Haiti update

On Friday morning I returned to the UK after an emotional 9 days in Haiti. The situation there is tense.   Reconstruction work is underway but the vast majority of families in Port-au-Prince are still struggling without shelter, sufficient food or clean water.

The slum area of Cite Soleil, where living conditions are worse than anywhere else in the country, remains abandoned by the vast majority of aid agencies. I felt relieved that, thanks to its local partnerships, WER has been able to access this area and reach out to those who are the most vulnerable.

During my visit, I attended the groundbreaking reopening ceremony of the WER sponsored Good Samaritan School in Cite Soleil. This joyous, emotional occasion showed clearly the extent to which the local population appreciate the work that is being done towards rebuilding their city.

I also met with the directors of four other WER sponsored schools in Cite Soleil. All four schools were severely damaged by the earthquake and are undergoing reconstruction work. In the meantime, classes are being held under temporary shelter with teachers’ salaries and daily meals for the pupils being funded by WER.

When I spoke to the pupils and asked them what they like about school, the children overwhelming responded, “we get fed and we get taught”, in that order. Children are not only able to continue their education in these schools but for many, the meal they receive is their only meal of the day.

One afternoon I had the honour of speaking at a conference attended by over 600 pastors and community leaders wishing to bring relief to their city. During this conference, we shared experience and advice regarding development and relief tactics in order to help these leaders help their communities.  

I also spent time with our project partners reviewing both the direct delivery of their work; feeding, medical care and the like; but also reviewing strategy, accountability, governance and reporting. By assisting local project managers on developing these skills, WER is able to strengthen their work and help their organisations to become independent and self-sustainable. It is our intention to empower local organisations so that they can transform their communities over the years ahead.

The month of July serves as a transition period between the rainy season and the hurricane season in Haiti, exacerbating the devastating effects of the January 2010 earthquake that remain a prevalent part of daily life. One needs only to step outside in Port-au-Prince and see decimated infrastructure and thousands of Haitians living in flimsy tents on the streets to be reminded of the horrors that occurred just over 6 months ago.

Even with the mounds of international support Haiti has been receiving over the past few months, there is still an unfathomable amount of work left to be done. WER is doing everything in its power to help alleviate some of the pain and to give communities hope for the future.

Click here to support WER and our work to provide relief and hope for those who are still suffering in Haiti.