When Hurricane Sandy struck, Fifi Bouille was giving birth in a refugee camp. There were no medics around, only her sisters. Throughout the three-hour labour, rain beat down on the tent and fierce winds tugged at the canvas. The hurricane did not just take their tent, but their cooking utensils, bedding and meagre supplies of food. On Wednesday, she had one meal of corn. On Thursday, nothing. Bouille is not alone in fearing that Sandy's aftermath may be more terrible than the storm itself for Haiti. Although the world's attention has mostly focused on the hurricane's impact on the United States, the short-term suffering and long-term consequences for this Caribbean nation – the poorest country in the western hemisphere – are far greater because so many people already live permanently on the edge of catastrophe.

Johan Peleman, head of the United Nation's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, warns: "This country is very vulnerable. It has the world's worst cholera epidemic and 3.5% of people in the capital are still living in tents."

Brief extracts from an article in The Guardian on Friday – the full article can be seen at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/02/aftermath-hurricane-sandy-haiti-disaster

Over the weekend contact was established with the Rotary Task Force in Haiti through Rtn Dr Claude Surena in Port au Prince. Claude Surena confirmed the need for both Standard WSBs (for families that had lost everything) and Multi-packs to help protect against the growing cholera outbreak. On Wednesday a total of 400 boxes will leave our depot in Somerset to be flown into Port au Prince by the weekend.

We urgently need to replace stock (with this consignment a total of 1,800 boxes will have been sent this year to disasters in the Philippines, Comoros Islands, Chad, Mali, and now Haiti). Each Standard WSB costs £150 and a Multi-Pack of five (water purification only) boxes costs £350. If we are to be able to continue this level of response it is vital that we have the support of ideally all Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs throughout RIBI. Please circulate to all Clubs in your District. Donations should be sent to Worldwaterworks Ltd at the Westfield Business Centre, Second Avenue, Westfield Trading Estate, Midsomer Norton BA3 4BH