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Article
Group Addresses Mental Health Needs Of Haitian Children
February 15, 2010 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123668471 Source Publication: NPR's Tell Me More In the weeks since the horrific earthquake that leveled much of Haiti's capital we've seen images of death and destruction and a few amazing rescues. But one aspect of the devastation that the television screen cannot capture is the psychological trauma of a generation of Haitian children who have experienced dramatic loss and serious injury. "Comfort for Kids" is a program developed by Mercy Corps, a non profit international humanitarian organization, and child care provider Bright Horizons. Its aim is to help Haitian children traumatized by the earthquake. Host Michel Martin talks with Griffen Samples, senior technical adviser of Comfort for Kids. Listen to this audio interview by clicking here MICHEL MARTIN, host: Its been almost a month since an earthquake leveled much of Haitis capital. Weve seen many images of suffering, but one aspect of the devastation which the screen cannot truly capture is the psychological trauma experienced by those who have suffered loss and serious injury. Today, we want to focus on an initiative designed to address the needs of children, in particular, the mental health needs of children. Comfort for Kids is a program developed by Mercy Corp, thats a nonprofit international humanitarian organization along with childcare provider Bright Horizons. Griffen Samples is the senior technical advisor to the program and she joins us now from Port-au-Prince. Welcome, thank you for joining us. Ms. GRIFFEN SAMPLES (Senior Technical Advisor, Comfort for Kids): Hey, its my honor and I appreciate the chance to help to your NPR listeners learn whats happening on the ground. MARTIN: What are you trying to do? Ms. SAMPLES: Mercy Corps, in partnership with Bright Horizons, after 9/11, developed a very simple messaging program that enables adults, parents, professionals, paraprofessionals to provide resilience in children so that they can minimize the number of children who need the scarce mental health resources that exist after a disaster. MARTIN: And so what is exactly does that mean? Youre trying to what help the adults who are there help the kids. Ms. SAMPLES: Thats exactly it. And we have a training program that we have effectively implemented in the U.S. after 9/11, after Hurricane Katrina; aspects of the component were launched in Guatemala after Hurricane Stan. Weve used it in other earthquake responses in Peru and also in China. MARTIN: And what does this training entail, I mean, this program weve done a lot of reporting on mental health issues and who gets those services, who doesnt get those services. And one of the things that seems to come up a lot is this whole question of culturally competent care; what represents comfort to some people, might not represent comfort to other people. And so one of the questions I have is what are some of the tools that youll be sharing with adults to try to help kids in this situation. Ms. SAMPLES: We have a couple of things, Michel. The first thing is a very simple messaging training program. And with our trainings - weve piloted to already, weve trained just under 100 people - we look, at first, how are adults responding to the earthquake. Adults are expected to take care of children, thats normal in any culture. So, before we can get into how we can support children better, we say, well, you know - what are you seeing among yourselves? What are different behaviors that you are having yourself or maybe you see in your friends, in your family? And normal adult reactions to a crisis, be it in earthquake or large natural disaster or 9/11, would be anxiety, fear, sleeping too much. For adults, there might be drinking too much or smoking too much. So, people tend to have normal anxiety-type reactions after a crisis and one of our key messages is to normalize those reactions. People may not know that those are simply normal adult reactions after a trauma. MARTIN: Who are some of the adults who will receive this kind of training? Ms. SAMPLES: That's a - its a key question. The training will be reaching out to two different groups. We will be partnering with a program thats under the aegis of the first lady, Madam Preval. She is hosting child spaces where children will be doing arts activities. Theyll be doing it for two-and-a-half hour sessions, three times a day, six days a week. So there will be a rotation of children. And so one group of work