Haiti Quake Updates

Monday, February 22, 2010

If you have been following the events in Haiti since the devastating quake last month, then you know of the initial bursts of compassion. International dialogue now shifts from lifesaving relief to long term restoration. Officials are saying this may take ten years at a cost of billions.

Post-disaster needs assessment is underway and there will be an international donor conference late next month in New York City. In the meantime, there are ways to stay involved in sustained efforts such as the WFP's monthly donation program.

Kevin Thau and our mobile team have recently arranged free SMS tweets for Digicel Haiti customers. To activate the service, mobile phone users in Haiti can text follow @oxfam to 40404. Accounts are created on the fly and any account can be followed this way.

Posted by @Biz at 9:47 AM

Katty Rebecca Matin, 13, spends several hours each day studying the school books she brought with her in a pillowcase. Photo: Coco McCabe / Oxfam America

For kids not affected by the devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti in January, schools re-opened the first of this month. But few students in the North-West and South departments have shown up--not a promising sign for the government's intention to open the rest of the country's schools by March 1.

Around Port-au-Prince, the temblor reduced many of them to rubble, making it hard for kids to shake the nightmarish possibility of what that could have meant for them had the quake hit earlier in the afternoon when they were seated at their desks.

It struck just before 5 p.m. Kids had left for the day. Thankfully.

I heard that whisper of relief voiced over and over again on the dusty streets of the capital as we drove past schools with pancaked floors and collapsed walls. Countless lives saved by chance. Thankfully.

But what's been interrupted now is the certainty, order, and measure of opportunity that the school day brought to the lives of Haitian kids who had managed to secure themselves a place in a classroom--even if that classroom lacked both amenities and rigor.

Many in Haiti don't get the chance to have much schooling. According to one report, only two-thirds of Haitian children complete primary school. And the learning they get is hardly uniform, given that almost 80 percent of primary teachers are not certified. The report, compiled for the Partnership for Educational Revitalization in the Americas, pointed out that most students in Haiti--about 80 percent of those enrolled--attend private schools, but that three-quarters of those schools have neither certification nor license from the ministry of education.

The government wants to see all schools reopened in less than three weeks. But where? With what resources? A recent story in the New York Times described an orphanage that promised to educate the children within its walls, but a reporter who visited saw no signs of books, papers, or pencils anywhere.

Last week, three experts testified before a subcommittee of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on how to help Haiti recover from the incredible destruction left by the quake, and each one of them emphasized the importance a sound educational system will play in rebuilding the country.
And perhaps, no one wants that as much as some of the kids who've lost every semblance of comfort and security they ever knew--including their schools.

In a spontaneous camp of tarps and bed sheets at Delmas 62, Katty Rebecca Matin, 13, sat bouncing a neighbor's baby on her lap. She's good with kids, but where her heart really lies is with her books. And it was that love that prompted her to drag her school books--a pillow case stuffed with them--from her family's damaged home to the camp where they sit carefully stacked, and easily accessible, with a few other salvaged household belongings.

"I love school," said Katty, digging into the pillow case and pulling out a workbook. "Side by Side," it was called, a language book for those studying English. She flipped it open to chapter six--a section on families--and with hordes of them teeming around her, she ticked off the words for sister and brother, aunt and uncle, mother and father in near perfect English.

"I like doing homework," added Katty.

That's a challenge in a camp where there's not a quiet corner to be had or hardly a comfortable place to sit. But Katty has found a way to carve out some mental space for herself. Together with two friends, she has formed a study group and for two or three hours each day they focus on their school work. To give the sessions some structure, Katty's mother asked an older student in the camp to help tutor the younger ones as they plow through lessons in math, social science, English, and Spanish.

The informal sessions help pass the time at Delmas 62. But what Katty said she would really like is for school to start again--so her dream of attending university and studying science can come true.

Workers assembling family kits. Photo: Oxfam

Oxfam America’s Coco McCabe is one of several Boston-based colleagues in Haiti to help with the relief effort. Here’s her latest update, dated January 29.

As devastating as the earthquake was for the people of Port-au-Prince, for some of them, there’s the thinnest of silver linings: jobs. Not necessarily long-lasting ones, but at least a few weeks’ worth of work that will put money in their pockets and help them weather the tough times ahead.

