Haití Crisis: Local & International Responses

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Dear KWIC friends, please find some information below on how you can get involved to support local and international relief efforts in response to the humanitarian crisis in Haití. As well, the Red Cross is now accepting donations and can be contacted at www.redcross.ca or via the local office at 705-742-82222.

 

We will keep you informed of developing opportunities locally for action.

In solidarity,

julie,

Kawartha World Issues Centre

 

Summary:

1. Monday, January 18th: Public Meeting

2. Wednesday, January 27th: Fundraising Event at The Spill

3. Field Update from MSF Canada

4. Volunteer Relief Opportunities with Global Volunteer Network (GVN)

 

Details:

1. Organizing Meeting:Trent University Haiti Earthquake Relief Initiative (TUHRI), Monday, Jan. 18th from 4:00-5:00 PM at Lady Eaton College,

Room 208.
Invitation from W. Anthony Anirud:

As everyone is now aware, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck the nation of Haiti, on the island of Hispaniola, on January 11 devastating its capital, Port-au-Prince. The earthquake was the worst in almost two hundred (200) years to hit the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. The country’s infrastructure and communications have been shattered, the Presidential palace has been left in ruins, the UN building reduced to rubble, millions of Haitians are now homeless and untold thousands are dead.
It cannot be overstated that the people of Haiti are desperately in need of help from the global community.
The Office of Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (OHRCR) at Trent University is pleased to offer its support in spearheading a coordinated Trent initiative. In this regard, I have forwarded correspondences to Dr. Eric Pierre, Haiti’s Honorary Consul in Toronto, Her Excellency Madame Marie Nathalie Menos-Gissel, Chargé d'Affaires of Haiti in Ottawa and His Excellency Raymond Joseph, Haiti’s Ambassador to the United States.
In this time of immense sadness and despair, it is important that we come together in solidarity to involve Trent University in the worldwide effort to help Haiti in a moment of great need. It is my hope that Trent’s involvement could perhaps be directed toward specific community-based relief efforts, particularly in the area of education. In the wake of this painful tragedy, we all have an opportunity to demonstrate the greater Trent Community at its best in bringing people together. The OHRCR, along with the Impact Leadership Program,
invites you to join us to discuss this initiative on Monday, January 18th from 4:00-5:00 PM at Lady Eaton College, Room 208.
In our rendezvous with this moment in history, let us work together with commitment and resolve to bring a ray of hope from Trent University to the people of Haiti.
Sincerely, W. Anthony Anirud
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2. Open MIC Fundraising Event:

TACSU is working towards helping the victims who suffered during the
earthquake in Haiti .To our Haiti members we have you in our prayers and
please let us know if there is any other way we may be off assistance to
you. An open Mic nite will be held on the 27th of January, 2010 at the spill
at 9:30 pm. This night will be dedicated to the victims who suffered in this
event and our Haiti members. Please come and show your support, we welcome
food and money, which we will be sending of to the victims. You could also
come and say a poem, sing a song or share a story to show your support.
For more information, contact Melissa Tawiah at trentafricana...@gmail.com

 

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3. Volunteers Needed with GVN:

Dear KWIC,

In response to the devastating earthquake which struck the island of Haiti, the Global Volunteer Network (GVN) is looking for volunteers to help with rebuilding and rehabilitation.

 

GVN and the GVN Foundation are focusing our efforts on the following 3 areas:

 

1)  Raising funds via:  http://www.gvnfundraising.org/cause/Haitidisasterrelief 
It's great to be able to report that at the time of writing to you, over NZ$9,000 has been donated which is fantastic.
We guarantee that 100% of donations received will go to the disaster relief fund, and hope that you can raise awareness by forwarding this link to your friends and family, on Facebook, Twitter, Bebo, etc.

 

2)  Commissioning an advanced team of relief professionals, headed by Nadine McNeil (GVN Foundation Director) who has over 20 year extensive experience working in the UN, including a three year assignment in Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami.  This team will make an initial assessment of the immediate needs on the ground, specifically addressing the following areas:

 

-    Water and Sanitation

 

-    Health and Safety

 

-    Psycho-social trauma support

 

-    Logistics and distribution

 

-    Media outreach and communication

 

(Please note this team has already been chosen and are making preparations to go to Haiti.)

 

3)  Organizing volunteer teams to help with rebuilding and rehabilitation.

 

GVN's experience from the December 2004 tsunami indicates that volunteers will be required over the next 12 months to help in the following areas:

 

-             Working with Children

 

-             Teaching

 

-             Health/Medical

 

-             Building and construction

 

-             Counselling

 

-             Business development

 

GVN must be in a position to deploy our volunteer teams as soon as required; we are therefore looking for expressions of interest in leading or joining one of our volunteer teams.  We believe you will be able to volunteer anywhere from one week to six months. Those who have registered to be a team member will be given first preference.

 

Volunteers needed!

 

If you are interested in joining a GVN volunteer team in Haiti over the coming 12 months, please go to http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/haiti/ where you can complete the online applications form.

 

GVN will provide all who have registered with regular updates from the advanced team, along with details of the program as information unfolds.

 

Be encouraged, you are not alone in your concern for the people of Haiti - both GVN and GVNF are receiving hundreds of emails each day from people like yourself, who want to help.  Together we can.

 

Kindest regards

 

Colin Salisbury
Founder and President

 

http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/haiti/

 

Global Volunteer Network
http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org

 

Phone:  ++64 4 569-9080
Fax:  ++64 4 569-9081
Call Free UK: 0800-032-5035
Call Free USA/Canada: 1-800-963-1198
Call Free Australia: 1-800-203-012
24 hour Emergency number: ++64 4 918 3467

 

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4. Field Update from MSF Canada:

Dear Friend,

 

In light of the severity of the earthquake in Haiti on January 12, and the outpouring of concern from supporters we’ve heard in the days since, I’ll be sending you regular updates on the work we are doing in Haiti. 

 

As you read this, MSF medical teams in Port-au-Prince are treating thousands of people who were injured in the quake. Most have fractures, head injuries and other major trauma injuries. We have set up four tented facilities beside the now damaged hospitals we used to work in. The need for wound treatment and major surgery is immense. 

 

In the next 24 hours an MSF field hospital will arrive by air, equipped with two operating theatres, along with trauma surgeons and anesthetists. Our teams on the ground in the capital are also trying to identify intact buildings that could be used to do surgery.

 

Food, water and shelter materials are all in short supply, but medical stocks are not yet exhausted. Forty tonnes of material will arrive on the ground tonight, conditions permitting, and an additional 80 staff will join the 800 MSF staff already working in Haiti. Teams will be distributing medical disaster kits, blankets, plastic sheeting, hygiene and cooking sets, tents and jerrycans.

 

If you’ve already donated to the relief effort, thank you. You can continue to help by forwarding this message or sharing it with your networks on Facebook and Twitter.

 

If you haven’t had a chance to support these relief efforts and would like to do so, please make a donation now at http://www.uptilt.com/
Thank you for your solidarity at this most difficult time.

Marilyn McHarg
General Director, MSF Canada

 

 

 

Julie Cosgrove, Coordinator Kawartha World Issues Centre

Phone: 705-748-1680

Email: kw...@trentu.ca

Website & Community Calendar: www.kwic.info

 

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The Kawartha World Issues Centre is a charitable global education and resource centre which promotes understanding and dialogue of world issues to enable people to engage in positive social and environmental change.