Stayed in a hotel in Ti Goave last night, about an hour west of Leogane. I went there yesterday with ARC to tag along on another camp assessment, because ARC is trying to come into the region to do camp management, help people return home, and then work into community-based projects as they get a sense of the needs.
Interesting to experience the real humanitarian aid world. Things can move very, very quickly given willpower of sincere people leading the organizations. There's also a hoity-toity attitude of aid workers, with their badges and branded vehicles and fancy titles. I'm attracted to relief work, but not sure I want to ever assume that persona. One of the ARC folks spoke of that dilemma at lunch; she has lived in Rwanda for three years, only on a short-term stint here. "It's the difference between working and belonging."
Did the assessment in Ti Goave yesterday and Gran Goave today on the way back to Leogane. Met with the G Goave major, a friendly fellow. "Better rural schools, microenterprise with fairness, and environmental protection--with that you fix 80% of the problems here."
We found a lot of the camps have dispersed except for a couple dozen families. The camp committee leaders kept trying to tell us there were more...trying to get more help. Joe explained it well, "these people are just dirt poor, and are hoping for something, anything, before they leave." I suppose the people who left already just gave up sooner. Real help hasn't yet come to these places.
That is the disaster: acute insult on chronic misery.
I spent a good bit of time talking and playing with some kids. Told them I lived in Leogane, just visiting Ti Gwav. So one little girl said, "then come back tomorrow and make us a hospital."
"Why do you say that?" I answered (knowing the answer, of course)
"People are sick."
"What sickness do they have?"
"They eat dirt and it makes them sick."
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