Haiti 12 months on
Samuel Hauenstein Swan
Angellica’s mother died giving birth to her first baby, now Irene the 17year old sister ofthe late mother is looking after the orphan.
Josue the older brother is looking over Porto-au-Prince form here he was at the time when the earth quake stroke 12 months ago. the shaking of the earth through him onthe roof of the house below which was his luck as the walls of their house collapsed second later. he remembers looking up from where he was laying that thatlate afternoon the neighbourhood was covered in a big cowed dust and derby onlyslowly the damage downed on him with the dust settling one town.
from st. michell where their home is they can see all over down town PoP and one of itsland mark the cathedral. which one year after the earth quake is left as it wasjust after the disaster. To date the government is estimating that only 5% of thedebris has been cleared all over town fallen houses are visible.
For the habitant of St Michelle a poor neighbour hood it is clear what they need and wish from government and agencies alike is help with clearing the ruble of their former homes to be able to rebuild their houses but equally urgent to Irene,Josue that NGOs and government support livelihood project that mean they canget back to work and gain money and rebuild their lives.
MariCloude is getting once a week pork from the big butchers-market town town. she adds peperand spices to make a sosage that she is selling in the street. It is selling well like this we can pay food for us for the week. I ask “why do you not dothis every day and make more money? MariClaude smiles: “there are many of usand I am lucky I have the Sunday this is when people with money eat more meatso it is a good day to have”
in other places on the hill between the ruines people are busy and creating thing scarpentry or artisan-blacksmith hammering away raising hope that live slowly returns to what it was and picking up.
for many however live remains difficult and few jobs come up. the little girl of Maximsits in what was their living room. he dose not have the means to pay steal roods which cost a bout a months salary of a driver salary to reinforce justone corner column of a room. So reconstruction is slow.
Sanitation remains a big hazored, with drains blocked with debris puddles and stagnant water is everywhere, providing futile breading ground for pedagogues and mosquito larvae. ACF is combating this issues from various angles.
ACF is training community volunteers in weekly sessions on issues of hygiene and waysto brake the cycle of infection with waterborne diseases. further to this such sessions are very important forthe communities to learn to take the right action and not practises that are unfunded or damaging.
with the help of such community helpers ACF is spreading the hygene message to all age groups. withthe help of pictures and songs children learn to take their health into their own hands.
Every day sprayers of ACF toue the 1100 toilets that where in stalled in Makeshift camps and all overtown to ensure these facilities are well maintained and save to us.
clean savewater provided by more than 70 water trucks remain a lifeline to this most fundamental of good of life. ACF has installed and maintains water bladders and existing reservoirs all over PaP providing 3m liters of water everday to communities by the earthquake and the cholera.
While the new family of Angellica is preparing their meal one day before the anniversary of the earthquake they are confident that they have made much progress in the last 12months. thank organisations like ACF for all their workers and volunteers aredoing in their community. at the same time Josue message could not be clearer:“do not turn the back on communities like St Michel”. the next 12months andyears need to build on success that where achieved: water can not be trucked indefinite, livelihood opportunities are urgently needed to give people themeans to afford good food for themselves and their children.