will be the mothers who have brought their children. You know, two-and-a-half hours is not enough time to go and do a lot. Traffic is crazy, crazy, can take an hour-and-a-half to get anywhere here. The other groups weve worked with - the teachers, the nurses, the day-care workers. Weve had psychologists, weve had a very wide range in our pilots, already, will continue with that group as a second training population; and the parents as his own discreet training population. MARTIN: What are some of the challenges of offering this kind of training in this particular setting? I mean, one of the things that occurs to me is, on 9/11, is devastating as it was, was confined to a relatively limited geographic area - you know, the worst physical damage was, you know, lower Manhattan or at the Pentagon. So, once you got away from those areas you could get basic services, you know what I mean - you could get food, you could get water, you could get shelter. But here, you know I mean, the damage is so widespread. So, can you just talk a little bit about what are some of the challenges of addressing psychological needs given the physical circumstances there? Ms. SAMPLES: Sure, and I want to underscore - when we talk with people, local authorities, representatives with community, talking with the first lady and her colleagues - we do not provide mental health counseling, we do not provide therapy. What we provide is simple messaging in how adults, either parents or professionals or paraprofessionals, can promote resilience in children. MARTIN: Mm-hmm. Ms. SAMPLES: Most children are inherently resilient. Children can bounce back way faster than adults, if they get the right support. Its very difficult for people who havent received training. You know, many people think children maybe showing bad behavior, so they maybe being just like ill-behaved; when in fact, what theyre demonstrating with their showing are normal reactions to trauma, by not knowing the difference between what was bad behavior in the normal times and the normal reaction to trauma after a crisis, parents and adults may not be responding appropriately. MARTIN: How though, can you encourage parents to respond appropriately when theyre so devastated themselves? We cant isolate the trauma that the adults have experienced from thats what their children are experiencing. Ms. SAMPLES: Youre absolutely right and thats why we always start our training saying, how are you? What youre doing to take care of yourself? And it gives them a chance to talk among themselves, because theyve been so busy. So, actually its a very informal training. Its more like a conversation that we hold. MARTIN: How many people do you hope will get this training over the course of your time there? I dont know how long you plan to be there, but how long do you think the project will last. Ms. SAMPLES: Michel, Mercy Corp is going to be help the long term. We have preliminary figures that say we would like to reach 1,500 people in the communities. So, church leaders, nurses, teachers, people who are key what we call key informants in the community. So, its the short-term response that we anticipate will be part of an ongoing program with Mercy Corp here in Haiti. MARTIN: Griffen Samples is the senior technical advisor for Mercy Corp, Comfort for Kids. She was kind enough to join us by phone from Port-au-Prince, where she is working. Griffen, thank you so much for speaking with us. Ms. SAMPLES: My pleasure, my honor. Call back in two weeks so I can update you on how many and the reaction of more of the participants. (Soundbite of laughter) MICHEL: Okay, well try. Thanks a lot. Ms. SAMPLES: Best, bye. MICHEL: Okay.
15 February 2010
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Article
Timbers Will Play Benefit Match For Haitian Relief
Amelia Templeton February 15, 2010 http://news.opb.org/article/6728-timbers-will-play-benefit-match-haitian-relief/ Source Publication: OPB News The Portland Timbers will play the University of Portland Pilots this Wednesday in a charity match to benefit Haiti. Tickets are $7 and the money raised will go to Mercy Corps. The Portland aid agency is providing shelter and food to earthquake survivors in Haiti. The Timbers announced last week they had signed Haitian National Team Midfielder James Marcelin. He’s been playing for the Puerto Rico Islanders but was on break in Haiti when the earthquake struck. Marcelin will appear in the game Wednesday, along with young prospective players invited to a training camp and some members of the regular team. The Timbers season kicks off on April 17th.
