Do you remember where you were at 4:53 pm on Tuesday, January 12, 2010? Perhaps you were getting ready to clock out of your 9-5, or sitting in rush hour traffic, or picking up the kids from their after-school program? Do you recall? For most Haitians living in the states and abroad, January 12th will be a day they will never forget.
Just one year ago, the Republic of Haiti was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake where more than 300,000 people died and least 3 million have been injured and have lost their homes according to USAID. Not only that, with continuous aftershocks, floods from Hurricane Tomas , the spread of Cholera, and unsettled political disputes, the Haitian population is left in a state of fear, despair, hopelessness, confusion, and psychological trauma.

This week, many organizations and individuals are commemorating those who've lost their lives due to the catastrophe. Some are celebrating the bonds and uniformity of those who answered the call to solidarity, while others are revisiting their commitments to the relief and development efforts in Haiti.

Even though progress has been slow, the US government provided $1.1 billion in 2010 for relief efforts in Haiti. In November, USAID reported the completion of 9,739 transitional shelters (t-shelters), sufficient to house nearly 48,700 individuals. While working closely with other agencies, safe drinking water, food, household items, sanitation facilities, and health services were also made available to those affected.

However, life in the transitional shelters, otherwise known as camps, has not been ideal. The camps are crowded with children and their families, clean water and sanitation is scarce, and the health care services are hardly sufficient.The most affected people in Haiti right now are the children. Many have been orphaned or separated from their families. According to UNICEF, one of the long term development partners in Haiti, stated that more than 750,000 children have been directly affected. One of the concerns is the extreme fragility in children living in crisis, poverty, and trauma. Many of them are vulnerable due to the lack of education, health care, and most of all genuine nurture.

That is why, to date, the US government has established the Operation Protect Children initiative which focuses on the development of child friendly spaces. This plan is in line with BuildaBridge's mission to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. So we too are revisiting our commitment to the children in Haiti. With over 10 years of serving children and families in transitional homes throughout the United States and abroad, BuildaBridge International understands the importance of healing through the arts amongst those who've been traumatized. In the past year, we worked in an orphanage creating a safe place for kids to play, and in a school developing an after-school arts program. You can view these by clicking on the links.

By providing children an outlet to express themselves through art, music, dance, drama, and creative writing, they actually tap into a realm of escape, and healing.

This year, as part of our Haiti Arts Relief and Development initiative, we will continue our arts relief efforts with Practical Compassion in Pont Sonde, Haiti as well as building relationships with local and international organizations that are directly associated with Haiti.

So, do you remember where you were on that disastrous day? Let's continue to keep the people of Haiti on our minds and in our hearts. We all have a responsibility to put our hands and resources together for the greater good of this world. To get involved with BuildaBridge's next trip to Haiti contact Maeva Renaud.

To support the Haiti Arts Relief and Development initiative financially, donate online or send your contributions to BuildaBridge International 205 W Tulpehocken Street Philadelphia, PA 19144. Enter Haiti Arts Relief.

The Haiti Arts Relief and Development (HARD) initiative is an arts intervention and restoration development program that focuses on children in communities of poverty and crisis. This initiative will come to fruition through strong alliances with individuals and organizations that are involved in the reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in the Republic of Haiti since the January 12, 2010 earthquake that destroyed the capital and surrounding cities and the Cholera disease epidemic that spread throughout the country.

Our main objectives are to create safe places, provide healing and education for children living in transitional environments (shelters and residential care institutions), and train local artists and community workers in creative arts methods of education, healing, and the environment. We believe in holistic transformation. As part of the restorative development, the initiative offers training to Haitian artist, teachers, health care workers and residential care centers staff in arts-assisted learning, classroom management and curriculum writing, therapeutic art skills and psychological first aid.

These past couple of weeks have been crazy, in a good way. Making some progress as far as working with organizations in Haiti. Next week, I'll be going to Cap Haitien, where a facility was donated to house children that have been affected, lost their parents, or parents aren't able to provide. We were able to secure staff on the ground to take care of the children, 24 of them will be coming to the facility which we are now calling 'Shalom Village' (Peace Village). 4 Kids are from Port-au-Prince, 4 from La Gonaive, and the rest from Cap Haitien. Their age range are 3-9 years old. I'm flying out on thursday and coming back on Monday. I was going to bring food down there but unfortunately its REALLY EXPENSIVE!!!! So it would be best to purchase food on the ground in Haiti. We will be flying in to Santiago, DR and driving into Haiti


I'm asking you all to help support the kids that we'll be taking care of by making a monetary donation online at http://www.changeiscomingcampaign.com/ or by mail at 320 S. Flamingo Road #298 Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 ( Make checks payable to Arts of Color Worship Arts Institute, Inc)



We need $700.00 to purchase food to last for the month.



This is going to be one of my main projects this year (to help the village become self sufficient) I maybe moving down to Haiti for a while (God willing) but nevertheless I'll be keep you updated on what's going on down there and how you can help.



P.S. Please make a donation to the website so we can purchase food for the kids.



Much thanks in advance!

Maeva

Hi Everyone,




A week ago today, I was able to travel to Port-au-Prince, Haiti and bring medical supplies, food, and tents to those in need. Words cannot truly describe my experience there but I must say that I was highly disappointed, frustrated, annoyed, and angry. When I got to my family members who were laying down on card board boxes underneath a make shift tent out of sticks and sheets, they told me that I was the first one to come to their aid.



