Haiti Solidarity Blog
IOM (International Migration Organisation) and USAID (United States Agency for International Development), which are in charge of the distribution of non-dietary relief, have informed Haitian Organizations that there is a grave need for a Regional Association.The association would serve as a focal point for coordination, to help improve the efficiency, of providing the aid and support needed by the Haitian population . On the same note, the scouts plan to join some of these regional communication centers, which are yet to be determined and fully collaborated upon. They will for example, be in charge of organizing the food line-ups operated by the US Army in Port-au-Prince. As part of it's -Education- unit, UNESCO has asked the Haitian Scouts to integrate the assessment teams, in order to launch a scholastic census programme.
The Haitian Scouts have facilitated communication between the Dominican and Haitian Ministries of Youth, by maintaining the already established liaisons with the Dominican Scouts. Soon, a Scout conference is expected to take place in St. Domingo so as to outline, the efforts deployed for the reconstruction of Haiti and the various training tools that will be required. The greater objective of this conference, which is highly anticipated by the Haitian Scouts, is to put in place a network of Youth Associations in Haiti.
Immediately after his return to France, Fédéric Amiel, a logistcian sent to Haiti by the Scouts et Guides de France, was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to present the results and outcome of his mission.
World Scouting Bureau.
Saturday, Mr. Michel Chancy, special Secretary of State in charge of the distribution of the food aid, contacted the Scouts of Haiti to ask for their help in the national effort. The coordinators of the crisis cell of the National Association of the Scouts of Haiti (NASH) immediately met with the person in charge of this distribution in order to plan their support contribution. Scouts will reinforce teams in each municipality and will participate in the transportation of food stuffs. In each concerned community, a contingent of three ministerial delegates establish relations with the city hall and identify the needs of the area, accommodation sites and also establish the figures assessment that the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) requires. The townships concerned for the moment are Port-au-Prince, Tabarre, Cité Soleil, Carrefour, Pétionville, Delmas, Léogane, Petit Goave. To accomplish their mission the Scouts have a list of vehicle owners that are willing to put them at their disposal at any given time.
Moreover, on Saturday a truck sent by the Dominican Scouts and a convoy of four vehicles of the Haitian Scouts were able to link up at the border. Thanks to the solidarity of the Dominicans the NASH has gotten 2500 bottles of water, 1000 canned foods, and 500 milk packs, which will allow the nourishment of the volunteer teams. The President of the Dominican Scouts and the Deputy General Commissioner of the Scouts of Haiti also met during this occasion.
Upon returning from the North, Nicolas Clervil, General Commissioner, indicated that the Scouts have been very present as moral support for the refugees who are finding themselves far from their places of origin.
The international mission arrived last night as planned, at the Port-au-Prince airport in the Red Cross convoy and with dominican escorts. After a brief visit to the French embassy, the mission reunited with Haitian scouts at the scout base, where the bestowal of the transported equipment took place. The equipment consists mainly of tools that help facilitate the logistical organization and communication of the Scout Movement: two solar panels with two undulator to generate electricity, thirty dynamo torch-lights, two laptops with extended battery life, A VHF base with antenna and 5 portable transmitters. The Mission also provided, canned food, bread, milk and water. This provision was made possible thanks to the generosity of our first benefactors.
Upon arrival, Joseph-Emmanuel Saint-Amour, the president of the National Association of the Scouts of Haiti (NASH), was accompanied by Lyonel Laviolette, General Secretary, who is in charge of the organization of the HQs and by Gerard-Marie Tardieu, Assistant General Commissioner in charge of the management of stocks.
Thanks to NASH, the Scout delegation and its Dominican representatives were able to meet the Haitian Minister of Youth and Sports. They discussed the re-launch of youth programs and activity, with the prospective support of the Dominican Government.
In the present situation, the NASH is coordinating to entities: a crisis management unit that was put in place by the Western department, immediately after the earthquake, and the National Bureau. A meeting between the different troop leaders should take place today in order to improve the field coordination. Since the 12th of January, like many other Haitians, Scouts are also sleeping outside and are roused early in order to get to work. Alone, within a group or together with humanitarian NGOs they do not miss an opportunity to be useful. The NASH is positioning itself to be a facilitator between the population and the humanitarian entities. Being close to the population, Scouts are capable of identifying the needs and to communicate these to the humanitarian agencies, whilst also passing down hygiene and security instructions in the neighborhoods. The French Embassy has proposed to the Scouts that they participate in the reception of refugees in Inche (central plateau).
