Good afternoon:
Not too much to report for today. Ron and I had our final meeting after breakfast today and then he got a good taste of Haiti traffic jams as we headed to the airport. Despite the crawling along I still managed to get him there 2 hours ahead of his departure....good thing we left an hour ahead of time. Coming home there were several steps along the way.....at the bank, my apt and Little Children of Jesus. I delivered a tarp for Gladys who was VERY appreciative of this gift to use at her house. While exiting Santo 17 I stopped at the camp site that is being prepared just before the main road. I learned it is for the people living in the Santo area and that it is the dept of Civil Protection from the DR that is preparing the site and the Dept of Civil Protection - Haiti will select the folks to live at the site. It seems as if it will be quite organized...it is divided into sections, with gravel laid down, a water distribution site prepared and some sort of showers. The latrines are yet to be placed at the site. The water distribution is a huge bladder sitting on top of a huge pile of dirt. I've included a photo but it is a bit hard to see.
The rest of the day was taken up with correspondence and going through old files while cleaning up the file drawers so I can get my files out of the milk carton that is doubling as a file drawer for me.
Below is another update from a friend of mine.
General Updates
Statistics...The latest data released shows a stabilizing of the casualties to around 222,000 but I am sure more will be discovered as the rubble is cleared.
The national plan for displaced persons is five-pronged: "Return to safe homes; return to safe plot and erection of transitional shelter [two types have been proposed]; resettlement in proximity to destroyed houses; support to host families; and resettlement in new neighborhoods." Although over 600,000 persons have left PAP for the rural areas, it is expected that a significant number will return to look for work. Thus the figures for displaced persons in PAP may actually climb.
There is a real push to send people from the camps back to their homes (after being inspected); but to do this, the rubble must first be cleared so they can reach them. Président Préval has estimated that it will take 1,000 trucks working 1,000 days to remove the rubble, and the experts have said he's probably not very off target. The Prime Minister has approved five plots of land for transitional settlements and another eight for rubble disposal. These are on the outskirts of PAP. The Ministry of Environment is presently negotiating with private landowners for more plots. The transitional shelter kits are expected to begin to arrive by the end of April.
The registration that took place in the largest camp at Champs de Mars (the heart of downtown PAP) showed that 77% of the people came from one area closeby. So efforts have begun to make their quartier a priority for house inspection and rubble removal. Similar registrations are being carried out in the other camps that will likewise interpret where the removal efforts will be focused. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, David Holmes, suggests that the emergency phase is not over. In fact it will continue for several months yet as reconstruction begins. About 285,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed in PAP, and about 80,000 persons are now being employed through cash for work to remove rubble.
Presently close to 50% of the displaced families have received either two tarps or a tent to shelter them from the rains--and rain we have had! Friday and Saturday we did not see the sun---it only began to poke out Sunday afternoon. And boy, was it ever cold! All tarps and tents needed are now in the pipeline and expected to be distributed before 1 May.
A second food surge is in process to help cover all the displaced persons in PAP. There are more and more accounts of families sharing food and communal meals. Surveyors have been impressed with how effectively the Haitian people are helping their neighbors and working to keep their neighborhoods safe by forming 'brigades', etc. By the way, Odelin would like to thank all of you that prayed for protection for him and those he's hosting at his house--now about 30 persons nightly. The thief that had terrorized their neighborhood was probably killed in a shoot-out with police. He had been one of the many that escaped when the national penitentiary fell during the earthquake.
There is a continued push to return children to at least some organized activities if not true schooling by the end of March. This is a little easier said than done, but efforts have begun. The first tent 'school' has begun in the Carrefour area of PAP with the help of a few large organizations. It will be able to serve up to 400 children daily.
The figures suggest that about 30,000 businesses were destroyed in the earthquake. That along with other losses has led to a 35-50% drop in the gross domestic product. A recent economic survey revealed that family income has decreased by 60-70%. That coupled with inflated food prices has caused families to now spend 85% of their income on food rather than the 35% customary pre-earthquake. Thus it is not surprising that those living on borderline food supplies have increased by about 50% (from 17% in the SE and 25% in the West Departments to an average of 30% in both).
If you are planning on registering with the government or bringing goods into Haïti, be forewarned that the situation is a little complex. Customs is not functioning well, and the Ministry of Planification that normally handles non-profit registrations is not operational. If you have customs or registration issues, you can contact the UN Logistics Cluster for help. Information on customs clearance procedures and contact information can be found at their website, www.logcluster.org/hti10a
Finally, some friends sent an interesting UTube link. I don't necessarily agree with the Partners in Health's representative's comments, but the rest is quite good. If you could understand the French and Créole, it'd even be more impressive. The persons interviewed in these languages were particularly articulate! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuUt12usDVs
For those of you that are pray-ers, here are a few requests:
That those who have lost family, homes and jobs may find the Lord's comfort and hope. Jeremiah 29:11That those who are becoming distraught, impatient, even suicidal, may find His peace. John 14:27That those who are frazzled by a constant lack of food, dry shelter, and a place to call home, that they may find God's contentment in the midst. Philippians 4:11-12That those who are lost may find Him. Matthew 11:28-30 It really is easy and light, I am awed.
With these prayer requests from Judith, I will leave you.
Have a good evening.
