Haiti Earthquake

 

Photos courtesy Lisandro Suero / AFP-Getty Images / January 12, 2010

 Poor Haiti (the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, home to 10 million people, most living in abject poverty) is having trouble once again with another earthquake - 7.0 - the largest to hit them in 2 decades.

We're pretty safe here on the east coast from natural disasters (you can only take this for granted if you ignore news about the rest of the world), our biggest problems seem to result from industry disasters like the plant explosion in apex or the coal ash waste holding lagoon breaking in tennessee. We get a little scare every once in a while during hurricane serious, but nothing too bad that we can't deal with because we have money. Its the people without money, people in the poorest nations, that are also in the geographical locations hardest hit by natural disasters. They don't have the money or resources to build earthquake proof buildings, and they definitely don't have the resources to recover from these disasters.

You have a secure roof over your head. You have enough food to get by on or better. They don't. Maybe you're even one of the lucky ones that just got a big drop of refund money. These people are counting on financial aid too.. so fore-go the 6-pack, your morning grande java, and whatever superfluous items you are considering purchasing this week, and instead spend it on something fantastically worthwhile, something that will bring some level of comfort, however small or big, to the suffering. Donate to an organization helping the Haitians through this crisis.

Stop Hunger Now is an international non-profit organization, based in Raleigh, started in 1998, that provides hunger relief and other life-saving aid to the world's most destitute. Your donations pay for the supplies (and they need alot of help now as the price of food is going up and people are donating less because of the economic crisis), and volunteers work in an assembly line fashion to package the food. I have volunteered at their warehouse with the EWB-NSCU chapter and honor their work. They have historically helped Haiti, and are now seeking $50,000 in donations to send aid for this disaster. ($100= 400 lifesaving meals)

Convoy of Hope is another organization providing direct relief. They are already setting up an emergency command center from which they will be providing help. They have a warehouse with food and supplies there that will be distributed for immediate relief, and are collecting donations to help with a shipment of several more containers with relief supply to the area in the next few days.

The Lambi Fund of Haiti  is a grassroots effort aimed at helping to improve all aspects of Haitian life by creating stability (my professor today (Dr. Bruck) called the place lawless, and he is a very educated, up-to-date man) through the involvement and cooperation of peasants and community-based organizations. This is an organization solely for Haiti help, so you can be sure your donation goes to help this ravaged community.


There are other organizations out there. Just be careful of where you choose to donate, as scam charities do pop up. Large charities (OXFAM , Doctors Without Borders , CARE , etc) also have high overhead costs and donations don't always go to specific causes (may go to other programs instead of the one you intend), but nonetheless it is still giving.

Giving money is the easiest way to help people, as it flows so easily in and out of our accounts, but not necessarily the best. In a situation like this, it is probably the best we can do.

But I really wish there was more I can do than just seem money as I really do care about the world's poor. We may feel poor as college students, but we are nothing compared to others around the world.

 

 

Photos from Lambi Fund of Haiti / 01-13-2010

 

Presidential Palace collapsed in on itself.