15 February 2010
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Article
Haiti Response Team
Mercy Corps has deployed an A-team of humanitarian first responders. These experts from around the world have collective experience that includes responses to the China earthquake (2008), Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (2008), and Hurricane Katrina (2005). Here are key members of our team: Bill Holbrook is our country director. Bill is a 20-year veteran of international aid work, including two tours in Haiti, relief work in Sudan and a five-year stint for Mercy Corps in Azerbaijan last decade. Gene Kunze brings 10 years of experience in humanitarian work and served as program director for our emergency response to China's Sichuan earthquake in 2008. Mugur Dumitrache is a crisis-tested water and sanitation advisor who's brought innovative solutions to the aftermath of dozens of disasters, including last year's earthquake in Indonesia. Sean Collins is a tested program manager and skilled logisitician with emergency experience in places including Indonesia and Iraq. Jacques Azemar is volunteering his logistical skills burnished during a 30-year tenure in the U.S. military. A former Army Colonel, Jacques is a Haitian-American who won many awards for his service in conflict zones during his career. Hans Van Liedekerke, a member of Mercy Corps' supply-chain management team, has over 15 years experience in the industry and is a well-known expert in delivering supplies during emergencies, including the Indian Ocean tsunami. Abdou Seyni is a senior finance and administration who has over 18 years of experience in his field. Kody Leonard has worked as a System Administrator with Mercy Corps for almost three years, supporting our headquarters and field staff with their IT needs. In Santo Domingo (logistics) Matthew Schwartzberg is a senior material aid officer for Mercy Corps who has previously coordinated supply shipments for disaster relief in Myanmar and China.
15 February 2010
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Article
What We're Doing in Haiti
Haitians left homeless after the earthquake camp out in a Port-au-Prince park. Photo: Photo: Reuters/STR New, courtesy www.alertnet.org More than a month after the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that rocked Haiti, Mercy Corps’ team of emergency response experts is working to meet the immediate needs of survivors. At the same time, our team is laying the groundwork for longer-term recovery, drawing upon Mercy Corps’ three decades of experience helping disaster-struck communities transition from receiving aid to carrying out their own recovery. Haitian authorities estimate that more than 217,000 people died in the earthquake and that three-quarters of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, will have to be rebuilt. At least one million people have been displaced. The Mercy Corps team is coordinating with the United Nations and other aid groups on the ground to ensure the most efficient response. Team of Experts Mercy Corps has deployed an A-team of humanitarian first responders. These experts from around the world have collective experience that includes responses to the China earthquake, Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, and Hurricane Katrina. Learn more about our Haiti Response Team Right Now: Water, Trauma Support, Jobs The Mercy Corps response is currently focused on immediate humanitarian needs: food to beleaguered hospitals, water and sanitation, trauma support for children and job creation. Five days after the quake, this woman and her baby need water first, then food and shelter. Photo: Cassandra Nelson/Mercy Corps Earthquake survivors like this little girl are living in parks and vacant lots around Port-au-Prince. Photo: Cassandra Nelson/Mercy Corps Clean Water and Sanitation Water and sanitation assessments continue in preparation for securing clean water and safe latrines for at least 42,000 people in Haiti's capital. On February 3, our team installed a water filtration unit at a local hospital. Job Creation and Economic Recovery To jumpstart the decimated economy and begin rebuilding efforts in earthquake-affected areas, Mercy Corps has initiated a cash-for-work program that pays earthquake survivors a daily wage to clear debris, restore buildings and repair basic infrastructure. We plan to employ more than 8,000 workers in some of Port-au-Prince's poorest and most-devastated neighborhoods. Through the cash-for-work approach, survivors carry out their own recovery efforts. Employing survivors gives them the dignity of earning an income they can then spend on the supplies they need for their families. Their purchases in turn help restart local commerce. Trauma Support for Children When the earthquake struck, all schools in Port-au-Prince collapsed. Haitian children who survived the earthquake experienced trauma that could negatively affect them for life. To help restore children’s sense of well-being, Mercy Corps is providing post-trauma help using Comfort for Kids. This counseling methodology was first developed in New York by Mercy Corps and Bright Horizons, a global workplace childcare provider, to help children recover from the trauma of 9/11. Subsequently, Mercy Corps has used Comfort for Kids to help children recover from the China and Peru earthquakes and Hurricane Katrina. Mercy Corps recently announced a partnership with Haiti's First