Mountains Beyond Mountains is our first book.
This is the 127th earthquake disaster in Haiti. The first diary was by Dallasdoc and previous diaries are linked below. The idea is to keep resources visible and easily available for those wishing help.
Join us in the comments for today's news roundup and more. Action alerts and links below the fold.
The focus of this diary is on books, websites, articles, and other information about Haiti.
After the earthquake and as people stopped volunteering to post this diary I volunteered to post it. I actually don't like posting diaries. But I figured I could copy and paste.
However, I felt uneasy about posting a diary trying to help a country I really knew nothing about. It just seems intrusive and disrespectful. Luckily for me Deoliver47 posted some diaries about it. It is uncomfortable facing some or the things our government has and is still doing and who wants to say bad things about NGO's. But I would rather be unpopular then lie about the little kids that go hungry because the US not only cut off aid we gave Haiti but did not allow anyone else to give Haiti aid.
There are some excellent NGO's that work with the Haitian government to help provide a foundation for when they leave. The NGO's with an exit plan.
I don't think it is possible to learn about Haiti and remain indifferent to its plight. Especially because US policy has been to oppress Haiti by any means necessary. And once you start reading, if you are new to learning about Haiti like I am, then you will see I mean any means. And our government did this with our tax dollars. What are we going to do about it?
We haven't decided the order we will read yet, but here is the lis:
I have to admit I read Mountains beyond Mountains a while ago, so I am counting on you all to lead the discussion.
This is our book list so far:
Mountains Beyond Mountains
Damming The Flood
The Uses of Haiti
Travesty in Haiti
Partner To The Poor A Paul Farmer Reader
Walking on Fire
Brother, I'm dying
Bitter Sugar: Slaves Today in the Caribbean by Maurice Lemoione [1985]
Edwidge Danticat's TheFarming of Bones
Any suggestions? We are looking for books, articles, websites where we can get accurate information about Haiti. Please share any information. And feel free to correct any errors. As I said i am new to learning about Haiti. I think I will say that forever.
Our first book is a Mountains Beyond Mountains.
"Dye mon, gen mon."
Translation: Beyond the mountain is another mountain.
(A proverb of both patience and the recognition of how difficult life in Haiti is.) |
Action Alerts: (For a more detailed version, click here.)
Immigration
Alert: Haitians in America must file for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by July 20th.
Institute For Justice and Democracy in Haiti has launched a new website to help.
“This site will make it easier for the hundreds of lawyers and law students who offered their services after Haiti’s earthquake to find local volunteer opportunities with organizations that are trying to meet the needs of eligible Haitian immigrants to apply for TPS before the deadline,” said Brian Concannon, Jr., Director of the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH). “It will also facilitate the sharing of legal research and other information among the providers themselves.”
Read Deoliver47's action diary calling for pressure to be applied to congress to relax the caps for Haitian visa applicants. Allie123 found an easy way to fax or e-mail congress using existing templates and form letters. Frisco wrote a letter to President Obama and gives permission for it to be used as a template by others.
RE: Open our doors to Haitian refugees
Mr. President,
I am writing to implore you to work with Secretary of State Clinton and with the Congress to provide relief in expediting "green card" processing for Haitian immigration applicants caught up in the horrible aftermath of the 12 January earthquake that so devastated that country. I am further asking that you work with Congress to temporarily raise the limits on Haitian immigration levels for 2010.
These two actions would have the effect of reducing the on-site relief requirements in Haiti and providing funding for relief aid and rebuilding in the form of funds sent back to Haiti by members of the Haitian diaspora (currently estimated to be about 25% of Haiti's normal GNP).
With the impending rainy season nearly upon them, Haitians are facing a turn from horrendous living conditions to **unlivable** - with rain, mud and waste running in the streets and ditches throughout the tent & tarp "cities" that are currently everywhere in that nation.
Please help, Mr. President. The time for action is RIGHT NOW. Thank you.
