They are working very hard to make everything in their small compound sustainable, from composting toilets, to building houses made of plastic bottles and other recycled materials, and a really interesting small garden growing the plants without soil and watering them from tanks with fish living in them. The fish waste fertilizes the plants as the water from the tanks is pumped over the rocks, and in the end they’ll eat the veggies they’re growing as well as the fish, and then start the process over again.

One thing that really got our attention was solar cooker that a young man, also from Ottawa, has built. For a very low cost it can be built and used to cook food through directed mirrors. They have been built in other countries as well, used in remote areas to cook bread, or power steam engines that can be used to power many different things. We plan to get in touch with members of his family back in Ottawa and see what we can do to use this technology in HCI projects.

Tomorrow morning we leave for the aiport at ten and should land in Ottawa by 8:30.

Its been a very productive trip and I know we are coming back with many ideas on what we would like to do to help the people of Haiti. Stay tuned to this blog and our website for updates in the near future.

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. We have been put in contact with a well-known priest who is working hard to do what he can for the people in the area, though unfortunately his duties with the church required him to be overseas during our visit, we had another contact take us there. We met with the leaders of the fishing association to get more information about their situation there and what HCI can do to do serve this community and provide them the means to further support themselves.

Luly has a population around 25,000 and from discussion with the group leaders we came to learn there are about 110 fishermen currently involved in their cooperative. The cooperative provides both for shared profits and shared knowledge as the older, more experienced fishermen, instruct the younger generation and when one man goes out and does not bring in fish, he is still able to have some income from the others. One of the challenges they face is the growing pollution of the water. The deforestation means that when the rains come, so much is washed into the sea, be it chemical or physical contaminants (ie. plastic bags), killing the fish. We witnessed this first hand on our recent trip to Cap Haitien. I was immediately struck by the mounds and mounds of garbage lining what would otherwise be a beautiful coastline.  Many in the community also do not have access to toilet facilities and the water is used for that as well. Not all of the men own their own boats and must rent or share with others.

HCI has already purchased 5 motors to be given to the cooperative to help them make money. The motors will be rented out to generate revenue for the cooperative and allow for fishermen to reach much farther distances than rowing allows. Unfortunately due to shipping delays, they have not yet arrived in Haiti but we are hopeful it will be soon. We hope to further expand our assistance to the community by purchasing other items such as new boats and nets as well. The extent of the poverty in Luly is representative of so many in Haiti but they have such capacity and so many ideas about how to empower and improve their communities. It can be easy to look at the people as nothing but victims but there is so much more to them than that and given the means, I feel there is no end to what they could achieve.

We were met at the airport by a representative of the Bilal Foundation, our partner in Cap Haitien who was there to accompany us to visit a new partner in a city called Gonaives. It was another long and bumpy ride through the mountains to reach the city and while the road was of considerably higher quality than the one from earlier in the week, our driver came flying around some of the sharp corners at speeds that made me hold onto my seat for dear life. Everyone sitting in the back of the SUV certainly got a lot closer over the trip as we nearly landed in each others laps. Along the way, we passed many small villages of subsistence farmers and small businesses, doing everything they can to get by and provide for their families.

We met with the director of Ordeprogresia (our partner in Gonaives) for a discussion before they took us out to the mosque that doubles as their school. In a country dominated by voodoo and Christianity a small group of Muslims is trying to establish themselves and provide food, education, and meet the other basic needs of the children in their community. The lack teachers, transportation and basic materials like books and pencils.

One of our translators was a seventeen year old girl named Gabrielle.  She volunteers with the organization in the free time she has while studying to be a therapist. She says she wants to help as many people as she can. As we talked, she mentioned how common abuse is for the children in Haiti. Parents hit the children at home, and then when they are at school, teachers often practice corporal punishment and they are struck for bad behaviour or not finishing their work. The school that Ordeprogresia runs offers children a completely abuse free environment.

Today, we again met up with the Bilal Foundation, another Muslim organization, and went to their site, about a half hour outside of Cap Haitien. In the time since HCI staff visited last June, they have been able to construct a building with about 8 classrooms and have begun to build a latrine for the children. We were greeted by their smiling faces and a song welcoming us to their school. There are about 250 children who attend the school, from all religious backgrounds, most without one parent, many without two. This year the school goes up to grade 5, and next year it will grow to include grade 6 and the children move up. The needs at the school are many, and are echoed by so many others in Haiti, they need food for the children, money to pay for teachers salaries, a bus to get them to and from school, and of course all the basic school supplies that are taken for granted in so many countries plus more. The children at the “Children of Hope” school, have many reasons to be hopeful though, they have a large area of land on which they can grow food to provide for the children as well as sell to make money for other items and a very committed group of people in Haiti doing everything they can for them and HCI hopes to do everything it can to bring the children even more hope.

