A Long Journey to El Salvador
Posted on 19 April 2010 | 1 response
For most of the STIMMA team, we left our respective homes at 4am. there were mild flurries, but that did not phase us because we knew that soon enough we would be enjoying 40C weather. We, suprisingly, did not encounter any issues at the airport in Toronto. San Salvador was another issue.
We managed to collect all of our bags and headed towards customs. The three pharmacy girls went first. The official, in Spanish, asked about our blue STIMMA shirts. I explained who we were and he asked if he coule have a shirt. Well, unfortunately, I had not one more shirt to spare! I communicated that to him in Spanish, but he did not like that response.
What proceeded next was that for the couple of hours, each and every one of our bags were stripped searched. The bags were not just searched, but they removed products, opened boxes and questioned EVERY SINGLE item in our 42 hockey bags.
We carried all of our required permits, which, apparently, were not good enough. They wanted to keep back ALL of our medications, including multivitamins, AND reading glasses!! We made so many phone calls trying to get through to officials on a Saturday.
Finally, they said if we paid taxes on the glasses they would allow us to take everything; otherwise, the other option was returning to San Salvador on Monday to get all the documentation he wanted (which we already had given anyways). At the end, we bit the bullet and said we would pay. So, $425 USD later, we left the airport. I still echo that even if I had given him a blue shirt we still would have been searched!!!!
Since we had lost precious time already, we picked up some food and ate on the bus. The newcomers received a session on Salvadorean history and were provided with insight into the culture.
The long, bumpy ride was stopped about halfway through as an injured snake crossed our path. Everyone, of course, had to get out and take a picture. Myself, however, I was not a part of that. I curled up n the fetal position as far away as possible from the snake. I remember when we were in Peru a water snake crossed our path as we headed to the Lodge. We were told it was a sign of good luck. I hope that is the case for us and we have already overcome any of the obstacles in our way to provide aide. We all settled in Arcatao at 10:30pm. People slept well.
The following day, we went to Church where the community welcomed us. It was like coming home. There were so many familiar faces that we saw. People that we had helped on previous trips, and many that have helped us. The officials did a great job organizing the surrounding communities to bring some sort of order to the whole process. It seems like we are going to be pretty busy from 8am to 5pm everyday.
So all in all, we all arrived here safely and we are getting to know the community. It is hotter than expected. We were told it may even reach 53 with the humidity!! We are looking forward to the next few days to start to greet the people and see old friends again!!
The Kids
Posted on 21 March 2010 | No responses
Today was spent mostly at the orphanage. There was a child that was weak and lethargic. In just the few days that we have been here he had visibly lost weight. He did not play with the other kids – he just sat in the corner and stared. Adele first brought him to my attention. After a quick examination and speaking to the housemother via the translator it was pretty clear that the little boy had worms, possibly a gastro infection and was pretty severely dehydrated. I ventured into the pharmacy and started going through the drugs. I found some pinworm medication and rehydration salts. The little boy sat limp in my lap as we slowly tried to rehydrate him. After about an hour of constantly working on him he started to perk up. He had his sparkle back in his eye and his skin elasticity changed. He certainly was not playing with the kids as he had in the past but he was definitely miles better than what he was.
The orphans at the orphanage are very well taken care of. They get regular meals and there are a few American students from Florida here overseeing their well being. The kids crave attention though. Rehydrating the child was 75% of what made him feel better – the other 25% was having him sit in your lap as you fed him. The way he just leaned in and sat clinging on was part of the affection that he also greatly needed. As for the other kids – a smile, a high five or a fist pump put a beautiful smile on their face. There definitely is a language barrier – the only word I understood was merci but the smile is a universal thing – it means the same in every language.
We went for a drive after taking care of the kids in the morning. I thought the worst that I had seen from the aftermaths of the earthquake was yesterday. I was mistaken. We drove around 20 minutes outside of Port au Prince to the burial grounds. It was hauntingly tragic to see the mounds of dirt everywhere and makeshift grave markers. A place that resembled a “landfill” was piled high with thousands of bodies. Dirt and garbage covered the area and a single cross with many ribbons attached to it was mounted at the top of the hill. Everyone buried was a victim of the earthquake.