Debbie
Not too much to report for today. Ron and I had our final meeting after breakfast today and then he got a good taste of Haiti traffic jams as we headed to the airport. Despite the crawling along I still managed to get him there 2 hours ahead of his departure....good thing we left an hour ahead of time. Coming home there were several steps along the way.....at the bank, my apt and Little Children of Jesus. I delivered a tarp for Gladys who was VERY appreciative of this gift to use at her house. While exiting Santo 17 I stopped at the camp site that is being prepared just before the main road. I learned it is for the people living in the Santo area and that it is the dept of Civil Protection from the DR that is preparing the site and the Dept of Civil Protection - Haiti will select the folks to live at the site. It seems as if it will be quite organized...it is divided into sections, with gravel laid down, a water distribution site prepared and some sort of showers. The latrines are yet to be placed at the site. The water distribution is a huge bladder sitting on top of a huge pile of dirt. I've included a photo but it is a bit hard to see.
The rest of the day was taken up with correspondence and going through old files while cleaning up the file drawers so I can get my files out of the milk carton that is doubling as a file drawer for me.
Below is another update from a friend of mine.
General Updates
Statistics...The latest data released shows a stabilizing of the casualties to around 222,000 but I am sure more will be discovered as the rubble is cleared.
The national plan for displaced persons is five-pronged: "Return to safe homes; return to safe plot and erection of transitional shelter [two types have been proposed]; resettlement in proximity to destroyed houses; support to host families; and resettlement in new neighborhoods." Although over 600,000 persons have left PAP for the rural areas, it is expected that a significant number will return to look for work. Thus the figures for displaced persons in PAP may actually climb.
There is a real push to send people from the camps back to their homes (after being inspected); but to do this, the rubble must first be cleared so they can reach them. Président Préval has estimated that it will take 1,000 trucks working 1,000 days to remove the rubble, and the experts have said he's probably not very off target. The Prime Minister has approved five plots of land for transitional settlements and another eight for rubble disposal. These are on the outskirts of PAP. The Ministry of Environment is presently negotiating with private landowners for more plots. The transitional shelter kits are expected to begin to arrive by the end of April.
The registration that took place in the largest camp at Champs de Mars (the heart of downtown PAP) showed that 77% of the people came from one area closeby. So efforts have begun to make their quartier a priority for house inspection and rubble removal. Similar registrations are being carried out in the other camps that will likewise interpret where the removal efforts will be focused. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, David Holmes, suggests that the emergency phase is not over. In fact it will continue for several months yet as reconstruction begins. About 285,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed in PAP, and about 80,000 persons are now being employed through cash for work to remove rubble.
Presently close to 50% of the displaced families have received either two tarps or a tent to shelter them from the rains--and rain we have had! Friday and Saturday we did not see the sun---it only began to poke out Sunday afternoon. And boy, was it ever cold! All tarps and tents needed are now in the pipeline and expected to be distributed before 1 May.
A second food surge is in process to help cover all the displaced persons in PAP. There are more and more accounts of families sharing food and communal meals. Surveyors have been impressed with how effectively the Haitian people are helping their neighbors and working to keep their neighborhoods safe by forming 'brigades', etc. By the way, Odelin would like to thank all of you that prayed for protection for him and those he's hosting at his house--now about 30 persons nightly. The thief that had terrorized their neighborhood was probably killed in a shoot-out with police. He had been one of the many that escaped when the national penitentiary fell during the earthquake.
There is a continued push to return children to at least some organized activities if not true schooling by the end of March. This is a little easier said than done, but efforts have begun. The first tent 'school' has begun in the Carrefour area of PAP with the help of a few large organizations. It will be able to serve up to 400 children daily.
The figures suggest that about 30,000 businesses were destroyed in the earthquake. That along with other losses has led to a 35-50% drop in the gross domestic product. A recent economic survey revealed that family income has decreased by 60-70%. That coupled with inflated food prices has caused families to now spend 85% of their income on food rather than the 35% customary pre-earthquake. Thus it is not surprising that those living on borderline food supplies have increased by about 50% (from 17% in the SE and 25% in the West Departments to an average of 30% in both).
If you are planning on registering with the government or bringing goods into Haïti, be forewarned that the situation is a little complex. Customs is not functioning well, and the Ministry of Planification that normally handles non-profit registrations is not operational. If you have customs or registration issues, you can contact the UN Logistics Cluster for help. Information on customs clearance procedures and contact information can be found at their website, www.logcluster.org/hti10a
Finally, some friends sent an interesting UTube link. I don't necessarily agree with the Partners in Health's representative's comments, but the rest is quite good. If you could understand the French and Créole, it'd even be more impressive. The persons interviewed in these languages were particularly articulate! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuUt12usDVs
For those of you that are pray-ers, here are a few requests:
That those who have lost family, homes and jobs may find the Lord's comfort and hope. Jeremiah 29:11That those who are becoming distraught, impatient, even suicidal, may find His peace. John 14:27That those who are frazzled by a constant lack of food, dry shelter, and a place to call home, that they may find God's contentment in the midst. Philippians 4:11-12That those who are lost may find Him. Matthew 11:28-30 It really is easy and light, I am awed.
With these prayer requests from Judith, I will leave you.
Have a good evening.
Debbie
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