Support for Haitians

While on Lanzarote, we had TV. Skynews and CNN to be precise and all there was during our last days was the devastation of the earthquake that hit Haiti so close to the capital. The TV was on and off, the pictures were so horrible I could only watch with a distance, and the images were so many and awful that I actually didn't want to see them all but couldn't not watch either. Because really, the fact that an earthquake of that magnitude hit so close to the capital of a very poor country speaks enough. You don't need images to imagine what this means in reality.

Once again, natural disaster has hit the poorest. So the need is dire. I urge you to find out a bit more about Haiti - it's a country with an amazing spirit, a country that can pride itself with a revolt of slaves that overturned the colonial powers. Of course it's also a history of continued meddling by external nations and I don't think anyone will have summarised it as succinctly and forcefully as Clairwil in this post.

It makes me all the angrier that this earthquake struck in a country and hit people who really and truly have been hit enough by so many adverse forces that have kept a spirited people in an awful situation as it was.

We can't rewrite history, but the bottom line is that livelihoods have been destroyed, people have lost loved ones and are confronted with hunger, lack of water, disease to make a horrendous situation worse. I'm not one who tries to imagine what life is like for the survivors, because the suffering is beyond imagination. You've seen the reports and images, what more can I add to this?

There are many ways that you, yes you, can help. Some Mummy Bloggers have set up a Just Giving page for Shelter Boxes to be sent to Haiti. I like the idea that the boxes give families the tools to somehow support themselves in this crisis situation and don't forget the needs of children by adding a few crayons to the survival kit. However, I also think that the DEC is good at coordinating experienced charities in emergencies, including Save the Children who are part of DEC. So you can donate to DEC and they'll distribute the money as they see fit, or to a charity of your choice such as Save the Children if you're particularly concerned about helping children and their families in this emergency. It's up to you which route you find preferrable but please, reach out to the people who really and truly haven't deserved this and need your help and donate as much as you feel able to.