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Etihad Airways has shipped more than 6,700 kg of aid that was donated by members of its staff in the UAE to victims of the earthquake in Haiti.
The donations were deposited in special collection boxes which were placed around Etihad’s head office, training academy and crew accommodation buildings in Abu Dhabi over a four week period.
The relief aid, which included blankets, food stuffs and first aid kits, has now been distributed by the “SOS Children’s Village” organisation which cares for children who have little or no parental care.
“SOS Children’s Village” is providing food, water, medicine, personal hygiene products, and materials, to create a temporary shelter in Santo, which is 20 km away from the epicentre of the earthquake.
More than AED 25,000 was given in a combined donation from Etihad staff and the airline to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors Without Borders, the international humanitarian organization, which is operating extensively in the relief work in Haiti.
In the past month, MSF teams treated more than 18,000 patients and performed more than 2,000 surgical procedures in different locations severely affected by the earthquake.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive, said: “There was a tremendous response from members of staff from the moment we announced that we were collecting aid to send to Haiti.
“As an airline we were proud not only to be able to donate money and relief aid but to also carry the cargo directly to the people in Haiti.”
In January Etihad’s cargo division, Etihad Crystal Cargo, operated a special Red Crescent and Khalifa Welfare Foundation charter flight to Haiti, carrying medical and humanitarian supplies.
The charter flight was part of the “Care By Air” initiative, founded by Maximus Air Cargo, Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Airport Services, which provides cargo space ‘at cost’ to deliver relief aid to disaster-stricken areas around the world.
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