CNN) -- It's been almost six months since the January 12 earthquake that devastated my beloved Haiti. Speaking for myself -- not for my organization Yéle Haiti -- I will say it: Speed is of the essence. I feel that progress is being made at the speed of a turtle.
With the amount of money that has been raised to help our country, I was expecting to see construction projects. I was expecting to see thousands of heavy tractors and loaders lifting up rubble. I was expecting to see people relocated from tents and starting to get into temporary housing. And yet, during my last visit, just a few weeks ago, I saw very few, or none, of these.
We need to work together -- no one organization or government can succeed without the help and cooperation of others. We need to work together for the people there who so badly need our help. The country needs to grow in all areas, from agriculture to health care.
Many people have been working very hard with the recovery efforts since that terrible day. Many of us were there the day after the quake, and we've gone back many times since, to deliver much-needed supplies and plan ways to rebuild -- and really just to try to help the people. Unless you've been there yourself, you can't imagine the terrible conditions that still exist for so many.
Impact your world: How you can help Haiti
At last count, about 1.6 million Haitians are still living in the tent camps, without enough food, or a sufficient supply of water, and certainly without any feeling of safety or security. All of these refugees are dependent on donations and have no means to support or sustain themselves.
Source
No comments:
Post a Comment