Really inspiring visit this morning to a group called Haiti Communitere (http://www.haiti.communitere.org/). They are an entirely volunteer run organization involved with many different projects in Haiti, and they also collaborate with other organizations and give them space to do their work. I highly recommend checking out their site to see the work that they do, its all highlighted on their “Projects”...

I really wish that I could upload photos right now but the old and “well-loved” we’ll call them laptops, don’t seem to want to let me do that. I’ll add some into the blog once we’re back in Canada and put them on the website as well. Today was a shorter trip to a town called Luly. It was a little over an hour drive from the guest house we are staying at in Port-au-Prince....

Yesterday, after some delays getting to the airport and doing the best I could with my knowledge of French to decipher the Creole announcements over a crackly loudspeaker, we set off for Cap Haitien. The views of the green countryside were stunning and I was struck by the contrast with the Port-au-Prince area where so much is dry and barren. We were met at the airport by a representative of the Bilal...

We have just returned from an overnight stay in the mountains surrounding Port-au-Prince, visiting the sites of several storage silos HCI is funding alongside HOPE International Development Agency and CIDA. The project is being overseen by a local organization called pcH (see their website at http://www.fida-pch.org/ ). The sites are all run by cooperatives who will use the silos once they are completed...

  HCI is continuing to fund medical teams as they treat those affected by flooding in Pakistan with our partner HOPE Date: 21st October 2011 Location: Mureed Khoso, Badin Actvities: On 21 October, a  team travelled to Badin, to a remote village called Mureed Khoso. Although the water had somewhat resided, the villagers were still living in harsh conditions and were in need of food and shelter items. The...

UPDATE: October 24, 2011  HELPING THE FLOOD VICTIMS IN SINDH, PAKISTAN  On October 21, HCI relief team visited the following flood affected areas in Sindh and  distributed food rations among  400 families (more than 2,000 people) : Gullan water UC Gupchani Nawab Shah          90 food packages Goot Pahlawan Nawab Shah                                36 food...

October 20, 2011  Relief to IDP camps in Chak Multania: The flood relief team began with a trip to a village called Chak Multania. The team travelled to the isolated village, which was located about 20 Km away from the main city. The road was in poor condition, making the village difficult to reach. Once the team arrived, ration distribution started. In total, 100 families were given essential food...

The day started earlier with a-two hour ride to Salahley, a village about 62 kms south of Hargeisa. This is the first of a series of visits planned for different village every Friday by volunteer doctors. Two doctors were on site in this village of about 700 families, doing check ups and treating children, women and men in the village.  Medical needs are many, resources few.  The only medical health...

Today's highlight was the closing ceremony of the Bio Sand Water Filter Train the Trainer sessions. Four different organizations and a number of independent individuals participated, including a student from the University of Hargeisa, a local city Councillor and several business men. One filter was built in a collective, hands-on effort.Two filters were given to Bani Adam and Himilo Members of partner...

Busy day today, with the continuation of the Bio Sand Water Filter,visit to an orphanage and a hospital. We start with the Bio Sand Water Filter training, welcome all delegates from Muqdisho, Galkacyo and Hargeisa. Mid morning, we leave for the Hargeisa orphan Centre, which houses over 200 orphans.  The children are as young as two months and some are over twenty. They are cared for by trained “mothers”...