There were piles and mounds of dirt and gravel everywhere. The authorities had dug up trenches so that as new bodies were discovered they could be buried there as well. As we walked by some of the newer trenches a very strong odour lingered in the air. We were walking through with a couple of local guys who thought of their friends that they have not heard from since the earthquake. Some, they knew, were buried here. Where, they did not know. There is no individual grave marker, there is no way of identifying where people are. It was such a heartbreaking experience. There was no talking while we were there or the car ride home. It has been a lot to absorb and a lot to take in. It will take a very long time to digest what we have experienced.
This is a country very much in need. The students that were in College – the minds of tomorrow, were the ones that lost their lives. With the school system still down and hopefully up and running within the next few months it will take that much longer for things to come together. The seniors in the community will need to work longer, and the youth will have to work sooner. Just as the little boy who ran up to our truck and wiped it down with a rag – he did not beg for money – he wanted to earn his dollar so he could help support his family. He was forced to learn how to work at a very young age. He was forced to do a lot of things at a very young age because of the earthquake. Kids are resilient, they are survivors. The Haitian children have an incredible spirit. They are an inspiration.
The People of Haiti…
Posted on 21 March 2010 | No responses
Today was honestly one of the toughest days of my life. There are so many emotions going through me. We held the Food Distribution at Christa College today. This was the elementary school that MTHC supports. I walked through the building and I was completely floored by the state of the classrooms. However, the most disturbing image was seeing a math lesson on the blackboard with the date being January 12…
There were about 300 families of children that attended the school that were present. They knew they had to come to the school but had no idea that they were receiving food. They were so very excited and grateful. The MTHC did a phenomenal job with the distribution.
Distributions are nothing like what they are made out to be. There is a right way and a wrong way of running them. The wrong way is throwing bags of food at the people. The right way is to have a line up and tickets. When we drove to the College we saw a food distribution line hosted by World Food Program. There easily were about 1000 people in line. Everyone was very patient and no one tried to “jump” the line or attack anyone to get ahead. There were men and women lined up.
As we walked through the streets to get to the College, a little boy grabbed my hand and would not let go. The one little boy quickly turned into a group of 13 kids. They did not want anything – they just wanted attention. I brought them with me to the College and the police were quick to try to get rid of them. They were street kids and they did not want them anywhere near the Relief Workers. After much arguing, I told them they were not going anywhere because they were with me. They agreed and let the kids stay. I snuck them some rice and beans they could take home to their families. They were so pleased with that. The kids ran home, dropped off the food and quickly ran back. They found me again and wanted to take me to their homes.
It was such a strange feeling walking through the alleys with these kids. They were hanging on for dear life. They were very proud of their community and wanted to show me everything – where they played, where they lived and where they have been displaced to. They encouraged me to go into their “homes” and check out where they lived. Many of the houses were broken down shacks. Their families were working on trying to rebuild the homes. I went into all 13 kid’s homes. Honestly, I cannot even put into words what it was like. They were just 13 of the greatest, strongest kids that I have ever met.
The kids, all they really wanted to do was play. So we went to a field and kicked an empty Sprite bottle around as we were playing “football.” The kids got right into the game and enjoyed it. They laughed so hard and ran around full of energy. They decided that my hair was a mess so they sat me down on a block of concrete and fixed my hair for me and pinned it back. Then, they literally all sat in a circle around me and just stared at me with a big smile on their face. I have never sat in the middle of a circle and had 13 boys stare at me!! I let them play with my camera and they went all over the place snapping pictures. They were so proud that someone had trusted them with a camera. One boy took complete ownership and made sure that it was returned.
Leaving the little boys behind was really hard. This, however, was not going to be the toughest thing that I would experience today.
We drove to the epi centre of the quake. Along the way we drove by many more tent cities. It is pretty sad as they are just so common for us now. Our comments are no longer “oh my, there’s a tent city.” The comments are more like – “oh wow that is a really nice tent city” – or “look, that tent city is made of cardboard.” Pretty sad that this is what is the norm here.
What was not normal for me was visiting one of the largest one of these communities. It was by a square where the city had buried over 1000 bodies from the quake and then established a tent city that housed over 200,000 people!! I looked over the railing and all you could see were tents everywhere. It was such a difficult site – but here I go again, the great thing about this tent city was that it was wheel chair accessible. There was concrete poured so that the amputees from the quake were able to manoeuvre easily, and there were a lot of these people in wheelchairs and crutches everywhere you looked.
