Annual report 2009 - Handicap International

xz EMErgEncy 2009vulnerable people with information on the assistance availableto them and refer them to suitable facilities.The focal points are set up in the fi rst days of an emergencyresponse, but they evolve according to changing needs andin coordination with the other operators, including international,national and community actors. The very existence ofthese focal points, which benefi t from Handicap International’sextensive experience, is an incentive for humanitarianaid operators not to sideline the specifi c needs of the mostvulnerable.Countries: Burma x Haiti x India x Indonesia x Pakistan x Philippinesx Palestinian Territories.Disability prevention and careHumanitarian crises often result in large numbers of deathsor injuries. Healthcare personnel must be assured of rapidaccess to the injured, as in this type of situation even themost minor injuries can quickly become serious. The immediatetreatment of injuries and the prevention of disablingcomplications are therefore at the heart of the association’smandate. It is extremely important to provide families whohave lost friends and relatives with psychological support,and there is also an urgent need to fi nd ways of helpingpeople needing care to overcome the numerous obstacles,such as geographical inaccessibility, distance whenthere is a lack of transport and poor security conditions.Countries: Iraq x Sudan.Rebuilding and rehabilitatingIn an emergency, it is usually necessary to provide shelterfor a large number of families before helping them fi nd safeand secure housing adapted to their environment. It is essentialto identify priority benefi ciaries in order to ensure theneeds of the most vulnerable people are taken into account.New constructions must be accessible to people with disabilitiesto ensure the operation’s long-term success.Areas devastated by a disaster or a confl ict, particularlybombardments, may present obstacles that are particularlydiffi cult to overcome, both for the population and the reliefteams. Therefore, re-opening roads and building temporarybridges are often a top priority.Countries: Bangladesh x Indonesia x Philippines.© B. Darrieux / Handicap International © P. Demaison / Handicap InternationalPalestinian TerritoriesHandicap International’s mobile teams carried out a needsassessment and distributed emergency packs to families whosemembers included vulnerable or disabled persons.90,000 leafl ets in Pashtun and Farsiwere distributed to displaced personsin Pakistan, informing them of the dangersof mines and unexploded ordnance.Indonesia200 families made destitute by the earthquake in Padang weresupplied with basic materials to construct scalable shelters, whichthey were helped to build. These shelters comply with earthquakeand accessibility standards.Annual report 2009 ı 7