To go back to the beginning of the trip and re-cap a little, we arrived in Haiti on March 6th, in the early afternoon. We spent time meeting with pcH and HOPE staff  and got settled into our accomodations at Walls International Guest House (also run by pcH).

Yesterday (the 7th) we left around lunch time to head up the hills to the sites in the Fon Batis area. I’m told the road is greatly improved from the time HCI staff visited last year, but it was still a bumpy ride, at some times precarious, as we wound our way up the the hillside. Along the way we passed the now semi-permanent camps that were set up in the aftermath of the earthquake. There is such polarity in Haiti, such a beautiful country but with so many scars. As we admired the views climbing toward the site, the pcH staff accompanying us said to him it was not beautiful at all, not compared to what it used to be. There has been very widespread deforestation as the rural communities seek to provide for their basic needs and plant crops, as well as generate income through selling charcoal. Part of the project HCI is funding includes training to the local cooperatives in agriculture to help them get as much as they can from the land while at the same time not draining it of nutrients and using methods that lead to erosion.

There are several sites in various stages of construction, being run by a contractor but with staff hired from the cooperatives. There were training sessions going on at the sites as well. The contruction method they are using is a technology new to Haiti and is one that will ensure these buildings are as resistant to another earthquake as possible (if you would like more information, check out the website at http://www.nudura.com/en/insulatedconcreteforms.aspx, its a really interesting idea).

It was also market day in Fon Batis and an area near the pcH office we were staying at was just filled with people who had come from all over the countryside to buy and sell everything from pigs and goats to beans to furniture.

Tomorrow morning we leave bright and early to head to Cap Haitien. We will be visiting a partner there  and spending the night as well as making a trip Gonaives.

Stay tuned for an update on the 10th!

HCI is continuing to fund medical teams as they treat those affected by flooding in Pakistan with our partner HOPE

Date: 21^st 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 medical staff treated over 500 patients. Patients from a neighboring village called Sahib Pino Affro also came to see the doctors for various illnesses like gastroenteritis, skin infections, diarrhea, malnutrition, and respiratory ailments. 150 families were provided relief ration bags. Each ration bag consisted of essential food items including pulse (2 Kg), rice (10 Kg), flour (10 Kg), sugar (5 Kg), tea (0.5 Kg), dry milk (1 Kg), and cooking oil (5 Kg). On average the family size is 7-8 members. In addition, 200 families were distributed PuR (Water purifying sachets). They were also given buckets, coolers and spoons and presented with a demonstration on the proper way to use PuR and the importance of clean drinking water.

 Date: 5^th November 2011

Location: UC, Bayrani Talluka Jam Nawaz ALI, Sanghar

Activities: On 5 November, a  team comprising of doctors, paramedics and social workers travelled to a village called Timor, located in the Union Council Bayrani in district Sanghar. There was still some water surrounding the roads and the affected population was still in need of relief.

 The relief activities began with a medical camp. Around 550 patients were treated. The most common ailment found in this medical camp was anemia among women and children. Other illnesses included diarrhea, skin infections and malnutrition. In addition to the medical camp, 200 ration bags consisting of essential food items like flour, pulse, sugar, tea, dry milk and cooking oil were distributed. Moreover, 100 bedding items were also distributed.

Donations continue to be needed to support this work for flooding victims

 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) :

1. Gullan water UC Gupchani Nawab Shah          90 food packages
2. Goot Pahlawan Nawab Shah                                36 food packages
3. Goot Aman ullah Barohi                                       24 food packages
4. Nawab Shah Tent city                                           200 food packages
5. Memdi Town Nawab Shah                                   50 food packages

Total                                                                                         400 packages

Our relief package consisted of:

 Wheat flour             10 kg

Rice                           5 kg

Lintels                        4 kg

Sugar                       3 kg

Vegetable oil         2.5 kg

Black tea               200 g

Milk powder          400 g

October 22, the HCI relief team  visited other areas and distributed another 400 packages of food rations:

1. Goot Sajan Khan Gaho Sanghar              70 food packages
2. Goot Jamsher Sher Sanghar                  40 food packages
3. Goot Arif Sher Sanghar                            40 food packages
4. Goot Haji Gul Baig Khan Sanghar         60 food packages
5. Goot Rahim Sher Sanghar                       50 food packages
6. Shapur Chakar Sanghar                           80 food packages
7. Goot Majnoon Sanghar                            60 food packages

A total of 2,200 beneficiaries were assisted during this  activity.

