Darina Loakman.com

This morning I found myself complaining (yet again) about the rain, how depressing it was, how annoying it was etc.. etc..

Then I sat down and opened my email and things were put into perspective. I received an email from a girl I know who is working in Haiti. She’s Irish, working with Digicel and loves it over there. But her email was thought provoking and as I thought about my moans over a little rain (& lets face it a new rain jacket would sort it for me !) I felt a bit embarrassed and humbled. I’m going to paste her email here, have a read of it, on this wet and windy Irish day.

My experience here has been very positive and one I will surely never
forget. The people in Haiti are very warm and welcoming, which amazes
me given that they have so little themselves. The country is beautiful
but is completely deforested as the people burn down the trees for
fuel or to make space for them to grow food to sell.

I am sure you have seen in the news over the last week the increased
devestation that has now hit Haiti due to the rains from the storms in
the Caribbean.

So, this email is a plea email…Although there are many countries
with their own devestation and help that is needed, it has shocked me
how many people don’t even know of the existence of Haiti and how bad
a situation it is in.

Following the appearance of Hurricane Gustav (Category 1) and Tropical
Storm Hanna we were all very nervous about the potential impact of
Hurricane Ike. It didn’t hit directly, but it did result in a lot more
rain hitting the regions outside of Port au Prince and adding on to
the already dire situation. The death toll is well over 500, with over
half a million people displaced from their homes.

And once the storms passed, the people have just started demonstration
and rioting as they have no food or homes for that matter. The
Government only got re-appointed last week after a 5 month gap, as the
Prime Minister was ousted out in April due to the bad situation of the
country. Inflation is so high (as I know you are all aware as it is
affecting everyone worldwide) but the people really cannot afford to
keep going the way they are. Although there are just under 3 million
people here who have phones, most of whom are working in low paying
jobs, there are over another 7 million who are living in abject
poverty.

Where I am is very shelted by mountains around Port au Prince so
thankfully I and the staff here are safe, although many staff outside
of Petionville (where I work and live) experienced lots of problems
with flooding and roads blocked due to fallen trees. Everything in
Port au Prince seems to be back to normal, thank God.

To me and the other European/Irish/British folk it is like a regular
shitty day back home, but to the people here the continuous rains are
causing mud slides, widespread flooding and severe damage to homes.

As you are all involved with various business groups, I am asking if
you could please get together and organise some kind of appeal to your
members or have a fundraiser to help the people of Haiti.

Some options are:

1. You can make donations to Concern (partner NGO of Digicel
Foundation) on their website and specify the donation is to go to
Haiti (http://www.concern.net/what-you-can-do/fundraising/donate-
now.php).

2. Send a cheque directly (in US Dollar please made out to the Digicel
Fondation) to me at the following address :

Jennifer McConnell
Directrice des Ressource Humaine
c/o Digicel Fondation
Siege Social
Immeuble Hexagone
Angles des rues Clerveaux & Darguin
Petion-Ville
Port au Prince
Haiti HT6142
Tel: +50937007100