I met a man named Charles. He quickly discovered that I did not speak Creole and French so we communicated in English. He was a proud man. He did not want a hand out. He wanted a job. He wanted to help us serve his people. He said he would do anything – pick up garbage, translate, move bodies, drive us around. The list was endless. He just wanted to be a part of the relief efforts and help a charity. This was so inspiring and motivational. He did not have computer access because electricity is limited but he did a working cell phone. I took his number and I hope to return one day and provide him with that opportunity.
The Epi-Centre
This was, in a word, devastating. We saw the palace – it was in shambles. Everything had crumbled and fallen vertical. There were Asian Delegates visiting the grounds so there was tons of security everywhere. There were also tons of makeshift housing set up right across the street as well. I continued to walk down the street and saw one of the most disturbing images I have ever seen in my entire life.
The building was The General Direction of Duties/Taxes. It was a three story building that housed all the important personal government documentation for the Haitians. The building was demolished – there is no way that you could possibly imagine what this structure looked like prior to the earthquake. They had not even started to clean up the remains of the building – what that translates to is that underneath all the rubble are dead bodies. Scattered amongst the street and the rubble were official documents of people. I just stared at the books and paper work. It made it even more real. I don’t know what else to say as I cannot even find the words to say what I want to say. I think that is pretty much the feel of the day today. I took one of the pages as a reminder for myself of this experience. I will never forget it and always look at these sheets as a reminder of the plight of the Haitians.
Second day in Haiti
Posted on 20 March 2010 | 1 response
Today was an interesting day. We went into Port au Prince to prepare for Saturday. This is when we will be participating in a Food Distribution program. We went to the Food Warehouse and were advised that we had to wait in the car as the locals bartered for a good price. Of course seeing non Haitians buying food would increase the rate. It took me a while to wrap this concept around my mind – why would someone in a position of feeding their own people want to manipulate the situation to make an extra dollar?
We look inside and toured the warehouse and saw piles of rice and beans stacked to the ceiling. Yes there is a shortage of food in Haiti, but wow! there is also food available that is just in need of appropriate distribution. The concern is not only the shortage but being able to find the resources, as well. There are options for Canadians and Americans to send food for their loved ones to be picked up at certain warehouse locations. It is all very structured, yet chaotic in the same sense.
We tour more of Port au Prince today. We still have not gone to the epi centre of the quake however, we have seen many broken down buildings and roads that are destroyed. It is all very disturbing. You see businesses that are in shambles sandwiched between other establishments that are still standing with minor cracks in their foundations. There are children lying on piles of rocks on the side of the road that run up to every vehicle that slows down in an effort to make a dollar. Tent cities are so common now – they have erupted all through out the city.
Tent cities come in various shapes and sizes. They are temporary residences that have sprung up wherever there is free land. Some are pretty well structured and spaced out. Then, there are the majority of others where there is no order there is no structure and there is no space between dwellings.
We walk through one of these communities trying to assess their medical needs. I get invited into a tent of a family of 7. There are sheets of cardboard used as mattresses and bags of garbage as pillows. The area is congested and very hot. Kids are playing in mud and sticking garbage in their mouth as it is the only toy they have. Living in the tight tents are also many amputee Haitians. Some have lost one limb, others have lost multiple limbs. There are a few patients where there amputation has turned into infection. For others, they were provided with wheel chairs now for mobility, however they struggle to mobilize around the uneven soil and roads – where they may be anywhere from a half a foot to 5 feet drop due to cracks. Pain management is also a glaring concern.
I speak to some medical team members. They have been seeing an increased number of malaria and dysentry cases in the past few days. This is a growing concern as it is expected to get worst in the upcoming weeks. There has also been a rise in upper respiratory tract infections, asthma related complications and superficial skin infections. Teams from around the world are bringing in huge volumes of medications and supplies to help health care providers distribute appropriate medication. We hear and see where the STIMMA supplies donated to Mission To Haiti Canada were used. The supplies were brought to the Domincan Republic where they were then transported across the border to Haiti. Within 72 hours of the supplies leaving the Waterloo area they were in use on the Haitiansl
Clean up is still in the very very beginning stages. A real effort to remove debris and rubble has still not happened. Attempts are being made, but are slowed down as more bodies are discovered. A distinct odor flags workers to retrieve bodies from torn down buildings.
