exceptions of its lowest income areas—Lower 9th Ward, St Bernard’s Parish, New Orleans East—which are still largely desolate districts.

The Darfur genocide began in February 2003 when rebels took up arms against the Sudanese government. Through the janjaweed militia and other groups, the government responded with a relentless barrage of attacks on desert communities—killing, raping and dismembering villagers—resulting in an estimated 300,000 dead and more than three million people displaced.

Now 12 years later, due to continued unrest, hundreds of thousands remain uprooted, living in makeshift camps while the government and pillagers seize abandoned properties.

Furthermore, most of Sudan and Southern Sudan are pocketed with unsafe areas due to the continuing hostilities between north and south.

Darfur Awareness Campaign (with Participant Media)

In collaboration with Participant Media and other groups, Aid Still Required produced an extensive public service announcement campaign to raise awareness and foster attention to ending the genocide in Darfur.