Special Haiti Relief Initiative Launched by GEMS of Hope International

TORONTO, CANADA, January 19, 2010 — On January 12, a series of massive earthquakes devastated the capital city of Haiti. Nearly one-third of Port-au-Prince has been destroyed, tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions of Haitians have been left homeless.

“We have been deeply moved by the sufferings of the Haitian people who live in one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere,” comments Thierry Zomahoun, Chief Executive Officer of GEMS of Hope. “We are taking actions to provide much needed humanitarian relief in collaboration with our Haitian partner organizations on the ground.”

GEMS of Hope has established the “Special Haiti Relief Initiative” to assist the people of Haiti. Donations can be made by calling the GEMS of Hope office at (416) 362-4367. Online donations can also be made through CanadaHelps.org (http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=d38081). Please include the word “Haiti” in the comments box.

GEMS of Hope is an international development organization that has worked in Haiti for nearly twenty years. In the early 1980’s, GEMS of Hope shipped medical, educational and other supplies aboard government of Canada airplanes which were already scheduled to travel there for other reasons. Other past projects include the Potable Water and Irrigation project (1987-1989) in Carrefour, Riviere Froide, which provided access to clean water for orphanages. The Leogane Tuberculosis Sanatorium - Agricultural Improvement and Animal Husbandry project (1989-1992) provided skills training and improved infrastructure for local farmers. From 1996 to 1999, GEMS of Hope partnered with Save the Children to provide health education in areas such as hygiene and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. In addition the project provided skills training to women and set up various Boys and Girls Clubs.

GEMS of Hope International is a Canadian-based international development organization that promotes gender equality and improves the well-being and socio-economic status of women and their communities in developing countries. We are Canadian pioneers at combining microfinance and health with nearly 30 years experience in 14 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Our unique strategy focuses on the formation of Women First Bank. We provide small loans and business training to groups of women in combination with health and basic education initiatives. We also facilitate women’s and youth’s participation in decision-making processes and help local organizations build capacity to provide more services. To date, we have reached over 500,000 lives and directly helped over 200,000 women and families access loans and healthcare services. GEMS of Hope is a not-for-profit, registered Canadian charity with offices in Toronto and Calgary. For additional information, please visit our website, www.gemsofhope.org.

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