Regards,
New America Media has an article about the work Lawyers from Inst for Justice & Democracy in Haiti and others are doing to help Haitian's that want to come to the U.S. and qualify for humanitarian parole, Haitians Hope for Humanitarian Parole. We can help by asking our Senators, Rep, Homeland Security, State Dept., Immigration committees and the President to open the doors to Haitian refugees.
BAI, which hosted a delegation of lawyers and doctors from the Bay Area, which I joined, was there to assess possible candidates for so-called humanitarian parole. These are people whose conditions are so unbearable that they need to leave Haiti in order to survive. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security enacted the program following the Haiti earthquake to allow individuals with urgent humanitarian needs to come to the United States for a temporary stay
.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
US Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
202-647-4000
Urge Secretary Napolitano to Reunite Haitian Families here.
Urge Your Legislators to Reunite Haitian Families here.
Immigratioin Committee Contact information, here.
White House, here
White House Comment line: 202-456- 1111; Fax: 202-456-2461
Additional Action Alerts:
TransAfrica Forum
Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti
Stand up and be counted (Partners in Health)
HAITI ACTION COMMITTEE ACTION ALERT
Update March 11: allie123 has finished a detailed list of contact information for the committees, subcommittees, offices, and office holders who have influence over these policies. She has made the source code for this list available here. |
Secular NGOs: |
The now requisite warnings: |
Unfortunately even in the midst of tragedy, there are those who will try to take advantage of people's generosity for their personal advantage. A story on MSNBC reminds us to be careful:
The FBI, Better Business Bureau and software security companies Wednesday all warned Internet users to exercise caution before opening their wallets to organizations claiming to be charities that will send financial assistance to Haiti. "Apply a critical eye," said the FBI in a statement, and do "due diligence before responding to those requests."
Please do your research before donating. The Charity Navigator tool is a useful resource for this purpose. For those not familiar, Charity Navigator evaluates and rates charities according to their financial responsibility and sustainability. Their homepage now lists comprehensive information the major organizations on the ground in Haiti now. (h/t DeepHarm and deb s) An additional resource for researching charities is the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance site.
There are a number of misunderstood messages, rumors, or outright hoaxes being circulated. If something sounds "too good to be true" or you have questions about it, Snopes has a Haiti page to verify or debunk them.
A note about ratings listed here: allie123 has looked up all of the charities listed here and we've put ratings next to the ones that have actually been rated. It looks like this: (****/A). The number of stars (1-4) indicates the rating from Charity Navigator and is also a clickable link to a detailed review of that particular charity. The letter grade is from AIP and is explained here.
The lack of a rating does not necessarily mean that something is wrong with it. A lot of good (and bad) organizations have yet to be rated. Also, Charity Navigator, for example, does not evaluate organizations that are exempt under Internal Revenue Code from filing the Form 990. If you don't see a rating, it just means that maybe you should do a little more research before donating. When questions have been raised about a particular entry here, we've either removed it or we've included the question or criticism next to the entry. For more tips, see: Evaluating Charities Not Currently Rated by Charity Navigator.
Government Agencies |
The Aristide Foundation for Democracy (AFD) was created in 1996 by former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide (the first democratically elected president of Haiti) with a simple principle in mind: "The promise of democracy can only be fulfilled if all sectors of Haitian society are able to actively participate in the democratic life of the nation."
Healing Hands for Haiti (a physical rehab and prosthetics organization based in Port au Prince), Lamp for Haiti, and a group that umbrellas several projects called Healing Haiti. parryander has personal experience with these groups, so I suggest checking out their comments.
Another organization, The Honor and Respect Foundation, was described in a story on Narconews called Getting Help to Haiti. The foundation was created by journalist Reed Lindsay, who is now Telsur's D.C. Bureau Chief, for children who couldn't get into other schools. Their website says that it "seeks to establish funds in support of several specific programs carried out by grassroots groups in the poorest neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince." I have a phone number for a contact there and will get direct information tonight.