So far my experience here has been enlightening. There is inspiration everywhere you look. There are teams from all over the world helping out. The local population is very grateful for the aid provided. They welcome everyone with open arms and always have a smile to share.
STIMMA in Haiti
Posted on 19 March 2010 | 1 response
After an early morning and extremely long travels, Veneta from STIMMA, Mission to Haiti, Canada and Adele have landed in Port au Prince, Haiti.
“We first get to see the devastation that has impacted Haiti from the plane. We look out the windows and see concentrated areas of blue tarps – these are the makeshift tent communities that have come up all over the city. They set up wherever there is free land. They use whatever they can for shelter – branches, tarps, old sheets and bundles of sugar cane.” reports Veneta.
The terminal had been destroyed after the earthquake and they had created a makeshift baggage area in the “greeting” area. There is one big room with groups from all over the world, scattered and trying to locate their hockey bags and totes. Looking out, you see swarms of colours, groups wearing “uniforms” to identify themselves. There is inspiration and hope in the terminal. People all coming together to help out the people of Haiti.
The Haitian immigration official smiles a BIG smile and says: “….God bless and thank you for helping my people.” What strength!
After about 2 hours of waiting for our bags, we finally collect all our belongings and head to Cabaret.
Along the way, we drive past the slums of Port au Prince – Cite au Soleil. This has become one of the most populated tent communities and, also, one of the most dangerous. People run up to the cars begginging for money or any tiny bit of food that can be offered their way. We hand over $1.00us to a small boy and suddenly there are 10 hands reaching into our vehicle for more.
We lay out our game plan. Our goal is to see how we can help the Haitians overcome and rise after the earthquake that devastated their world. We plan on visiting Chrisa College – an elementary school in Port au Prince. There are many children still unaccounted for that need help to be located. We will meet with some families to see what kind of health care needs they have.
We will also participate in a food distribution on Saturday where we will provide 300 families with: 2 scoops of rice, 1 scoop of beans & oil to feed them for one week.
Finally, we will assess a piece of property in an effort to construct a clinic in the capital city.
With the rainy season upon us (it is pouring right now), the needs of the Haitians will change. Many of the tent communities are in river beds that will soon become flooded. Other communities are located in clusters by the mountains, where the trees protecting them have been chopped down, and the mud slides will destroy the tents. Where will the displaced be displaced to?
Many of the tent communities are made of sheets and they will not be able to withstand the torrential downpours that are forecasted, then followed by cyclone season.
Prisoners are still running free after the prison collapsed. Four police officers were shot yesterday in the streets. There is fear in the air as so much is unstable.
“We met an interesting fellow in Cabaret, ” says Veneta. “He tells how he decided to skip school the day of the earthquake, to deliver a goat, and convinced his brother to join him. Later that day, the earthquake hit and their schools collapsed. Most of their classmates died. Now, the boys are dealing with the loss of their friends, and their hopes of an education.”
Everyone has a story. There is sadness and desperation, but also hope that their situation will turn around and they will be able to build a future.
Haiti
Posted on 2 February 2010 | No responses
February 1, 2010
We have all been deeply affected by the images and reports coming from Haiti which has been devastated by the recent earthquake. While watching endless hours of coverage I tried to think of how best to convey the sense urgency I felt in regards to the desperate plight of the Haitian people. Months before this tragedy we had begun preliminary exploration to decide whether Haiti would be a STIMMA future mission. After looking at the medical statistics on this impoverished nation, we recognized that it was a country that needed all of the help it could get. Before the earthquake Haiti was the poorest nation in this hemisphere. It had a recent history of natural disasters to add to an already tumultuous political record, leaving this island nation far behind its much richer neighbors.
When this tragedy occurred we felt compelled to act however, without existing infrastructure it became evident that the best way to assist Haiti would be to partner with organizations that had already done the groundwork and had established relations within the country. We were fortunate to find an NGO that had worked in Haiti since 1997 and shared similar goals and values of our organization. Mission to Haiti is a Canadian registered charity that espouses the principles of empowering the Haitian people with the skills and means to create a better life for themselves through education, nutrition and health care. We were able to connect with them and provide them with surplus medical supplies that we had accumulated during the course of our work.