Lady, Elisabeth Delacourt Préval, to implement Comfort for Kids trainings for adult caregivers. The First Lady and UNICEF will organize “safe spaces” in camps to run arts, sports and music activities for children, while Mercy Corps will run simultaneous sessions — in French and Creole — to educate parents and caregivers about child symptoms of trauma and how they can be addressed. Next Steps Mercy Corps will focus on supporting the creation of jobs, especially in the provinces around Port-au-Prince, in sectors such as agriculture, tourism and apparel manufacturing. Mercy Corps also expects to use cash grants to help people rebuild assets like small businesses, fishing boats, food carts. In addition, Mercy Corps is exploring options with microfinance provider FONKOZE and other partners to help small- and mid-size businesses grow using remittances and microfinance. In the coming weeks and months, Mercy Corps plans to expand its work to include the provinces surrounding Port-au-Prince, particularly the Central Plateau area where approximately 500,000 people fled after the earthquake. The agency is striving to make these areas economically viable and provide critical resources to displaced families who have settled there. A Long Track Record of Helping Recovery The earthquake in Haiti left three million people in need of aid, exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The Caribbean nation suffers extreme hunger and political instability, and this disaster only increases the needs of thousands of impoverished Haitian families. Mercy Corps has a long track record of helping people living in the world’s toughest conditions to recover and rebuild after natural disasters and conflict. The agency has special expertise in disaster response that establishes a foundation for, and leads directly to, self-sufficiency. HOW TO HELP Mercy Corps is accepting donations toward our earthquake response. Public support thus far has been strong, and corporations such as Amazon.com, ITT Corporation, Best Buy, Western Union, Gap, Nike, and Trilogy/Voilà have generously contributed to our efforts.
15 February 2010
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Article
Beginning again with hope and faith
What was so incredibly hard to see was the destruction of national treasures and symbols of this city — such as the famous Iron Market — all broken, twisted and ruined. Photo: Rinn Self/Mercy Corps Yesterday was the final day of the three-day national mourning period here in Haiti. We’ve had several new team members come on board this weekend, and we thought today would be a good day to see more of the city and get a sense of the scale of destruction caused by the earthquake. Our country director Bill — who lived in Haiti for many years — and his wife Dominique, who was born and raised here, took us on a tour of downtown Port-au-Prince. It was the first time I had personally seen some of the worst hit areas of the city and it was absolutely overwhelming. What I had seen on TV and even in the displacement camps where Mercy Corps is working did not prepare me for the sheer heartbreaking magnitude of the damage that Port-au-Prince has suffered. The heart of the city, once a vibrant commercial center, now looks like a war zone. Completely shattered buildings line every street and the stench of death and burning trash is suffocating, even now a month after the earthquake. What was so incredibly hard to see — especially in the company of a native of Port-au-Prince — was the destruction of national treasures and symbols of this city: the National Cathedral, the famous Iron Market and the Presidential Palace, all broken, twisted and ruined. We climbed up on top of the car and watched throngs of men, women and children waving Haitian flags and marching towards the palace. People danced and smiled and waved at us and we smiled and waved back. Photo: Rinn Self/Mercy Corps Dominique wondered aloud — how do people rebuild from nothing? And we realized, no, this is actually much worse than nothing. There is no clean slate here to start from, they must live in and around the shattered shells of their homes and businesses because there is no alternative. In this densely populated and desperately poor place, it will take weeks, months and perhaps years to remove all of the broken pieces and start over. Seeing what I saw today, I can’t even imagine the pain of having my entire city destroyed and then having to look at that destruction every single day, reminding me of the people I had lost and the seemingly impossible journey of rebuilding ahead. As we neared the Presidential Palace, we realized that the crowds around us were all heading the same direction. Very suddenly, we found ourselves in the middle of a very large demonstration. We were forced to stop and park the car as thousands of people filled the main square outside the palace. But this was, very fortunately, a peaceful gathering with music, song and prayer. We climbed up on top of the car and watched throngs of men, women and children waving Haitian flags and marching towards the palace. People danced and smiled and waved at us and we smiled and waved back. It was an amazing and deeply moving mass expression of hope and faith, a wonderful sight after the incredibly painful tour we had just taken. Inspired by the unbroken spirit of the people we’d seen, we’ve all gotten a much-needed boost to start this week off with new energy and determination.
