Actor and philanthropist Sean Penn. —Photo (File) AFP
Actor and philanthropist Sean Penn. —Photo (File) AFP

PORT-AU-PRINCE: An aid group run by Hollywood actor Sean Penn announced Tuesday it is receiving $8.75 million from the World Bank to help move Haitians off of a golf course where many have been living since the January 2010 earthquake.    

A statement from a public relations firm for Penn said that the money will go for rent subsidies or for new housing units.

Some 14,000 people still live at the Petionville Club in plywood shacks. Sixty thousand lived there at one point.

The people are to be moved out by early 2014.

Penn is an ambassador-at-large for Haiti. He uses the post to raise awareness about the nation still struggling to recover from the disaster.

Penn's J/P Haitian Relief Organization took responsibility for the impromptu settlement a couple of months after the quake, which destroyed thousands of buildings.    The number of people displaced by the quake has dropped from a high of 1.5 million people to more than 347,000 now, according to the International Organization for Migration, an aid group that seeks to help people displaced by disaster and conflict.

Opinion

Editorial

Poll petitions’ delay
Updated 06 Jan, 2025

Poll petitions’ delay

THOUGH electoral transparency and justice are essential for the health of any democracy, the relevant quarters in...
Migration racket
06 Jan, 2025

Migration racket

A KEY part of dismantling human smuggling and illegal migration rackets in the country — along with busting the...
Power planning
06 Jan, 2025

Power planning

THE National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, the power sector regulator, has rightly blamed poor planning for...
Confused state
Updated 05 Jan, 2025

Confused state

WHEN it comes to combatting violent terrorism, the state’s efforts seem to be suffering from a lack of focus. The...
Born into hunger
05 Jan, 2025

Born into hunger

OVER 18.2 million children — 35 every minute — were born into hunger in 2024, with Pakistan accounting for 1.4m...
Tourism triumph
05 Jan, 2025

Tourism triumph

THE inclusion of Gilgit-Baltistan in CNN’s list of top 25 destinations to visit in 2025 is a proud moment for...