Haiti a Country In Need - Many Lives Destroyed!! A desperate cry for help!!
Posted: Friday, January 15, 2010
by Rose-Marie Chaperon
Chaperon Consulting, LLC
I was born in Haiti. My family still lives in Haiti, including my mother and grandmother, who raised and gave me all my values and work ethic I have today. (My grandmother is 87 years old and she still tells me to be on time for work and to never call in sick unless there is a hurricane) I never thought that my family would have found themselves homeless one day! I was in Lafayette, LA when I received the news on Tuesday, I instantly felt like a part of me had died because having been through 11 hurricanes and 1 earthquake, I knew instantly what the people were going through.
Imagine the first black independent country in the western hemisphere, still remains the poorest. Haiti has been struggling to find a good leader since 1957; instead they have been deceived, murdered, exploited, and exiled to stay quiet. I am thinking that the worse is yet to come. I am thankful for all the help other countries have decided to offer to my country, especially this great country I live in the US. I am still afraid that after the chaos is over, the country will fall back where it started. The government will pocket all the monies and spend it on themselves by sending their wives to the US and France to lavish and shop.
Port-au-Prince's population was estimated to be around 3.1 million people before the earthquake, yet the government did not think it was important enough to have a disaster plan and a few fire trucks although they were hit by the one of the worst floods of the decade two years ago. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure these things out! If a person calls the police during an emergency situation in Port-au-Prince, one of the many responses most likely received is "nou pa gin gaz pou nou mete nan machin la" (we do not have enough fuel to put in the car; therefore, we cannot come to help you).
The Haitian president Rene Preval said in an interview Wednesday night, "I am not sure where I will be spending the night tonight". At the same time he made that comment there were thousands of people still buried under the rubbles, while wondering when someone was going to rescue them. No matter how poor these people were, they still were loved by someone. I lost countless friends of whom I have kept in contact with over the years. I am still trying to find my 22 year-old sister; I refuse to give up hope.
As of Saturday, January 18, 2010 more than 80,000 bodies had been found and buried without so much a goodbye from their loved ones. If there is ever a nation who needs help, it is Haiti. The country's cry of pain did not spare its children, elderly and young adults. Everyone is affected! I traveled from my home in Kansas City, MO this weekend to visit my family in Florida; while I was in Florida, I had the opportunity to visit a few friends in the south Florida area. The stories I heard were over exhausting, it was like watching an endless movie. Everyone Haitian born citizen or non-citizen living abroad is affected by this tragedy. Five days after the quake, people could not return to their homes due to the thirty plus aftershocks.
During a natural disaster casualties are expected and Haiti had its share of casualties, although mother nature is mainly to blame, however; the dysfunctional Haitian government must share some of the blame for not taking the precautionary measure to protect lives in the event of a disaster. The city does not have some of the basic necessities it needs; items like fire trucks, ambulances, a helicopter, reserve water supply and electricity. The current government inherited these issues, however; as a president he took an oath and made promises to serve the people, and he ultimately failed them again. The Haitian people are so used to disappointment, although Preval did not keep up with his promises, it was overlooked by most of the people. It appears that the people had given up on life.
One city outside of Port-au-Prince "Leogane", 90% of its housing are destroyed which left the city homeless. So far we have received a total of 320 million dollars in global governmental aid, however; most of the outline areas have yet to see any help. Many are still dying from thirst, pain and especially from broken hearts of not been able to see or speak to their love ones, this includes my mother and grandmother.
You have never heard of me, in your mind I may be a figment of your imagination, please hear my cry to help this country in need. We need your prayers, your support; most of all we desperately need your financial help to save the people we have left. Haiti needs a future and with your help we can do it. Please call one of the organizations listed in the news to land a helping hand. I want to thank everyone profusely for praying and handing a helping hand to this country who so desperately needs it.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Outstanding article--let us hope a strong, vibrant and honest leader steps up to the plate and is backed by a similar minded close political base...my best to you.
Thanks so much, Rose-Marie, for writing this very personal article that has you very close to where Haitians are hurting. You've made it clear, if indirectly, that the aid being sent to Haiti must be kept out of the hands of the government at all cost, except to cater to the necessities of government officials and their affected families as earthquake victims. And everything must be done to get the assistance into the hands of ordinary Haitians. It is sad in a way that it has to be that way. Thanks for being so honest about government corruption in Haiti. It brings back painful memories... I'm joining your fan club. ~mogama~
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