![\"haiti\"](\"https:\/\/www.focolare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/haiti.gif\")
<\/strong><\/p>\nIt was a tragedy \u00abthat caused death, destruction and also desperation\u00bb<\/strong> and where \u00aba lot has been done to rebuild the country \u00bb but where a lot of work still remains to be done.\u00bb This was what Pope Francis said to the participants at the meeting promoted for the 5th<\/sup> anniversary of the 12 January earthquake<\/a>.<\/p>\n Though part of a very poor society, <\/strong>also the Focolare Movement\u2019s community in Savanette (Mont-Organis\u00e9<\/strong> in the North-East) immediately expressed its willingness to receive and help the evacuees arriving from Port-au-Prince, the capital which was immensely devastated. The local association, PACNE (Action Contre la Pauvret\u00e9 du Nord-Est<\/em>), thought of creating a centre to host the evacuees and with the contribution of many communities from various parts of the world and the assistance of the AFN associations (Action for New Families) and <\/em>AMU <\/a>(Action for a United World<\/em>), was able to set up the community centre, \u201cMaison de la Providence,<\/em>\u201d which offered employment and accommodation to evacuee families. On the whole, in its first two years of activities this centre supported about 500 people.<\/p>\n Foto: Dieu Nalio Chery\/AP<\/p><\/div>\n At Port-au-Prince<\/strong>, two projects were conducted by AMU in close collaboration with the Scalabriniani Missionaries, as a sign of that \u201cecclesiastical communion\u201d which has characterised the reconstruction of Haiti, in which many ecclesiastics or lay organisations were involved. The first, related to an urbanization plan for families who were without homes, consisted of the creation of a new electric line to service two villages, by which 41 families were able to connect to the electric power grid. Furthermore, to help complete the construction of the \u201cMontebelluna-Bassano\u201d village composed of 27 housing units for the benefit of 135 people, the contribution of AMU went to the laying of the village\u2019s water and sewerage system and the electrical equipment of each house. The power grid was boosted through a production pole with a powerful generator, in such a way that many small enterprises in the area (cement blocks, carpenter workshops, a bakery, an industrial kitchen and a poultry farm) managed to increase their own production. Lastly, AMU supported the start-up of a poultry farm \u2013 with job opportunities for 10 people \u2013 through the construction of a water reserve tank, indispensable for the water supply of the 3,000 animals and slaughtering activities.<\/p>\n A community centre \u2013 school, recreation centre and big sports ground <\/strong>\u2013 was the second project AMU supported. Through AMU the Focolare Movement also supported other social activities for the Haiti population: at Carice (always in the North East), for many years a professional nurse was employed in the small clinic of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, while waiting for one of the religious to complete her specialization and be able to work in the clinic, one of the few healthcare centres at the service of the population. Lastly, with PACNE and the specific contribution of the Youth for United World, a study scholarship program was launched for around ten Haitian youth, to allow them to pursue their university studies in Haiti, and for others to acquire good professional skills in the Dominican Republic close by, to be placed at the disposal of their own country.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.focolare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/20150112-01.jpg\")