By Kristie Van de Wetering | CHF Haiti Communications Manager
CHF International is working closely with other local and international relief agencies and helping with the immediate relief effort. As well as giving supplies to rescue workers such as gloves, face masks, pick axes, shovels and sledge hammers, tomorrow we will be transporting 750 hygiene/kitchen kits from St. Marcs to Port-au-Prince to be distributed to homeless families, needing shelter in the capital.
Current updates: * The water trucks are delivering water – many companies open for private delivery (to homes and such); smaller trucks along the road giving free water to Internally Displaced People (IDP) * There is a lot of “agua gratis” – Dominican company – stopping at random places giving free water * Small water distribution centers are open for business * Transportation to the Dominican Republic (DR) is running * Not a lot of traffic on the road – public transport is running as usual * Market ladies on the street on the street cooking and selling * Haitian National Police out in larger numbers today than before * People on the street – people still in shock; blank stares; – going about daily business * Rescue efforts by private citizens still ongoing * Many people at US and Canadian embassy gates * Another observation: one of our staff hear said that he observed a distribution of essential items by UN soldiers on Place Boyer – one of the public squares in Petion Ville turned into an IDP camp. He said he has never seen such an orderly distribution in Haiti. Everyone in lines. No hostility. No violence. No fighting.
We are all encouraged to hear that there is food and water reaching an increasing number of people, and that the private sector is still functioning on both the formal and informal level to some degree – a key to getting Haiti back up and running. Also incredibly encouraging, in spite of media reports of violence, are reports of quiet and orderly aid distributions.
Please continue to help both the immediate relief efforts and also the longer term by donating what you can.
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