Kate In Haiti – One Week On
February 17, 2010
I’ve already been here a week. In many ways, the time has gone quickly, but in others it feels like I’ve been here much longer.
About 100 metres from the office is a tented settlement housing approximately 2,000 families in Place St Pierre. People are staying in makeshift homes: tarpaulins for the lucky ones, cotton covers for the remainder. It’s not much protection from the rainy season that is fast approaching. The site is essentially a large roundabout for Petionville; the suburb we’re in. Portaloos are placed around the perimeter on the side of the road – opposite the crowded settlement for hygiene reasons. However, this means residents, including children, must cross a busy road just to go to the bathroom.
I keep thinking about what we would do if such a disaster struck London. Such devastation on the capital would render a third of the population homeless. I suppose we would be one of the luckier families, as we live close to a large open area where we could set up camp in a tent. But open spaces are not so common in Port au Prince, so many here are crowded into any open space that exists. I have heard of some camped in what is essentially a central reservation of the highway just outside Leogane.
The rains are not yet here in full, but the clouds are forming and there has been the occasional nighttime downpour. We have received reports of a landslide resulting from the downpour during the night of the 15th. It struck a school, killing four people. With the rains come mosquitoes. Malaria is common in Haiti, so CARE will be distributing treated bed nets to protect people from biting insects.
CARE and other agencies are implementing the distribution of temporary shelter materials as well as the provision of water and sanitation interventions such as latrines, safe bathing spaces and drinking water. Our shelter distribution manager is meeting with the Mayor today in order to coordinate distribution of tarpaulins in Place St Pierre.
The challenges here are enormous and there is plenty more to do.
Kate Akhtar, February 17th, Haiti.
Related posts:
- Kate In Haiti – Preparing For Home
- Kate in Haiti – Arrival
- Kate In Haiti – Valentine’s Day
- I put a spell on you – for Haiti
- Music Week Award Winners
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