15 February 2010
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Article
Haiti One Month Later
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) February 14, 2010 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-earl-blumenauer/haiti-a-month-later_b_463292.html Source Publication: The Huffington Post As weather paralyzed the nation's capital with record snowfall, scrambling schedules and disrupting plans, I was able to participate in a short, one-day trip to Haiti. Normally I would think twice about the usefulness of spending less than six hours on the ground in a country, but my deep personal concerns about Haiti made it worth the travel. Haiti clearly looks bad, but worse problems lurk off the radar and are obvious to anyone who pays attention to the dry land and environmental devastation. The first hints are noticeable from the air -- the stark difference between the Dominican Republic half of the island, still verdant green with tree cover, and Haiti's virtually denuded hillside, not just around the city but extended up to the very tops of the mountain. The Congressional CODEL I traveled with was told that the forest, which used to cover 80% of Haiti, has been reduced to 2%; I couldn't help but wonder where, exactly, that 2% is. Further evidence of the erosion was the river and stream beds that reveal the underlying chalk white limestone residue, a reminder that spring rains -- without hearty soil to provide absorption -- will unleash even more catastrophe. After just a few minutes on the ground, I was overwhelmed by the magnitude and randomness of the destruction. What I witnessed right after the tsunami in Southeast Asia and after Katrina in New Orleans had a much more distinct pattern. Haiti is a small country, less than 30% the size of Oregon, but with more than two and a half times Oregon's population concentrated around Port-au-Prince. Nearly half a million were killed, injured, or have gone missing, and disease and trauma will continue to take their toll for months, if not years, to come. We stopped at the Cathedral, leaving the motorcade to walk around. Because there have been serious problems with violence, officials were taking no chances and security was tight. The largest prison was emptied when prisoners realized they could escape; the guards were either killed, injured, frightened, or hastening to care for their own families. Patterns of violence and kidnapping have been marked as the prisoners escaped and moved away from the prison. We went to the GHESKIO Center, where we met with the staff of the DMAT facility. Amazing work was being done there. We had a chance to talk to the personnel and actually look in on some medical procedures. An operation was underway as a young boy was suffering complications resulting from a gunshot wound in the leg. As we visited with these amazing volunteer medical personnel who were working with the American military and USAID, it was jarring to realize how much of the work they were doing was not directly earthquake related. There were three cesarean section deliveries in the last 24 hours, and they had perhaps the only reliable respirator in the city, which was being used to keep a child alive. The basic level of healthcare in Haiti was so poor before the quake that they were already overwhelmed by important, life-saving medical needs. Now they were also having to deal with the demands of the relief effort, which was physically and emotionally taxing. Several people mentioned how they were used to saving legs, not amputating them while working as hard and fast as they could to keep patients alive. We also had an opportunity at the site to visit with some of the volunteer organizations on the ground providing relief. Mercy Corps was well represented by Bill Holbrooke, the country director and some of his team. I'd been in contact earlier with Neal Keny-Guyer and Nancy Lindborg, who provide outstanding leadership for the organization, and will offer insight and assistance that will make a difference in Haiti for months to come. Mercy Corps was there before the earthquake, committed for the long haul, and will continue its vital operations on the ground. I met Mercy Corps personnel in Southeast Asia dealing with the tsunami and in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina, but this experience seemed to be much worse. Because the population in Haiti is so concentrated, the damage was much more intense. The feeling of desperation in this hemisphere's poorest country - with such a sad history of neglect, violence, repression, and natural disasters - was difficult for all of us to experience; I can't imagine what it's like for people who are fully immersed in the relief efforts. In New Orleans and after the tsunami, there was not the sense of peril that I felt in Haiti. There is a very