Partners in Health (****/A+) has now started a BLOG about its efforts called Stand with Haiti. It has very useful information. Partners in Health is also putting out a call for health volunteers, in case you are a medical professional who can help out that way:
We are deeply grateful for the multitude of people who have contacted us wanting to provide medical assistance. As patients flood to our sites from Port-au-Prince, we're finding ourselves in need of both medical personnel and supplies. In particular, we need surgeons (especially trauma/orthopedic surgeons), ER doctors and nurses, and full surgical teams (including anesthesiologists, scrub and post-op nurses, and nurse anesthetists). If you are a health professional interested in volunteering, please send an email to volunteer@pih.org with information on:
• Your credentials
• Language capabilities (Haitian Creole or French desired)
• Overseas experience (if any)
• Any prior experience in emergency/post-disaster relief efforts
• Availability
• Contact information
As phone lines in Haiti remain down and transportation and communication are difficult, PIH is still in the process of determining where we can set up operations in Port-au-Prince, and how we can transport patients and volunteers to our sites. We will be able to offer more concrete information after these logistical matters are resolved. Once again – thank you for your support. Kenbe fèm.
Saint Damien Hospital Haiti is the only free pediatric hospital in Haiti.
I know there is extensive damage at our new hospital, that the perimeter walls of all three of our Tabarre programs have fallen. I know there is damage to the hospital walls
Donations may be made through this page. (h/t parryander)
Zanmi Lakay is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for current and former street children in Haiti by providing educational and economic opportunities and resources to help these children while they are on the streets and to help build a life for them off the streets. A Pacifica-based photographer who has been working in Haiti for years is planning to return next week, so donations will go straight to those who need it.
Long-term Development and Recovery NGO's: |
Fonkoze (***) , a micro-lending organization in Haiti. From their Web site:
Fonkoze is Haiti’s Alternative Bank for the Organized Poor. We are the largest micro-finance institution offering a full range of financial services to the rural-based poor in Haiti. Fonkoze is committed to the economic and social improvement of the people and communities of Haiti and to the reduction of poverty in the country.
According to their Web site, their offices have taken quite a hit. This is another one in the category of long-term rebuilding. (h/t parryander and dizzydean)
Haiti Emergency Relief Foundation:
Haiti’s grassroots movement – including labor unions, women’s groups, educators and human rights activists, support committees for political prisoners, and agricultural cooperatives – are funneling needed aid to those most hit by the earthquake. They are doing what they can – with the most limited of funds – to make a difference. Please take this chance to lend them your support.
Since its inception in March 2004, the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund has given concrete aid to Haiti’s democratic movement as they attempted to survive the brutal coup against their democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and to rebuild shattered development projects. We urge you to contribute generously, not only for this immediate crisis, but in order to support the long-run development of human rights, sustainable agriculture and economic justice in Haiti.
All donations to the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund will be forwarded to our partners on the ground to help them rebuild what has been destroyed.
Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti:
We fight for the human rights of Haiti’s poor, in court, on the streets and wherever decisions about Haitians’ rights are made. We represent the unjustly imprisoned and victims of political persecution, coordinate grassroots advocacy in Haiti and the US, train human rights advocates in Haiti and disseminate human rights information worldwide.
The Jean Cadet Restavek Foundation. Restaveks are child slaves. This is an organization for children run by a Haitian man who is a former child slave.
Konpay is associated with the journalist Reed Lindsay. It focuses on Haitian solutions to environmental, social and economic problems and provides training and funding to grassroots and community-based projects. KONPAY is supporting Haitian-led efforts to reforest Haiti and protect the environment.
The Lambi Fund (***) is a secular non-profit nonprofit whose mission is "to assist the popular, democratic movement in Haiti. Its goal is to help strengthen civil society as a necessary foundation of democracy and development. The fund channels financial and other resources to community-based organizations that promote the social and economic empowerment of the Haitian people." They support "projects that embrace the following principles: non-violent, non-partisan, community-based, promoting the advancement of women, using education and training for empowerment, and promoting the overall democratic movement."