The situation on the ground in Haiti is quite challenging. With the destruction of the capital buildings and a central government trying to cope with their own personal loss, it is difficult to coordinate relief efforts. Before the earthquake the airport in Haiti was accustomed to handling approximately five flight s a day on its single landing strip. The American military forged an agreement with the Haitian government to assume control of the airport. As a result they were able to increase the flights into Haiti to accommodate over 100 per day. This success has not come without some controversy. Many feel that US aid flights receive priority while other countries providing aid have been diverted to the Dominican Republic. The Haitian airport was not equipped to refuel the number of planes which requested landing privileges. All planes that were granted access to land at the airport had to have enough fuel to takeoff once they had been unloaded. As a consequence aide flights without enough fuel to depart were sent to the Dominican Republic where this was not an issue. Mission to Haiti landed in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic with12 totes of medication, cash donations and a four person team. Once in Santo Domingo they met with other organizations that were part of the relief effort. They joined forces with these NGOs and loaded 2 trucks full of supplies to send to a camp in Cabaret, Haiti.
The following is an update provided by Mission to Haiti on the relief effort.
This camp has been converted into a hospital and refuge for displaced persons. There are 40 people being treated in the church building and many more are sleeping in the orphanage, the camp bunks (where our teams would normally stay) and in the pastor’s house.
The team at this point are staying in Santo Domingo, DR for the simple reason that there is more they can do from there by coordinating resources to be brought to the camp then they could do from within Haiti right now. We have partnered with the Flying Doctors of America who are sending teams of doctors to the camp in Cabaret to serve the people there.
The truck with supplies should reach the camp by the evening of Saturday January 30. Cash donations were brought to the camp by helicopter to be used by the community to get food and fuel and water. Most Haitian communities are run by a local pastor and principal of the school (or schools). Cabaret is one of these communities. Our camp is a place of hope and refuge. People in the community know that they can come to the camp to find the help that they are seeking.
Throughout this entire disaster, the relief, and the eventual rebuild, Mission to Haiti Canada is committed to continue to support this community and its leaders to bring an even stronger community and in turn a stronger Haiti
Many of you, like those of us at STIMMA have all been impacted by the recent events in Haiti. It is imperative that the motivation we have now leads to sustained action. Haiti will require help for decades to come and each of us will have a role to play. In Haiti a little will go a long way. If you can donate money, do so, however this is one of many ways to assist the recovery. I have been inspired by stories of ordinary children who have found a way to raise funds armed only with passion and a determination to make a difference. Please remember that not all of us can be doctors or nurses but we can all support the efforts of those who have the skills to do so. We will continue to keep you informed of our progress in Haiti and elsewhere while providing you with opportunities to help no matter your circumstance. Haiti provides us all with a chance to see the best of ourselves within the direst of circumstances.
While looking at the images emerging from Haiti my initial feelings were of helplessness mixed with sadness. These feelings have shifted to those of hope after witnessing the strength, resilience and faith demonstrated by the Haitian people. I know that with assistance they will emerge from this tragedy stronger and capable of being the architects of their own promising future.
El Salvadore-Hurricane Ida Relief Efforts
Posted on 22 January 2010 | 1 response
January 30, 2010
After the devastating mudslides that killed more than 150 of its citizens this past November, STIMMA has been actively involved in the revitalization efforts to aid the people of El Salvadore. We are pleased to report that fundraising efforts by the Salvadoran Canadian Association at their annual gala was successful in accumulating close to $90,000 for those affected by this natural disaster. The expatriate community was extremely generous in support of those who are trying to rebuild their lives.
These essential funds have assisted 252 families in the port of La Libertad by providing them with basic needs and hygiene kits as well as kitchen utensils, beds, bedding and clothing. Additional support was provided to families in Aguilares and El Paisnal near Suchito. They were given food, cooking utensils, air mattresses/foam pads, hygiene kits and clothing as a result of our partnership with ASLCA.
Resources have also been allocated for psychological/social support for children and adults who remain in shelters. According to the Habitat for Humanity International website it is estimated that 7,773 people remain in 83 temporary shelters and 1,487 homes have been confirmed damaged, destroyed or in significant risk. At times when the tangible challenges are so obvious the psychological impact of such a disaster can be forgotten. It is encouraging to know that a holistic approach to healing which addresses both the emotional and physical needs of the Salvadorans is being implemented. The Salvadoran people will require continued support and STIMMA is committed to being a partner on their journey to a brighter future.