Advertisement
Published: December 29th 2010
Edit Blog Post
There is something uncontrived, something pure and meaningful about reconnecting with people who have made an impact on one’s life. For me, this is often manifested in the notion of “coming back” somewhere – not just to see someone, but to experience some place again and appreciate the changes. The modern Dictionary defines “evolution” as a “process of gradual, peaceful, progressive change or development, as in social or economic structure or institutions.” Given the overwhelming (negative) amount of press that has come out lately with respect to the progress (or in this case, lack thereof) in Haiti, it would seem somewhat illogical to qualify the situation as evolutionary. Well, allow me to humbly demystify this fallacy: THINGS ARE IMPROVING IN HAITI!
Of course, I can only confidently speak on behalf of Merlin and, more generally speaking, the health situation. But as Dr. Paul Farmer once explained, there can be no progress in terms of development without focusing on health… Makes sense – I mean, how can you expect to bring a country out of poverty when so many of its people are sick?!
So, after almost a year since the devastating 7.0 Earthquake ravaged the island of Haiti, I have the honor to come back to Port au Prince to spend a few weeks, leading up to the one year anniversary of that fateful day. Among a myriad of other things, I’m delighted to be back here to reconnect with the people and the places that have truly changed my life. It would be futile for me to re-ash how much my last visit to Haiti, 72 hours after the quake has transformed me… I’ve been looking forward to the day when I would be able to revisit this island, for both personal and professional reasons. So here I am, back in Port au Prince, feeling great. Admittedly, the living conditions are a bit better as we now have set up a Merlin staff guesthouse and a comprehensive office complex next to it – a change from a shared tent and lack of running water! Yet I try to not to be disillusioned by these comforts. The general conditions in Port au Prince are anything but great and provide a sobering dose of reality on the living situation: There are still an estimated 1.3 million people living in camps in Port-au-Prince, which is approximately half of its population! It became striking to me on my way from the airport to the Merlin office that, though there is far less visible rubble in the streets, people are still living in spontaneous camps across the city. What also became clear is that despite these harsh conditions, Haitians, all across the island are smiling and uphold a general sense of positivity – something that I noticed even in the immediate aftermath of the Earthquake. The resilience of the Haitian people has truly amazed me, puzzled me and inspired me ever since my first visit.
One of such effusive representation of this ebullient country is my good friend Gerald. Rising from the rubble himself, hours after the Earthquake, Gerald decided that he would do anything he could to help his family and his country in this dire time. We met Gerald a couple of days after the Earthquake and soon hired him as a driver during our first few hectic days as we set up our field hospital in Port au Prince. It became clear, early on, that Gerald not only performed really well but that we could rely on him for a number of other logistics-related issues. He was always on time, with a smile on his face and proved to be incredibly dependable – an indispensable asset to Merlin and a true friend to me. Spending these initial three weeks with Gerald, meeting his family and getting to see his side and perspective of the island, in a time of utter chaos, was unforgettable... I always knew I would see him again, but didn’t know when, where or how. So you can imagine how happy I was to hear that Gerald was not only still with Merlin, but that he had been promoted to Logistics Coordinator here in Port au Prince. Incredible! As I made my way through the halls of Merlin’s office (an impressive site, given how far along we’ve come), exchanging “bonjours” with the National Staff, I suddenly heard a boisterous voice from afar, screaming “AAAAAAAAALLLLLEEEXXXX!” Sure enough, there was Gerald, in his spiffy sharp looking crisp collared shirt and pleated trousers, and his unmistakable smile. It was so good to see him – so good! We hugged, laughed and after congratulating (and thanking him again), I asked him about his new position and how he felt going from Driver to Logistics Coordinator and he humbly responded: “I always kept my hands on the wheel!” He sure did!
Gerald is one of many examples – paradigms of hope, resilience and perseverance in a nation that has endured so much a mere year. It still baffles me how unjust it is for the poorest country in the western hemisphere to have undergone this much in this little time. From the Earthquake in January to Hurricane Tomas in November, leading up to the current cholera outbreak and political instability stemming from the presidential elections, it’s safe to say that Haiti is looking forward to putting an end to the 2010 chapter, hoping that 2011 will bring about a welcomed dose of positive change.
On the subject of change, it seems somewhat relevant in this time of reflection, as we approach the end of the year, to think about the past. One needs only to quick browse through the latest news to consider the weight that we, as a society, place on the notion of “retrospect.” We are inundated with so many “best of” and “worst of” lists of 2010, that by the time the New Year comes around, we feel ready to take the year by the horn, having learned from our individual and collective mistakes, armed with all kinds of resolutions. Well here’s a resolution for you: how about we realize all that this poor island has gone through before we cast these vindictive (and frankly inaccurate) statements that nothing is being done in Haiti. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m usually the first one to say, let’s live in the present – “Carpe Diem,” as hackneyed as it may be, is part of my every day vernacular... But in this case, it is crucial to remember the past so that we can appreciate and welcome the future for Haiti... It may be a benignly naive observation, but one that I truly hope will provide some perspective.
And what exactly has Merlin done and is doing at this time you ask? With over 300 staff members (over 90% of whom are local Haitians), Merlin teams are providing health access to well over 80,000 people, with an emphasis on primary health care services. We are treating approximately 14,000 patients per month (about 10,000 of whom in Port au Prince), and running mobile clinics to support underserved areas, diagnosing and swiftly treating diseases, such as acute diarrhoea, respiratory infections, skin infections and of course, cholera. On the subject of cholera (one that we are obviously very committed to), we are currently running 4 Cholera Treatment Centers (“CTCs”) on the island (3 in the North and one in Port au Prince) and 6 Cholera Treatment Units (“CTUs”) in the North, with plans to increase both our CTCs and CTUs in the immediate future. I will be closely monitoring and investigating this pressing matter over the next couple of weeks and will be reporting on the progress of this much more comprehensively soon)...
Despite these achievements, and despite the progress, there is so much more to be done – alas an all too familiar refrain in this line of work... But my first few days back in this beautiful island have reminded me that we are most certainly headed in the right direction. An article which just came out in The Times (http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/timesappeal/article2855092.ece) sums it up best, reaching “the poorest of the poor in a nation that is itself the poorest in the Americas.”... “What Merlin is doing is not particularly dramatic nor revolutionary, but that is almost a relief in a country where billions of dollars have been squandered on grandiose plans and projects that have gone nowhere. Its clinics are simple, efficient and cost-effective, and they make a huge practical difference to the wretched lives of thousands of penniless and forgotten Haitians."
Advertisement
Tot: 0.07s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 12; qc: 28; dbt: 0.041s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Guin
non-member comment
Thank you
Thank you so much for your help, for your insight, and for a positive perspective on a grave situation that sometimes keeps me awake at night. A direction towards progress is a testiment to the resilience of the Haitan people but also because of people like you. I graciously reviewed your other entries for more awareness and understanding. Be well my friend.