Imagine if I had not gone, if I had not been able to raise the funds to charter a plane and bring down supplies myself to Haiti. Would my family had gotten any help? God only knows.



As I spoke to other people in the community and in Champs De Mars, I was told that they haven't been receiving any aid. I interviewed several officers in the US Army regarding the aid and they shared with me different points of views.

1. They are waiting on instructions from higher command

2. They are speaking to the people to find out their needs

3. They havent come up a structure to distribute the aid effectivelly yet



This really pissed me off, maybe I don't understand what the heck they are waiting for, but I can't just wait until "whom ever is in charge" to devise a plan to distribute. Too many people have already died. Too many people are hungry, too many people are thirsty. We have to act now!



I'm planning on going back again myself to bring more supplies and food to the people that I met. A majority of the people I met on Champs De Mars gave me their contact information and we created our own plan on how to distribute to the people who aren't connected to a major NGO. I also connected with a church, whose lot is filled with victims under makeshift tents. They definitely need food, water, and medical supplies. Something that tore me a part was watching the kids playing with sticks and rocks. One little girl named Maria asked me to bring her back a coloring book.



I'm a little weak right now, going to try to rest this weekend. But next week, I'll be back full force and keep you all posted.



Blessings,

Maeva Renaud
View My Photo Album

PS. Special thanks to Kijik Multimedia, Hollywood Unites For Haiti, Phatt Traxx Productions, and all the individuals who made donations towards this trip! Couldnt have done it without you!

After some struggle we were finally able to get people in Haiti. Our group spent one night in Cap Haitian and are now Port au Prince. More updates are to come and stories about the experience.

We would like to thank everyone who allowed this trip to occur through their contributions.This is only the beginning of the work we have to do as a united force.


Nzingah Oniwosan
Sankofa's Child, Inc

Okay, yes my flight was delayed again, but I'm officially leaving Wednesday morning from Ft. Lauderdale to Port-au-Prince. The plan is to 1. Find my family and represent them at the US Embassy in Haiti to try to get them out, 2. Go to Leogane and Petit Groave to set up a make shift clinic 3. Connet with other grass roots organizations in Haiti to find out their needs to see how we can help.

My father sent me his notes, unfortunately he got sick and will be leaving Haiti tomorrow, so I'll be on my own down there, not really but my dad won't be with me :-(

Here's what he said:
Notes from the field
As of January 24, the death toll from Jan 12 earthquake: 112250 deaths and 194,000 injured
Expect a country with thousands of amputated young adults
More than 235000 people have left Port-au-Prince. The largest influx to GONAIVES
The number of people living in temporary shelter could be as high 800,000
The NGO and humanitarian community have only 3500 tents in Haiti!
People need TENT, TENTS, and sleeping bags!
There was a tsunami in Petit Paradis in the Nord West of Haiti.
Frustation Frustation Frustation
There is no Emergency Operation Center in Haiti.
Not one EOC for the entire country
The Haitian governement is not directly involved in food distribution
Let's pray GOD:. NO RAIN please! Everybody is sleeping under the stars

Good news, I found an organization who is willing to ship goods to the southern ports of Haiti to avoid the bottle neck in Port-au-Prince.
I'm also trying to work on a centralized shelter in Cap Haitien, but I'll let you all know more details later. Wanna help please donate to the cause at www.changeiscomingcampaign.com want to volunteer visit www.haitirelieftaskforce.org want to bring goods to our warehouse? it's located at 7230 NW Miami Court, Miami FL 33150

Together we will!
Maeva

My father has been in Haiti for a week now trying to establish a shelter. I've been corresponding with him to find out the needs of the people. I was suppose to bring him medical supplies so we can go over to Leogane to help areas that haven't been helped yet. So far my flight arrangements have been DELAYED DUE TO FUEL ISSUES! Gas in Haiti is now $100 per gallon. And most planes are getting their fuel from other countries. So right now I may be leaving on Tuesday- God willing.

I spoke with my father, who went down to Haiti with the Haitian Medical Association, and this is what he reported to me:

"Status report

From the field

Frustation

My biggest effort was to create a shelter.

We have a location

We want to create a shelter for 10,000 people

I had meetings on Saturday with NGO and Humanitarian group

No distribution of tents in Port-au-Prince.

People are improving their tent with clothes and linen

Water is distributed in the ad hoc shelter

Food distribution is poorly organized"



People NEED

1.-Shelter

2.-Sleeping bag

3.-Money

4.-Food

5. Baby food



I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES

The Government has declared the search and rescue phase over. There were 132 live rescues by international search and rescue teams.But

Humanitarian relief efforts continue to scale up in Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Leogane and other affected areas.

The number of people leaving Port-au-Prince is increasing daily. More than 130,000 people have taken advantage of the Government’s offer of free transportation to cities in the north and southwest.

FAO estimates that the number of people leaving cities for rural areas could reach one million,putting pressure on already vulnerable communities.

WHO reports that despite difficult conditions, there are no reported outbreaks of communicable diseases including cholera, measles and rubella.

There was a tsunami in Petit Paradis.


PLEASE HELP US GET IMMEDIATE AID TO HAITI THROUGH GRASSROOTS EFFORTS. Make aa donation today!

Together we will!
Maeva