That’s how it is for 19-year-old Montinard Jean-Baptiste, who landed a job in an Oxfam warehouse not far from the airport, loading and unloading a stream of goods to help some of the people left homeless by the quake.

Jean-Baptiste is one of those homeless people. He’s now living in a cardboard shelter in a camp of about 600 people right behind the warehouse. With him are his aunt and uncle, who raised him and his four brothers and six sisters. All of them depend on the earnings his aunt makes from selling coffee and bread to people going to work in the morning. She supports the family.

Jean-Baptiste has managed to find some work in the past—for Coca-Cola, which has hired him for truck-loading stints 12 different times. But each time, after three months, the company has let him go. Oxfam is his second employer. And he says with the flood of aid groups pouring into the country—many of them needing help to carry out their work—part-time jobs have become more available.

“It’s important to me,” he says of his work at Oxfam. He plans to share his earnings (200 gourdes a day, about $5) with his aunt and brothers.

Late on a Friday afternoon at this two-story warehouse, there is a hum of activity. A rainbow of big plastic tubs—green, blue, red—fill the yard. Each is now loaded with “family kits” of essential household items like towels, toothpaste, shampoo, cups, plates, and eating utensils.

Men are busy lugging boxes of soap and kitchen implements from the warehouse, while others, men and women at three long wooden tables, quickly unpack them and reassemble the goods into the tubs, which can be used as wash basins. About 45 people are working here now.

Dario Arthur, an Oxfam staffer leading part of the emergency response, says he could have ordered pre-assembled kits to distribute in the camps. But that would have been a missed opportunity to give people jobs. The assemblers, who need to work fast and will be employed for just two weeks, are earning 500 gourdes (about $12.25) a day: a rate substantially above the local minimum wage. Warehouse workers will likely stay on the job for two or three months, as different supplies pass through.

All told, the crew here will put together 10,000 kits. As soon as 100 or so are assembled, off they go in the back of a truck to one of the scattered camps that now dot Port-au-Prince. But Olivier Girault, an Oxfam logistician, says one of the challenges is determining where the need really lies.

Beyond the gates of the warehouse yard, a small crowd of men has gathered. When a truck trundles out with its load, a commotion erupts: The men are clamoring for the goods, saying they are representatives from camps where people need help. But Girault says that all the requests need to be checked out, otherwise the kits could wind up in the market for sale—not in the hands of families who could use them.

By the end of the day, a sea of cardboard and plastic wrapping stretches beneath the work tables, all that’s left of hours of frenetic activity. The workers stream out of the gates, and Girault, with a smile on his face, climbs into a truck to head home. Hired just a few days ago by Oxfam and fluent in French, Spanish, English, and Creole, this is the first regular job he’s been able to land since returning to his native Haiti nine months ago.

“It’s good for us Haitians to work for those who can’t work and lost everything,” he says.

Invest in Haiti’s recovery by donating to Oxfam’s Haiti Earthquake Response Fund.

Learn more about how Oxfam is responding

Tags: Coco in Haiti, earthquake, Haiti, jobs, Port-au-Prince
Posted in Central America, Mexico & Caribbean, Disasters & conflicts

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Late Thursday Radiohead announced that it would perform a charity show benefiting the survivors of the devastating January 12th earthquake in Haiti. The tickets were made available via a Ticketmaster auction which ended with a final minimum bid of $475 (meaning many secured their tickets for $450). Some went above and beyond as the proceeds were going to Oxfam America's Haiti Relief Fund and the high bid was $2,000 per ticket (for either 2 or 4 tickets), according to the band.

All in all more than $572,000 was raised in fans' donations and it was an unforgettable, intimate gig for all at the 1,300-capacity theater. Here's the setlist:

Do look for organizations with prior experience and expertise
There is a great deal of money after well publicized disasters. The ease of raising money makes it tempting to respond even if the organization does not have prior experience in that area. After the tsunami many organizations with no prior experience built boats or houses. I attended one handover ceremony where the boats actually sank during the ceremony because they weren't properly sealed. There is a steep learning curve when agencies move out of their normal work, this may lead to mistakes and wasted money. Make sure the organization has prior experience in their proposed projects.

