SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic CMC – Volleyball’s world governing body FIVB and regional administration NORCECA are joining forces to generate help for earthquake-stricken Haiti.

NORCECA and the FIVB are linking up to raise funds, food and medicine to alleviate — in the short term — the suffering of millions of Haitians, NORCECA stated Tuesday in a press release.

FIVB president Jizhong Wei in Lausanne is currently encouraging sport institutions around the world to come to the aid of millions left homeless and in urgent need of assistance and compassion.

“FIVB has a history of helping those in sorrow and material loss as it was in the case of the Asian nations affected by the tsunami resulting from a powerful earthquake in 2004 that killed nearly 230 000 people in fourteen countries,” NORCECA stated.

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake crippled Haiti last Tuesday, causing millions of dollars in damage and widespread loss of life, expected to be tens of thousands.

Cristobal Marte Hoffiz, president of NORCECA Confederation, which groups 42 countries and territories in the North, Central America and Caribbean region, is circulating a letter requesting aid for those left in desperate circumstances.

Hoffiz states the situation “demands a common action of mercy” from everyone who can contribute to alleviating the spiritual pain and provide the necessary medicine, food, water, as well as to supply material assistance to Haiti.

Hoffiz added that volleyball did not escape the tragedy in Haiti.

“The only playing facility in the country was completely destroyed and the family home of Jacques Joachim, former FIVB Board of Administration member and one of NORCECA founders, collapsed causing the death of his wife,” Hoffiz stated.

The NORCECA Volleyball Confederation says it has created a special fund for “those compassionate friends and institutions around the world with desire to alleviate the suffering of our volleyball brothers in Haiti and to contribute to rebuild their sport infrastructure”.