real threat of another earthquake that could happen at any time, but you don't have to have another earthquake for them to be at risk. Immediately adjacent to the medical facility, there was a camp the size of several football fields that contained over 6000 people in makeshift tents, with only 12 portable toilets. The potential for further disease and suffering was obvious. One of the most immediate problems is that the field was in a low-lying area, so both the camp and the adjacent medical center had experienced severe flooding within the last several days, even before the rainy season commences in the next two months. This problem will be compounded as water rushes down bare hillsides, many of them destabilized, affecting people who are in temporary and inadequate shelter with nonexistent sanitation. While it was important to see the impact of the earthquake and to talk to the volunteers and military personnel, the most important part of the trip was a discussion with the President, Prime Minister, and other senior officials. We were there one month to the day after the earthquake on a national day of mourning. There had been controversy about the President's response to the earthquake and his degree of engagement, but we found him to be clear and very much involved. During the course of our meeting, there was an even greater sense of loss than some of what we saw on the streets. Their whole government center collapsed. The finance minister was able to retain his composure, even though he had lost a son in the quake. The elections scheduled in two weeks had to be postponed not only because of the destruction and devastation of the population, but because all the government officials involved with the election were killed and important materials had been lost. I was able to make my personal concerns known about what we need to do in partnership with the Haitian government. It was informed by the mixed results of getting people out of harm's way here in the U.S. and abroad to avoid future catastrophes. There has been some progress in the aftermath of the tsunami and with Katrina, but the level of success is still nowhere near what it should be. Rebuilding the capital Port-au-Prince in the same haphazard way - in the same dangerous location, with the same population concentration- almost guarantees future destruction. I was very encouraged by the President's response that if they only concentrate on the disaster in Port-au-Prince, they would fail. We discussed the recovery, including the relocation in rural towns and villages to make the population safer, improve the environment, and strengthen the long-term economy. The President was clear that it would work only if we can finance the transition so people can support themselves in the interim, away from the population and government center. He spoke not just of recovery but, in his words, of the "the reconfiguration of Haiti," which I found extraordinarily encouraging. We concluded discussing the problems of just keeping the government functioning despite the tremendous loss of people who run the agencies and the near collapse of the economy. They will have no money for the state payroll next month because no one is paying taxes on property that was destroyed, businesses cannot operate, and trade is not occurring. There is a need for the international community to help rebuild the financial system, something that I had not focused on before. There was a good explanation in their discussion about finding ways to get the banks to start lending again to businesses, which prompted a comment from me that we haven't been particularly successful in our own country for a financial collapse that didn't include the damage of an earthquake. Hopefully the Haitians can do better and we can learn from them. Although the situation in Haiti was worse than I imagined, I was heartened by the mutual understanding and areas of agreement. There is even greater urgency to ease suffering and avoid the next round of catastrophe with the coming rains, inevitable flooding, and probable outbreak of disease. There is real potential to actually fix some of the problems Haiti had before the earthquake, particularly with growing support from the international community and indications of Haiti's commitment and increasing capacity. Now it is imperative that Haiti harness the sense of urgency and the attention of rich nations to help give them the boost they need. As dire as the situation is, a concerted international effort can have a tremendous impact. Much of what needs to be done, while expensive for them, is relatively modest by international standards if the burden is shared. I left Haiti with a renewed commitment, both personally and as a Member of Congress, to do what I can to make a difference and encourage others to do the same.
