I am not working, I’ve no children or spouse and no commitments. I’m in a good position to go and help.
I was thinking about the orphanages. Many of them were destroyed and they’ve moved a lot of the children into the few still standing. I’ve read that there are possibly 1000’s of new orphans. I know they’ll need help caring for all these children and I’ve over a dozen years experience as a full-time nanny.
I have no idea if volunteers are being asked to come help or if they’re even wanted at all. Anybody heard anything?
Well Haiti has lots of people, what they need is the materials that were destroyed.
And what they really need is UNCORRUPT people to distribute these.
Already you see people making huge profits from things like water. To be fair, the rural people always complained of the urban dwellers taking them for a ride, so now it’s time for some payback
Haiti already had way too many unemployed people before the quake, unless you’re a surgeon or something, what could your or anyone do?
Well, that’s not really an issue. No casual traveler is getting in right now - you have to be with a group. However, I presume the OP would just be taking up a space on already-overcrowded transport aircraft that could have gone to someone with really useful skills like medical training.
This question was already answered really well on this message board.
The answer is, do not go. You will be a burden. If you really want to help, donate that plane ticket money and volunteer at an aid organization with Haiti connections (such as Red Cross) near your home.
I don’t know how many orphanages are there but the news said the kids had been evacuated. I don’t know if this was specific to one orphanage or if it was a collective statement. Either way, I’m willing to bet they are one notch under surgical emergencies on the list for evacuation.
This is an excellent idea. You can do much more good helping to sort food and clothing for shipment to Haiti than you can by shipping yourself to Haiti.
Apart from anything else, aid agencies won’t have to give you any of the food that could otherwise go to victims.
There’s some chance that some Haitian orphans will be transported to the U.S. At that point there might be a need for volunteers. With your background, have you ever considered getting trained as a guardian ad litem? That would be a great way to use your skills to help kids in difficult situations, maybe not related to this disaster, but possibly also relevant if they do come to the U.S. and go through a foster care/ adoption/ family reunification/ immigration process.
I’m thinking of volunteering there in a couple of years. In terms of what makes me particularly suitable, I have decent French. That’s about it. I’d have to be pretty confident that I, an average, reasonably fit and intelligent person with no specialist skills would be able to be of help. Definitely agree that right now it’s not a good idea.
I don’t think it will even require waiting years for able-bodied volunteers to be making a difference in Haiti. Right now the need is for people with certain expertise, but there will probably be a need for people, especially outside of the actual damaged areas of Port au Prince, within 3 months to a year. If you prepare yourself by brushing up on your French, learning how Haitian creole is different from the French you learned, and begin to build relationships with specific non-profits, perhaps focusing on learning some skills applicable to what they do, you could easily find yourself there and making a difference within a year.
I noticed the OP mentioned she is unemployed. One thing to keep in mind is that you would probably not be able to collect unemployment benefits while doing volunteer work out of the country. Some volunteer work does cover your living expenses and a small stipend, though.
For some perspective, I have been volunteering locally with the Red Cross for over a year, and have had all kinds of training classes for working in different areas of disaster relief. I am on the local disaster team and have been to far too many single home fires, as well has helping run a shelter during an ice storm in December of 2008. I am signed up for responding to national disasters in the US, and have been called 3 times about going to them (and each time they got the number of personnel they needed before getting to me. :smack: )
Despite a lot of training and experience, and being good enough to respond to disasters here in the US, they don’t want me in Haiti. I don’t have the kind of training they want for people that respond to international disasters. I need to work on that for the future.
I felt the same way as the OP. For about 5 minutes. I’m also unemployed, feel like I could be doing something useful to help. I donated a small sum, the best I can do right now. I recognize that Haiti is a very dangerous place and I don’t belong there, in the way.
Frankly, my job right now is to replace the job I lost. It’s taking a long time but when I get it then I could donate again. We are all moved to help. It’s human nature but we really have to leave it to the people who know what they are doing.
Some people here have given some other good suggestions. Like volunteering locally.
The best suggestion would be to actually fix an issue in Haiti instead of just taking them bottled water and food. That is nuts, they will just want another bottle tomorrow and forever. Send some Seabees and contractors to DRILL water wells and others to FIX the capital’s water plant, no one ever even mentions doing this.
Send some live chickens to produce eggs ongoing and not for eating directly, and things like that. Set up a food and water SYSTEM, and what about fishing off their coast for food? Never hear that suggested either. Donate some nets and gear and let them produce food, no one seems to have any brains to think of this? If you have such a skill, go.
You mean like what Heifer.org has been doing in Haiti for a number of years already? Oh, right, you’re just smart, everyone else is too stupid to think of such things. Or… just maybe… you have no clue what you’re talking about.