In an article published in defend.ht, Sam Worthington, head of InterAction, says that “when there is a disaster, the public responds with tremendous generosity, and those private dollars flow into organizations that are trying to make a difference on the ground”.

“When the public turns its attention elsewhere, what is critical is to come through on the pledges that were made in March right after the earthquake happened. Now is the time for those pledges to come through or otherwise we are in essence forgetting the Haitian people”, explains Worthington.

The article refers to the appeal that the Haitian government and United Nations launched to raise $60 million [US] to provide services during the rainy months of April, May and June for people in camps and those infected by the increased exposure to cholera.

Haiti’s humanitarian community is seeking $231 million for 2012, but to date, only 8.5 percent has been funded. Aid officials says that the international community’s failure to live up to its pledges after the earthquake has also slowed the recovery.

For more information, see “Principles and Recommendations for International NGO Participation in Haiti Recovery, Reconstruction and Development”.