The Themistocle family live in Mariane, Port-au-Prince, where ActionAid has been distributing emergency food and medicine supplies.

Sophie Themistocle tried to save one of her children during the earthquake when a block fell on her back and shoulder, causing massive abrasions.

Two of her seven children are sponsored by ActionAid Italy – Gloria, aged ten (pictured on the right), and Lorendina, aged four (on the left).

"Most of my children escaped but I couldn’t find my little one, Lorendina. She was under the house. We managed to get her out…she was OK but shaking.

"I couldn’t find anyone in the area to help me – there was no hospital available and there’s no doctor here."

She applied alcohol to the wound and hopes it will be enough.

"The children are frightened – they don’t feel well and one of them has diarrhoea. They were registered at school but now that’s been destroyed we think they may lose out on their education completely this year.

"We had a small business selling rice, beans, oil, and other food but everything has been destroyed.

"People are sharing what they have. If someone has bread, they share it. We did have some drinking water but that’s gone now. We’re chlorinating water from the stream."

Sophie said her children have only the clothes they stand up in….they have to remove everything while things get washed, then wait for them to dry. "We’re a family of nine and we’re all on the street."

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