Devastation in Haiti Felt Locally

By Erica Butcher


January 20, 2009---The devastating 7.0 earthquake that crushed Haiti’s capital city, Port-au-Prince, and caused extensive destruction in areas in the southern and northeastern part of the country affected one-third of Haiti’s population of 9.7 million people. As the death toll continues to rise, some sources estimate 100,000 to 150,000 lives have already been lost.


Frustration continues to mount among those most affected by the earthquake as aid from around the world is slow to reach the most devastated areas, where orphaned children are heard crying out for their parents. On the ground, Haitian and international media agencies are relaying mounting concerns as people go day after day without adequate medical care, food, shelter, water and burial.


Medics and reporters are expressing the agonizing frustration of witnessing thousands of preventable deaths. Relief after persons are pulled from the rubble is turning into grief with the realization the injured may only be waiting to die in makeshift clinics that lack the basic medical supplies needed to save their lives.


As images and stories of millions of homeless people sleeping in the streets travel across borders, many in the U.S. have had to wait for days and will possibly have to wait for months to learn if their loved ones survived. Thousands of Haitians and non-Haitians simply disappeared with no record of their death.


Outside of larger cities, small towns, like Athens are also home to Haitians, who are experiencing hardship from afar. Members of the Athens community, such as Haitian graduate student Valessa St. Pierre, feel some sense of relief when they are informed family members survived, yet they must wait to hear about the welfare of countless others.


“What is mostly hurtful to me on top of the people being killed is the feeling of the loss of the country—something that is bothering a lot of Haitian people—to see an already overwhelmed country—it is painful to watch and painful to bear. —St. Pierre said.


Haitians in the U.S. describe the shock they feel as they try to contact relatives and comprehend the enormity of the loss. While some discuss what can be accomplished in rebuilding a nation once subjected to colonialism, unfair taxes, embargos and debts that have left it ill-prepared for such a disaster, it is difficult to imagine how those who survived are coping with post-traumatic stresses.


“With Haiti being my country—to see it in ruins—it breaks my heart—knowing that the people of this country started many revolutions and that my ancestors worked so hard for Haiti’s freedom and now to have to overcome this—it is hard to put into words what I feel” —St. Pierre, said.


Much attention has been placed on the outpouring of aid from around the world—a bleak glimmer of hope more lives will be saved. Many Haitians are managing the moment-to-moment struggles of surviving new dangers, yet they find the strength to help in recovery efforts. Despite their lack of resources, Haitians are the real heroes—sharing what little they have, risking their lives to rescue neighbors and strangers, transporting the injured and handling decomposing corpses with their bare hands.


Haitian and Fulbright scholar, Frednel Isma, returned to Port-au-Prince after earning an M.A. in International Affairs at Ohio University last August. Fortunately, he was traveling in a region of Haiti not as badly devastated by the earthquake on January 12. Instead of retreating to the countryside, he returned to Port-au-Prince only two days later to search for relatives and friends. On Monday, January 18, he posted a message on a social-networking website in response to numerous persons’ efforts to contact him.


“I am alive, Thank God . . . . The situation is chaotic and I cannot describe what Haiti is experiencing now. Although I am sleeping without a roof over my head . . . I am one of the fortunate ones who made it for now . . . Thanks for your prayers” —wrote Isma.


Bose Maposa, an OU graduate student from Botswana, is gradually hearing news about the 40 or more Haitian friends she studied with in Cuba.


“Last week, I found out that two passed away, Kerton and Clemonte. It was just shocking. It is painful when you know that people are dying, but when I learned that someone I knew passed away it is a devastating feeling” —Maposa said.


So far, Maposa has learned seven of her ex-schoolmates are alive.


“I have started to contact people I went to school with to see what to see what we can do in terms of long-term assistance. I’ve seen it happen where a death occurs and people help right after, but then the family is left to deal with rebuilding their lives. I want to make sure that their families get all the help they can get, and not only them, but all Haitians,” Maposa said.


As Haitians and the world mobilize resources, there are immediate needs and long-term concerns. In looking ahead, more will be accomplished if the citizens of the world continue to rally.


Locally, Ohio University students are organizing a fundraising concert, “Rally for Haiti,” taking place on Sunday, January 24 at 6:30 p.m. in Baker Center Ballroom. The event will include performances by students from around the world, a poem reading by Bose Maposa and a speech by Haitian native Valessa St. Pierre. The event is open to the public and all proceeds will go to support relief efforts. For more information, contact Erica Butcher eb549701@ohio.edu