LatinaLista
When the world first learned about the devastating earthquake in Haiti last month, the news reports of the destruction, suffering and loss of life couldn’t come quickly or often enough.
For a couple of weeks, people were glued to their television sets or clicking through photos online of what was happening in Haiti. Yet, because human nature is fickle and the daily business of life always ends up winning in the end, the interest in what is happening in Haiti is waning — when it should be heightened.
Right now, the survivors of Haiti’s earthquake find themselves in a more vulnerable position than ever before. The yearly rainy season has set in early already washing away makeshift cardboard homes or proving challenging to the tent cities, constructed of thin bed sheets, that men, women and children have built to shield them from the elements.
A young resident of a refugee camp in Port-au-Prince stood amid a sea of the makeshift tents that aid officials say will offer little shelter during the upcoming rainy season. (Photo: Rodrigo Abd/ Associated Press)
A lack of sanitation is threatening the spread of disease, not to mention all the people who must now cope with amputated limbs and who have no access to physical therapy programs.
Obviously, there are many stories still to tell from Haiti.
Ever since the earthquake, volunteers and staff from the International Medical Corps have sent Latina Lista weekly updates on what is happening in the field hospitals and the local organizations they are working with to help the Haitian people.
Because the stories need to be heard, rescue projects continue to need funding and this is a crisis of such magnitude that it deserves to remain in the public eye, Latina Lista has created a special stand-alone section honoring the relief efforts by the International Medical Corps and other aid workers who continue to remain in Haiti.
Haiti Reports will serve as a clearinghouse of news, blog posts and pictures of ongoing relief efforts by people on the ground in Haiti or working to provide aid with specialized projects.
In this small way, Latina Lista hopes to keep the situation of Haiti top-of-mind among everyone who understands that the recovery process won’t be finished any time soon.
(Editor’s Note: Haiti Reports is open to submissions from relief agencies and individuals who have created special projects to assist the Haitian public. Submissions can be made to latinalista@airmail.net.)