14 February 2010
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Article
A study in contrasts
In many ways, Haiti is a study in contrasts. Here in Petionville, houses lay in ruins while directly next door a brightly painted Yamaha dealership sits undamaged. Amid concrete rubble and twisted rebar, children run and play and smile. Cash-for-work participants in the Petionville neighborhood of Port-au-Prince receive payments for a week's work of clearing debris, shoveling out ditches and repairing roads. Photo: Rinn Self/Mercy Corps My day today was characterized by stark contrasts as well: it began with a quiet and orderly distribution of cash payments to our cash-for-work participants in a nearby neighborhood. It ended with the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. This morning, my colleague Carol Ward and I went up the road to the Ecole des Frères to oversee the first cash payment disbursement to participants in our cash-for-work program. In this neighborhood, one of several where we are working, a group of 80 men and women had been clearing debris, shoveling out ditches and repairing roads for the past week. Today was payday. We arrived early at the school, where a large displacement camp sprung up after the earthquake. We met with Jean-Pierre, the community liaison, and Alex, a representative of Fonkoze, our local partner who handles all the payments. One by one, participants filed in, were greeted by the Fonkoze staff, turned in the voucher card they had been given at the start of the week, received their cash payment and signed the register. Everything went off without a hitch and the participants all seemed proud and pleased to have earned a week’s wage. When we returned to the office, I jumped in another car with our Country Director Bill Holbrook and our Logistics and Security Coordinator Jacques Azemar for a completely different trip — to meet with a bi-partisan Congressional delegation that was spending a whirlwind half day in Haiti. The trip was arranged by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and included Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon — a big proponent of Mercy Corps' work — who had invited us to attend part of the delegation’s visit. Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (left) talks with Mercy Corps Country Director Bill Holbrook about the work that needs to be done in Haiti. Photo: Rinn Self/Mercy Corps We drove to the Geshiko clinic, which before the earthquake was Port-au-Prince’s primary HIV/AIDS facility. Today, it is hosting a field hospital unit run by DMAT — the U.S. Disaster Medical Assistance Team. Mercy Corps was one of only three international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) invited to the briefing. Bill had only a few moments to speak with Representative Pelosi, Representative Blumenauer and Representative Charles Rangel of New York. To each of them, he expressed Mercy Corps’ firm belief that job creation and economic rehabilitation are key to the successful long term recovery of Haiti. He explained how our current work here is setting the stage for this long-term development, and how we are working to empower Haitians to build a new economic and social foundation for their country. It was an exciting opportunity, and I’ll admit to being a little starstruck by all these U.S. politicians we suddenly found ourselves speaking with. It was gratifying to see how appreciative they were of us, the humanitarian and medical community who have responded to this disaster. But as impressive as the politicians were, seeing the hard-working people of Petionville collecting their weekly wages this morning was a hard act to follow.
12 February 2010
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Article
One month after devastating earthquake, Mercy Corps brings relief and recovery to Haiti
One month after the January 12th earthquake in Haiti, the global relief and development agency Mercy Corps is providing humanitarian relief and laying the groundwork for long-term recovery. The agency, which had not worked in Haiti prior to the earthquake, quickly assembled a staff of 35 experts to help earthquake survivors access resources such as food, water and post-trauma assistance. Moving forward, Mercy Corps is prioritizing the creation of jobs, particularly in areas outside of Port-au-Prince. “The needs in Haiti are immense,” said Mercy Corps’ Haiti Country Director Bill Holbrook. “It will take years to build back from this terrible disaster. We’re working to ensure that Haitians – in Port-au-Prince and the surrounding provinces – have the resources to make their country more prosperous, sustainable and just in the long term.” Mercy Corps has been working to address immediate needs for food, water and shelter. The agency distributed high-energy biscuits and one month's worth of food to the General Hospital, the largest hospital in Port-au-Prince, and installed a high-volume water filtration unit to provide clean water to Lope Hospital, the city's only dedicated facility for plastic surgery. To help fill pressing needs for shelter, Mercy Corps has distributed 435 units of plastic sheeting at various camps for the homeless in Port-au-Prince. Mercy Corps has already started promoting economic recovery. The agency is implementing Cash-for-Work, an approach that pays Haitians to clean up and begin rebuilding their communities, enabling them to earn income and get money back into the economy. The agency is providing short-term income to approximately 500 people, and anticipates