A list of emergency needs is being drafted under the supervision of the General Commissioner, Nicolas Clervil. The list will be quickly transmitted to the International Scout Aid coordination. The day's agenda also foresees another meeting with the French Embassy and a visit of the United Nations headquarters.
The two members of the Reconnaissance Mission arrived in Santo Domingo last night, where they were greeted by representatives of the Dominican Scout. Upon arrival, a meeting took place with the representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Youth Ministry and the French Embassy. The session established the support of the various participating parties.
The Education Minister, has arranged for a chauffeur and a car to be at the disposition of the Mission and to escort them to Haitian territory. The Mission includes, a logistician working with les Scouts et Guides de France, a journalist from french magazine, La Vie ( collaborator of the operation), a representative of the Dominican Scouts, department head for Education and department head for Youth of the Dominican Ministries. The vehicle will most probably team up with a Red Cross Convoy which will be going to Haiti on, Thursday January 21st.
The objectives of the mission were re-assessed and have now accounted for the assistance of the various partners and the immediate crisis at hand. Coordinating with the Ministries of Education and Youth of Haiti will be of high priority, so as to re-establish their education program in affiliation with the United Nations educational cluster.
The dominican scouts have offered their national office to function as the logistics base for the collection and transferal of equipment to Port-au-Prince. Apart from helping the Reconnaissance Mission, they will lay out the program designed for the youth and implement it in the refugee camps situated by the border.
This morning two members of the Reconaissance Mission for the International Scout Aid, left Paris, assisted by the Scouts et Guides de France. They will be welcomed this evening at 8:00pm local time by a team from the National Association of the Dominican Scouts, who were in contact yesterday with Luc Panissod, Secretary General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
Upon their arrival in Santo Domingo the logisitics advisor Fréderic Amiel and the journalist Laurent Grzybowski, will have their first meeting with the Dominican Scouts, representatives from the French Embassy, UNICEF, and the Minister of Education of the Dominican Republic. The latter will probably put a vehicle at their disposal to ensure transportation of the team to Port-au-Prince. The contribution of the Dominican Scouts is of importance as their country will serve as a secondary base for the coordination of the international relief efforts. The team is also assisted by Rafael Julia, Spanish citizen residing in the country who works for the United Nations system in the Dominican Republic.
The objective of the mission, sent at the behest of the Haiti Scouts Association who have had a long tradition of cooperation with the French Scouts, is to evaluate the needs for the emergency aid, support the Haitian Scouts in their collaboration with the international humanitarian agencies, especially those belonging to United Nations system and to prepare the action plan for the next reconstruction phase.
An initial sum of 10'000 euros has been released. They come from donations that have been collected in the last few days. It will serve to answer the immediate needs of the Scouts of Haiti. Communication and first aid matierial will also be bought on the island, especially a water purifier, a radio communication system and motobikes to facilitate the transportation of the Scout leaders coordinating the efforts.
After the violent quake which struck Haiti, World Scouting is mobilising in order to help the 30,000 Scouts of Haïti so that they can come to the aid of the stricken population. In the name of World Scouting, a message of solidarity and compassion, was sent to Haitian Scouts, even though it is very difficult to get into contact with them for the moment. A volunteer cooperation specialist from “Scouts et Guides de France” (Scouts and Guides of France) is on site in Port-aux-Princes, to support the coordination of the international Scout aid.
A precise indication of what the needs are of the stricken families in terms of goods of first necessity, has been made possible thanks to the contacts, although limited, that have been made at this time. In fact, the 30,000 Haitian Scouts are essential relays between the emergency NGOs and the local population. Their action during the hurricane of 2008, has shown their capacity to act efficiently in operations of clearing, cleaning, decontamination and also by taking care of children that have been left to their own devices, as well as by building emergency camps.
