Haiti action for relief efforts

The earthquake that shook and wreaked havoc on Haiti on January 12 has been difficult to watch for all of us around the world. An earthquake with a magnitude of seven is difficult for any place and its people to endure, yet the earthquake in Haiti has uncovered the truth that a natural disaster of that magnitude is only magnified when it happens to an impoverished nation and its people.

This fact is highlighted by the occurrence of an earthquake that happened in San Francisco and measured 6.8 just a few days before the one in Haiti. An avid reader of East Coast newspapers, I nearly missed news of what happened on the West Coast because of a lack of reporting on it. In fact, I would not have known about if my Japanese friend who has a friend in San Francisco had not told me. While damage and death occurred in the Bay area because of the quake, it was not nearly as much as that in Haiti. Wealth had provided a means to safeguard against major catastrophe in the states that eluded Haiti.

Since the earthquake in Haiti, ICU Peace Fellows and I have been thinking of ways we can help those in need in Haiti from Tokyo. We recently drafted a letter to our friends and supporters to call them to action to donate to relief efforts for Haiti. Read the full letter here (in English or Japanese). Of course, donations include more than just sending money to relief efforts! In addition to monetary donations, we encourage others to petition their public officials and leaders to call for sustainable development—both to alleviate some of the causes that have brought Haiti to this point and to help rebuild a more sustainable future. As some have noted, Haiti has been blessed with lots of aid money in the past, yet the aid has not been maximized to its full potential. Rethinking how aid is used is part of Haiti's future sustainable development.

Lastly, we ask others to continue to increase awareness about Haiti and other countries perilously on the brink of failure. Increasing awareness can be as easy as finding ways for groups of friends to send assistance—such as giving up going out for dinner and drinks with friends for one night and, instead, using those funds to send to Haiti relief efforts. Or, as one fellow humorously suggested, organizing a poker or game night with friends and using all of the winnings to donate. And remember, places like Haiti will continuously need aid and assistance from wealthier countries like the US, so these events can be organized anytime and not just in times of disaster.

We are also showing early next week to ICU students a short documentary film about Haiti entitled "The Road to Fondwa" that talks about Haiti and development in the country prior to the devastating earthquake. You may want to share this documentary movie your friends and family! We are hoping to continue raising awareness about the country even though news of the devastation has already begun to recede in the newspapers and on television. Haiti will need sustained support and aid to rebuild!

If you have not already provided aid or assistance to relief efforts, I urge you to do so today! And get your friends and family involved too! As global citizens, we all must do our part to help our brothers and sisters in need!

Best,
JRG