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 items. In addition, shelter items like (mats) chattai and bedding was also distributed. Please also find pictures attached.

 This $45,500 HCI-funded project will also cover IDP camps in Badin, Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan and Umerkot. The objectives of this project are to:

1.    Provide food rations, including high energy foods to IDPs in Sindh

2.    Prevent and treat communicable diseases such as gastroenteritis, skin infections, respiratory infections which are endemic amongst the displaced persons

3.    Create health awareness regarding basic primary health amongst women and children

4.    Provide essential shelter items

5.    Provide access to safe drinking water

6.    Provide prevent spread of mosquito bred illnesses like malaria and dengue fever

This project will target approximately 15,000 flood affectees. Given that women and children constitute approximately 75% of the population in relief camps, around 11,250 will be reached which will include 7,500 women and 3,750 children. From past visits to flood affected areas, our partner’s teams found women and children to be most vulnerable to diseases. Hence, this project will aim to provide medical assistance primarily to women and young children. The team also consist of a gynaecologist and paediatrician who will be able to provide specialized care to the women and children in the IDP camps.

 Providing relief in Golarchi camps:

This $35,000 project involves 1,000 dry ration packages and drinking water.  The focus is the victims in Makli, thatta, golarchi, Badien and Thar Parker camps. Our relief package contains: Flour,  Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Lintels (various), Rice, Tea, Dry Milk and Mineral Water.                           

A total of 7,000 people will benefit from this project.

The relief team visited several affected areas and prepared  a list of most deserving Flood Victims. Two types of Flood Victims list were prepared: 1. Widows 2. Homeless Families.  1,000 families consisting of approximately 7,000 people were identified as follows:

1.    Makli                                (100 Families)

2.    Thatta                               (250 Families)

3.    Golarchi                           (150 Families)

4.    Baden                               (100 Families)

5.    Thar Parker                      (400 Families)

• 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 organizations were represented as follows: Bani Adam sent two people; Himilo sent one person from Mogadishu and another from Galkayo; Hirda sent one representative from Burao.
• 11 certificates were awarded in total, handed out to graduates by the Minister of Health, Sh. Hussein

The whole project generated a lot of discussion and interest from many people, including youth organizations who requested training in the future. In the final review session, some of the issues that came up were:

• cultural awareness and outreach is necessary to promote the filter
• decision makers and business people will take part in promotion of the filter to remove any doubts
• cost should be considered for those who cannot afford it
• translation of the training manual into Somali – a volunteer will take up that task
• the project should be developed in schools, hospitals, orphanages, and expanded to larger facilities such as city water systems

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” and health workers. The needs are many: eye and skin infections, need for regular check ups, lack of clean water, lack of programs for the older youth.

While we are there, Dr. Abdisalam Muse Ali Hussein, a dedicated volunteer who works in Hargeisa Group Hospital, treats several children with medicine from the HCI medical kit. Board members and the doctor emphasized the urgent need to provide support for the older youth so that they can leave the orphanage and make a life for themselves. One idea shared was to provide seed money to start small businesses. “This kind of help is what we need,” they said, “not just giving food but helping people to stand on their own feet.”

One of the creative practices of the orphanage is to keep as many children in homes with their mothers (most orphans do not have fathers) or other close relatives and provide them with support including free food and education.

Visit to the Hargeisa Group Hospital:

We went on to visit Hargeisa Group Hospital, where we were given a tour of the different departments and met with the chief doctors. Again,immediate needs are many but emphasis was on long term development. “Aid providers give too much food and medication and people are always stuck. Some of the medication is not appropriate to the needs of the sick and sometimes when we feed a very sick person with particular foods, their condition becomes worse,” said one of the doctors. Also, a lot of the medication is not affordable here.There is need for more equipment and the buildings needed renovation.