Observations

Here is a letter I posted to the Corbett List (Haiti related group).

I feel compelled to share some observations and experiences. The situation is dire, that is for sure. I am absolutely horrified at the number of buildings still standing, pancaked and as if frozen in time. The closer to Port Au Prince, the worse it gets because of the number of buildings, population per square mile, etc. In Jacmel and everywhere I visited on this trip, I see people living under woven banana leaves, sticks and tarps. I see people waiting on lines for food. Rubble still clogs the roads.

Folks, this is six months post earthquake – what is going on here?

We at ACFFC are fortunate in that we have dedicated supporters however our family of children has swelled from 60 to 85 and each day at least one family shows up to try and enroll a child/children because they know their children will have an opportunity to learn and grow as well as to eat, be provided medical care, etc. It is heartbreaking. Our children are compassionate and have come to understand social justice and reaching out to help – and so they, too are perplexed about what to do. I have seen them crying when we have to say ‘no’ or simply add names to our waiting list to a family that seeks to find spots for their children at ACFFC. We are a family.

Our ACFFC families are involved and they, as well, are doing all they can for each other and for ACFFC. We are all working hard to do as much as can be done. We see it in our children’s eyes when their mothers, fathers, aunts, etc. are having problems. They as children carry this pain. Almost always, it is a matter of money. As such, we have made microloans to many of our families with terms that optimize success and it helps to alleviate the sadness of the children and empower the families. This has been extremely successful – small scale and positive outcomes with 100% success rate. And with success comes additional sharing and reaching out, amongst our children and their families. A positive cycle amidst the situation at hand.

Not one penny has been received by ACFFC from any of the large NGOs. As well, I have spoken with/met informally with many smaller organizations in Port Au Prince and Jacmel working with children (no religious affiliation/religious affiliation, very small/larger) and no one with whom I spoke is receiving these funds. What a shame. Regardless of whether or not these funds are coming in, these smaller organizations on the ground are working hard to make for mitigation and improvement and that is where I see progress. It is at great emotional, physical and financial sacrifice by all (most of all by the Haitian people who lived through this horrific event and are standing strong and with hope).

Unicef brought a 16 year old girl to ACFFC from the tent camp in Jacmel, as ACFFC is considered a safe place. She was alone and terrified of being raped. Of course we asked her to join our family. When asked if any financial support, supplies, etc. could be provided, the Unicef representative stated that the job of Unicef was not to provide supplies and/or financial support, just to move a child someplace safe.

Doctors Without Borders sought our assistance in caring for a baby, abandoned at Hopital St. Michel. She, like the baby shown in CNN, was born with hydrocephalus. She is now in the custody of ACFFC. We were able to arrange for surgery and after care by the amazing folks at Project Medishare and she is doing well, with a second surgery scheduled for today. These medical groups make miracles. Note, Save The Children did come and check on our baby, as they were aware of her situation, however did not/can not/would not help us in any way re financial support.

Which brings me back to the story done by CNN about the baby with hydrocephalus “dying at Bernard Mevs Hospital because of lack of availability of antibiotics.” Sad to say, but it seems that this is not exactly so. While visiting there this past week, I asked about this baby. The medical information provided directly from the staff that is coordinating her treatment is that she was brought to them by her mother, the surgery had been done elsewhere with a shunt implanted and infection had already set in, penetrating to the bone. Immediately upon being admitted, she was put on IV hydration, nutrition, and antibiotics. Her shunt was removed. Her treatment has included multiple antibiotics in sequence with no significant improvement yet she is still holding on. Many antibiotics become ineffective over time, and this is the case with this child. The hospital and Project Medishare have antibiotics on hand and there was no issue at all regarding this child dying for lack of medication at this hospital. The logistics nurse in charge told me, with tears in her eyes, that had that been the case, she would have gone to the nearest pharmacy and purchased what was needed. It is available and I know this as well because we have needed to purchase the same types of medications for our baby. I saw this little girl and touched her hand. She is strong and there is some hope that perhaps her immune system will kick in and/or after a period off medication, another round may have impact. The hospital is immaculate. The staff is caring. Yes, the situation in Haiti is dire. There are thousands of people without tents, hungry, no place to go and nothing to do, absolutely true. Funds are not reaching organizations on the ground, absolutely true. But it is upsetting that this situation has not been presented accurately per hospital staff and denigrates the competencies and commitment of this medical facility and team making miracles amidst the pancaked buildings still standing around them.

It seems to me that the challenge of “rebuilding Haiti” is so vast and overwhelming that the default is reactive band-aids (which are needed) and still the people suffer conditions that are simply inhumane, especially considering the short distance between Haiti as one reality and South Florida (my home) as another.

On a macro basis, there are meetings and assessments which are far outweighing actual inroads on any major basis. Many organizations have stepped in, having never even been on the ground in Haiti, seeing economic opportunity for themselves and are viewing Haiti from top down, deciding what is best for Haiti and the Haitian people. Note, for each such as this there are many others with commitment and respect for the Haitian people, but still mired in the ‘what to do’ and ‘how to do it’ rather than taking action.

I respectfully suggest that the perspective also include bottom up, with Haitian people living on the streets providing insights and guidance into what might be best for them (combined with new ideas and technologies that could be presented to them as concepts and demonstrated rather than force fed) – and then move forward house by house, family by family, community by community which then becomes workable on a cooperative basis.

This is just my perspective – some may agree and some may disagree and that is fine. I do not mean for this to be the start of vitriolic debate back and forth. I just ask that everyone think of the children at ACFFC and the children we can not enroll due to our own financial situation … think of the children all over Haiti who are in tents or even less, no school, hungry … and think of their families who have absolutely no way out but to wait … with grace, with despair, with frustration, with anger … for change.

And please help us.