SOIL is based in Haiti (founded by two American females) and although their regular mission is :Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods (SOIL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting soil resources, empowering communities and transforming wastes into resources in Haiti, they are in the streets in PAP providing normal disaster relief services and translation (they speak Kreyol). They have said that all donations in the next 30 days (at least) will go directly to their relief work rather than their usual mission. They have been in Haiti for several years and are very familiar with the people and communities (h/t Royce)
TransAfrica:
In 1991, when the first democratically elected president of Haiti was overthrown by the military, TransAfrica pushed for the restoration of democracy and just policy for Haitian refugees fleeing the military regime of General Raoul Cedras.
n May 1994, the Clinton administration reversed the refugee policy. On October 10, 1994, General Rauol Cedras resigned and President Aristide finally resumed his official role following an agreement negotiated with President Jimmy Carter in September.
snip
Today, TransAfrica Forum campaigns against the crippling debt burden on the countries of Africa and the Caribbean by opposing Vulture Funds, companies that threaten the gains of already hard-fought for debt relief. TransAfrica Forum also struggles for international financial architecture that promotes sustainable growth and takes cues from civil society.
Other news and diaries: |
ShelterBox: TexMex is busy moving, but carolina stargazer is still watching the store. The next ShelterBox diary is planned for Friday morning, but activity in Tuesday's diary will be monitored until then.
Mokurai has contributed The Real Story in Haiti and Haiti: Dimensions of Disaster.
FishOutofWater takes a moment to explore the benefits of Partners in Health's commitment to solar powered health centers.
Meteor Blades points the way to a better and more sustainable future for Haitians in Haiti Could Use a New Deal.
As the MSM (in the United States) turns attention away from Haiti, Deoliver47 reminds us that things are not suddenly all better: Raining Disease and More Deaths.
For some good pre-earthquake background on Haiti, see Daisy Cutter's Book Review: "Damming the Flood" by Peter Hallward, pt 1. This diary was published in July 2008 and presents a history of Haiti up to 1999 using Hallward's book as a reference. Excellent.
Thank you for your reads, recs, and donations. If anyone has any additional information, updates, or corrections, please comment--the comments in all of the diary versions thus far have been gold mines of information. It would be impossible to incorporate all of the information gathered in the comments into the diary, but I will updated as necessary/possible. If you would like to keep this list of links visible, please consider volunteering to post a diary so we can keep this effort going.
Many Kossacks helped this community assemble one of the most exhaustive lists of aid organizations working in Haiti, now placed in the dKosopedia wiki by the wonderful Norbrook. Please visit that list, which has been updated here over the past ten days to reflect the input of our wonderful and humane community. As the Shelterbox Diaries have shown in raising funds for over 1200 Haitians to have a place to stay, we are liberals who walk our talk about caring for our fellow human beings.
Past diaries in this series: |
This series was created by Dallasdoc and has been maintained with the help of (listed alphabetically): Aji, ALifeLessFrightening, allie123, AntKat, Avila, betson08, big spoiled baby, cosmic debris, Deep Harm, Deoliver47, Frederick Clarkson, J Brunner Fan, Jimdotz, maggiejean, marabout40, Norbrook, OHknighty, oke, parryander, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse, Pluto, RunawayRose, swampus, and thebluecrayon. All of these previous diaries can be found by clicking here (listed in reverse chronological order).
UPCOMING DIARIES
Thursday: allie123
Friday: RunawayRose
Saturday: Aji
If you would like to volunteer to contribute a diary to continue this series, please volunteer in the comments below. Norbrook has created a Google documents file** with the source code for our usual introduction and the list of charities the community has developed. Doing one of these diaries, thanks to Norbrook, is not nearly as demanding as it was early in the series. Also, updates need to be made far less frequently. You don't need to set aside huge chunks of time for it and it's easy to multi-task if you have other things to do, as long as you're able to check the comments every 30 minutes or so.
**There is also a backup to the original google doc. See this comment for more details.
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The icons and March 13 formatting revision of this diary series are courtesy of the html artist known on Daily Kos as Pluto. The "Help Haiti" image at the top of the diary that has become the "logo" of this series is courtesy of AuntKat.