Haiti earthquake update 2 - February 12th 2010

Pastor Luckner Stimphil has reported back to WorldShare from a traumatised Haiti.

Parts of Port-au-Prince were so badly damaged that he could hardly find his way. The streets were, he said, full of a despairing, frustrated crowd of people who have lost homes, family, jobs, money and hope...

But outside the capital there are places which have been hit even harder. Petit Goaves, for example, is over 90% destroyed. Many outlying places have still not seen any aid workers, or food or water or medical aid, or any journalists to report their plight.

Hospitals, where they exist are often still turning away badly-injured people who can't pay for their treatment.

On the island of La Gonave, only around 20% of the houses were destroyed. There were not many deaths, because the houses were so flimsy that people could escape.

But public buildings have fared much worse. Very few churches or schools remain. Almost all houses were damaged and are becoming worse with every aftershock. People are afraid to go inside, and are living outdoors, often in makeshift tents.

Many have fled to the hills, where they believe (mistakenly) that they are safer.

Nevertheless, this community has lost up to 4,000 members. Many La Gonave people were working in Port au Prince. Some of the families on the island who have some money (gained from remittances from relatives in the USA - there are virtually NO jobs on La Gonave itself) sent their children to Port au Prince for schooling or university.

Many have been killed there, and families on the island are mourning or still fearful for relatives who have just disappeared.

This is a global-scale tragedy. It is likely to have killed more, injured many more, and made more people homeless even than the 2004 Asian tsunami.

It will take decades for Haiti to recover. Before the earthquake, over 80% of Haitians lived on less than $2/day (50% on less than $1/day). Unemployment was up to 75%. The government, institutions of state, and social bonds were all severely damaged.

What WorldShare is doing

First of all, what are we not doing: WorldShare is not a rescue or disaster relief agency.

We are not equipped to send professional teams to rescue people from fallen buildings, nor to distribute meals on the scale of millions which are presently needed. It is important that we don't try and do what we can't do well.

WorldShare does have a longstanding commitment to Haiti, through our local partners there. Along with Pastor Luckner, we are devising a strategy to make a difference.

A team of development specialists will be in Haiti shortly to work alongside Pastor Luckner. We will choose to work in some of the localities which are not being helped by the major aid agencies.

Many towns and the large island of La Gonave, have so far had no help. As this update is written, preparations are underway to send containers of food, emergency shelter materials, basic medical and hygiene products, household goods etc. as soon as possible.

But our major commitment is to help these communities - not back to a 'normal' life, because they didn't have that before, but to a better life than they have known before.

In particular, we will be trying to create adequate local medical services and schools. We are also aiming to introduce businesses which can create jobs, and so help to make the communities self-sustaining.

Alongside all this we will be helping the churches, who will continue to be the best sources of hope and help on a local level.

In time, many of the emergency aid agencies will move on. But WorldShare is committed to Haiti's future.

Many of our supporters have already given very generously, so that we have a fund with which to begin this work. But for this long-term programme we want to ask you to continue to remember Haiti.

The plans outlined above are a major challenge for an organisation of WorldShare's size. We approach our work in Haiti with faith and prayer, that God will enable us to make a difference.

Please stand with us in this challenge.