As the owner of Planet Voodoo, I decided to launch a fundraising campaign for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. I wanted to have a place where you can find information and updates about our efforts. As you know, we have partnered with Mercy Corps to raise as much money as we can with the help of our patrons to act as agents of change in response to such a devastating crisis. Together, I know we can make a difference.
Why Mercy Corps? Well, I am in no position to handle the funds raised for our humanitarian efforts, but Mercy Corps is. They have a proven track record consisting of three decades of experience helping disaster-struck communities transition from receiving aid to carrying out their own recovery, and are ready to respond immediately to all kinds of crises. They are transparent, which means they are accountable for all of the money received and anyone can see their financial statements. Certainly, this is always a concern when human crises occur and donations are being made. We want to make sure that the money that is being donated is going where it is supposed to go.
The Mercy Corps response is currently focused on immediate humanitarian needs: water and sanitation, trauma support and job creation. Some of the things that are being done to help survivors recover include "Comfort for Kids", a trauma counseling methodology that they co-developed and employed following Hurricane Katrina, 9/11, and other disasters.
Clean Water and Sanitation Mercy Corps is helping survivors access clean, safe water and sanitation services, working with partners the ITT Corporation and the Boston-based NGO Partners in Health, a leader in Haiti medical relief since its founding in 1987 by Dr. Paul Farmer. They are using multiple creative approaches, including de-salinization, water tanks, filtration units and alternative water sources, to get life-saving water to Haiti’s struggling survivors.
Job Creation and Economic Recovery To jumpstart the decimated economy and begin rebuilding efforts in earthquake-affected areas, Mercy Corps will initiate a cash-for-work program that pays earthquake survivors a daily wage to clear debris, restore buildings and repair basic infrastructure. Through the cash-for-work approach, survivors carry out their own recovery efforts. Employing survivors gives them the dignity of earning an income they can then spend on the supplies they need for their families. Their purchases in turn help restart local commerce.
Five days after the quake, this woman and her baby need water first, then food and shelter. Photo: Cassandra Nelson/Mercy Corps
Trauma Support for Children When the earthquake struck, all schools in Port-au-Prince collapsed. Haitian children who survived the earthquake experienced trauma that could negatively affect them for life. To help restore children’s sense of well-being, Mercy Corps will provide post-trauma help using Comfort for Kids. This counseling methodology was first developed in New York by Mercy Corps and Bright Horizons, a global workplace childcare provider, to help children recover from the trauma of 9/11. Subsequently, Mercy Corps has used Comfort for Kids to help children recover from the China (2008) and Peru (2007) earthquakes and Hurricane Katrina (2005)
A Long Track Record of Helping Recovery The earthquake in Haiti left 3 million people in need of aid, exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The Caribbean nation suffers extreme hunger and political instability, and this disaster only increases the needs of thousands of impoverished Haitian families.
Earthquake survivors like this little girl are living in parks and vacant lots around Port-au-Prince.
Photo: Cassandra Nelson/Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps has a long track record of helping people living in the world’s toughest conditions to recover and rebuild after natural disasters and conflict. The agency has special expertise in disaster response that establishes a foundation for, and leads directly to, self-sufficiency.
HOW TO HELP
Mercy Corps is accepting donations toward our earthquake response. Public support thus far has been strong, and corporations such as Amazon.com, ITT Corporation, Best Buy, Western Union, Gap, Nike, and Trilogy/Voila have generously contributed to Mercy Corps' efforts. Planet Voodoo can't even begin to compare in size or monetary worth with these corporations, but that doesn't mean we can't be small and mighty. There is power in numbers, and there is power in Spirit. Please join us in our efforts with your donation of just $5.00 today. Click on the banner below to go to our page at Mercy Corps.
January 21, 2010: WSJ's Charles Forelle reports from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with the latest on the relief efforts there. He says there is little evidence of aid to Haiti's newly homeless.
Haiti homeless estimate hits 2 million
Did you know?
'Ayiti' (Haiti) is the indigenous Taino name for the island.