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Don't earmark funds
The organization is on the ground and has a far better idea of what is needed the most. Earmarking funds may force the organization to spend money where it's not needed and keep it from spending money where it's need the most. After the tsunami in Thailand an organization had money earmarked for two semi's of rice, by the time they arrived in the area 4 months after the tsunami shipments of rice were no longer needed. Because the money had been earmarked the organization had to contact a number of donors to get permission to use the money in different ways. If you trust the organization allow them to make professional decisions on how to best use your donation, if you don't trust them then find another organization to donate to.

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Don't expect the funds to be spent immediately
The initial relief phase encompasses search and rescue, initial medical care, food, water and shelter. After that the much longer recovery and reconstruction phase begins. Organizations that feel pressure from donors to complete their work quickly may try to speed their work by cutting corners, leave aid recipients out of the decision making process, avoiding coordinating with other organizations, or end projects before they're able to survive on their own. In Thailand there were numerous instances of houses being built before the land title was clear causing them to go into litigation with some families being at risk of loosing their houses a few years later. Allow the organizations adequate time to ensure they are providing help in the best way possible.

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Don't take up a collection of goods to send over
After the tsunami tons of used clothing were donated, much of it inappropriate to the climate and culture. There were winder hats, coats and gloves donated to southern Thailand and mountains of donated clothing dumped beside the road in India. Donated goods can also clog ports preventing more immediate relief items from getting through. Ports can only hold and process so many goods and often the port authorities have difficulty sorting through everything arriving to get it processed and out the doors. Please do not take up collections of medicine, clothing, baby formula, or food for shipment, or show up on your own to hand out money or goods. Although well intentioned, this can actually make the situation worse as it adds to the confusion, diverts resources, and may lead to aid dependency.

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Don't go over individually to volunteer
Many people want to be able to volunteer to help in the recovery efforts, however unless you have a specific skill, and speak the language there is often very little the individual can contribute that local people could not do, and perhaps get paid to do. Even if you have a specialized trade such as a doctor or an architect your credentials may not be recognized in that country. In addition you will likely not find an international charity able to take you on for liability reasons and the fact that you don't have prior disaster experience and training. Small local organizations may be willing to risk using volunteers, but their need is for website developers, grant writers, and other office jobs. Your chances of working in the villages are small unless you speak the language and understand the culture.

Some useful points and informed advice based on experience from the Boxing Day Tsunami

The sun is about to come up. The aftershocks continue. Some more noticeable than others. There is no way to even begin to share the things we’ve heard and seen since 5pm yesterday. To do so would take hours that we don’t have to give right now. Some of them feel wrong to tell. Like only God should know these personal horrible tragedies.

The few things we can confirm – yes the four story Caribbean Market building is completely demolished. Yes it was open. Yes the National Palace collapsed. Yes Gov’t buildings nearby the Palace collapsed. Yes St Josephs Boys home is completely collapsed. Yes countless countless - countless other houses, churches, hospitals, schools, and businesses have collapsed. There are buildings that suffered almost no damage. Right next door will be a pile of rubble.

Thousands of people are currently trapped. To guess at a number would be like guessing at raindrops in the ocean. Precious lives hang in the balance. When pulled from the rubble there is no place to take them for care Haiti has an almost non existent medical care system for her people.

I cannot imagine what the next few weeks and months will be like. I am afraid for everyone. Never in my life have I seen people stronger than Haitian people. But I am afraid for them. For us.

Follow Troy's live accounts and Twitter updates.

Haiti was struck today by the largest earthquake in the region since 1770. Information is spotty but we do know the following:  The General Hospital, the Ministry of Commerce, the National Palace (left), and many homes have collapsed.  What we do not know is how many have been injured and how many have died.  Power lines are down.  Comms were also down but are slowly improving. The international airport is still intact.  We heard from Matt and he is ok.  If half of the Twitter reports are true, this has been a major catastrophe.  We will post updates in the comments section, please do the same.

Haiti Innovation has been blogging Haiti news since 2004 and have an amazing network of people on the ground and technical support. Watch their blog for more updates.