scaling up to reach more than 8,000. As a next step, Mercy Corps will focus on long-term economic recovery by supporting the creation of jobs, especially in the provinces around Port-au-Prince, in sectors such as agriculture, tourism and apparel manufacturing. “Haitians need and want meaningful jobs more than anything,” said Holbrook. “Mercy Corps plans to work with a variety of private sector and government partners to help more Haitians find steady, licit employment. We’re focused on creating jobs in the countryside, where many earthquake survivors have fled and industry is practically nonexistent.” Mercy Corps also expects to use cash grants to help people rebuild assets like small businesses, fishing boats and food carts. In addition, Mercy Corps is exploring options with microfinance provider FONKOZE and other partners to help small- and mid-size businesses grow using remittances and microfinance. The emotional recovery of Haiti’s children is another priority for Mercy Corps. The agency is implementing Comfort for Kids, a methodology developed with the global childcare provider Bright Horizons to provide post-trauma support for children. Originally created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Comfort for Kids includes trainings for adults to address symptoms of trauma in kids, carefully devised workbooks to help children process post-earthquake emotions, and distribution of “comfort kits” with soothing items such as blankets, stuffed animals and sippy cups. Mercy Corps recently announced a partnership with Haiti's First Lady, Elisabeth Delacourt Préval, to implement Comfort for Kids trainings for adult caregivers. The First Lady and UNICEF will organize “safe spaces” in camps to run arts, sports and music activities for children, while Mercy Corps will run simultaneous sessions – in French and Creole – to educate parents and caregivers about child symptoms of trauma and how they can be addressed. In the coming weeks and months, Mercy Corps plans to expand its work to include the provinces surrounding Port-au-Prince, particularly the Central Plateau area where approximately 500,000 people fled after the earthquake. The agency is striving to make these areas economically viable and provide critical resources to displaced families who have settled there. Mercy Corps has already conducted a food distribution in Mirebalais, one hour from Port-au-Prince, and is planning to take Cash-for-Work "on the road" to Mirebalais and other areas.
12 February 2010
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Nike worked with 300 kids to design 'Kinbé Pa Lagé' t-shirts to help @mercycorps and @Archforhumanity rebuild Haiti: http://bit.ly/d01bWn
12 February 2010
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Article
Haiti earthquake teaches third-graders what wealth means
Third-grade students at Woodland Primary School in southwestern Washington State, including young Jordan, have raised more than $4,300 for Haiti through a penny drive and online fundraising. Photo: Melissa Sanders The day after the earthquake, third grade teacher Melissa Sanders brainstormed with her colleagues about how to get their students involved in the Haiti relief effort. A penny drive was a natural — they’d done it before — and so they began having children announce daily reminders on the school intercom. Meanwhile, Sanders wove lessons on Haiti into her standard curriculum. “We used an almanac to look up basic facts about Haiti,” she said. “We talked about the corruption and poverty there, and how difficult life was even before the earthquake. We shared photos from the media. And the children…well, they were just devastated by the stories.” “They talked about how awful it would be to lose your parents, to be an orphan, to be in the street with no one to care for you, when the people who are supposed to be able to help you are also in need of help themselves,” continued Sanders. “They were wowed each time we heard about someone who had been rescued.” Most children at Woodland Primary, in southwestern Washington State, are not from wealthy families. “A lot of our kids are on the free lunch program,” explained Sanders, “and some of them emigrated from Mexico with their families. They remember what it’s like to have to walk a long way to get water.” The children talked with their teacher about what it means to be wealthy. “We talked about how we sit here in class and all our needs are met,” continued Sanders. “We talked about how people who are considered poor in this country are rich by Haiti standards. And we talked about how wealthy you feel when you have the capacity to help care for someone else.” True to their feelings, the kids gave — and gave generously. “They literally brought in their piggy banks,” said Sanders. “They put in their Christmas money. One boy who had received $10 from his aunt for winning an academic competition just dropped in the bill — he didn’t think twice. That’s a lot of money for an eight-year-old. And when the other kids saw his generosity, well, everybody just got out their money.” The children’s big-heartedness added up. Between their penny drive and the Personal Fundraising Page their teacher set up, they’ve raised $4,311 so far to support Mercy Corps’ work in Haiti.
12 February 2010
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Our Haiti Country Director just met with Rep. Pelosi, @repblumenauer, Sen. Harkin & @cbrangel to discuss econ. recovery and job creation.
12 February 2010
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12 February 2010