Haiti Disaster

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dewdrop

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After every major disaster there is often claims that relief is slow to come to the affected areas yet journalists seem capable of being on the spot to report these shortcomings very quickly. At the risk of being criticised i recall reading somewhere that many of these relief agencies strive to get as much tv coverage as possible so as to enhance their reputation. I would hate to think this occurs but wonder why there is not one single body through whom all these relief agencies must operate. As far as i can see each one tends to do their best on their own. I hope my impressions are wrong.
 

I was thinking along similar lines myself. My sister used to work for an NGO and says that the amount of squabbling and turf wars between agencies during these disasters needs to be seen to be believed. The UN is supposed to co-ordinate everything but they are apparently just as bad.

I am also reluctant to respond to appeals for cash during these emergencies as well. The cynic in me thinks that some of these agencies use these events as general fundraising opportunities. I remember how after the Tsunami, agencies ended up with so much cash, they didn't know what to do with it and apparently alot of it was wasted on Tsunami victims when they didn't need it but the agencies had to be seen to be spending it.

One charity I have supported in the past is doctors without borders. They were also came out and said that they didn't need cash at the moment as they couldn't ensure that it would be spent responsibly albeit I think they are looking for it now.

On a side note, is it true that a plane containing a hospital and medical supplies was refused landing in Haiti because Hillary Clinton's plane got priority. Someone mentioned it today but I hope its not true!
 
It would appear that the aid agencies and NGOs are just as prone to human frailties and vanity as other organisations.

Ms. Clinton, mentality-wise, is no different to our own "master of disater, self-promotion junkie" politicians, she just plays to a bigger audience on a wider stage.

More worrying (for me) was the story that emerged on RTE during Marian Finnucane's show yesterday of containers of ski-boots shipped to the Sudan as aid and party-frocks shipped as part of the aid package in the wake of the tsunami. Also on BBC news, film purportedly of looters ransacking an aid warehouse showed one many clearly making off with a bottle of champagne in one hand and what looked like a box of Cadbury's Roses in the other.
 
I think it was a fiasco, a well meaning one, but a fiasco nonetheless. In their efforts to get there early no body really thought about the logistics of this operation. By all accounts Haiti airport is small and even prior to the disaster a huge bottle neck. Given the extent of the disaster and its effect on transport as well, it wouldn't have taken too much planning to consider the effects of everyone trying to arrive at once.

As a result, it's made a terrible situation worse.

Still, given most NGO's and charity's CEOs and senior management benchmark themselves against senior civil servants, I wonder if that significant chunk of our donations that go to their wages will suffer the same logistical problems when it comes to arriving in their bank accounts.
 
Listening to the radio I understand the prisoners have all escape now.

That ought to make things even more volatile.
 
dewdrop said:
.. wonder why there is not one single body through whom all these relief agencies must operate.
Click to expand...

The irony of this tragedy is that some of the people best placed to organise and mobilise quickly were themselves victims of the disaster.

And, yes, there is competition for profile across all these relief agencies. I spoke recently with someone who works for one of the biggest Irish ones and was told that they had to let go over 500 people worldwide as part of the reduction in Government and other funding.
 
I'd like to donate some money but am unsure of the best way to do it- I would like the bulk of the donation to be spent on aid, rather than admin fees.

Anyone know the most 'reputable' agency? Someone mentioned Doctors Without Borders, which might be a good shout...

Cheers,
PB
 

I think they are pretty much all reputable. Just not sure they are the most efficient. I think the whole NGO sector needs to look at itself. There are too many organisations chasing too little money. It is a sector that is crying out for consolidation. I think crisis like the Haiti disaster can be dealt with without the need for charities like Goal and Concern to get involved at the possible expense of many other worthwhile programmes that they are involved in around the world that don't get the 24 hour media coverage. Every charity wants to be seen running into Haiti which is adding to the chaos.

By the way, I am not doubting the work or intentions of any of these charities.
 

Doctors without Borders are a great cause. As Sunny says, if you're looking to donate to help the crisis, then it's those agencies that are set up for such an event. The main one is naturally the Red Cross. However, in this case if you can the American Red Cross is the most suitable.

I've no connection whatsoever, it's just the ARC commits far more to aid than on "admin", the main Red Cross is a bit more formalised and would have greater "admin" arrangements. Plus the ARC is closer by.
 
I know of one organisation who have been active in Haiti for over 20 years and any money donated would go directly to those who need it, i.e. low overheads.

Their Irish office is run on a voluntary basis, yet they've been caught out by the earthquake - they're not set-up to accept CC payments online.
 
I have noticed that if someone brings up topics of large scale suffering in general conversation that certain people do not want to know and will try and change the subject straight away. On a Monday morning at work we can discuss everything that is happening in the world but bring up an earthquake or a famine or a massacre and many people will tune off and visibly show that they do not want to discuss or even acknowledge these things. Why is that?
 

I don't think it's anything bad or through lack of caring (not suggesting you said it was), it's just the scale of the disaster is, for me anyway, beyond comprehension. I can't find words to discuss or qualify the sheer scale of the disaster. Add to that the typical lack of emotional intelligence of being a bloke and that's what you get.

I can't visualise or even conceive of how many people are thought to be dead. You can make all the analogies to the population of Town A, but I just can't associate with that scale of death.

However, I my biggest gripe is with the media at the moment. Is it just me or are they using any excuse to continue to show dead bodies lying around? Do I really need to see that? I don't buy for a second that seeing those images around the clock in anyway contributes to my understanding of the scale disaster (see first couple of paragraphs). This is just "suffering" pornography as far as I'm concerned.
 

I would sugests its to stop themselves becoming overly depressed on a monday morning. Humans have a great ability of mentally blocking out things that they dont like or feel frightened by.
 

Funny you should say that. I've read all about Haiti and have been following the news about it but didn't talk about it to anyone and nobody mentioned it at home until the weekend when my five year old started telling me about this big island where the earth cracked and lots of people were killed and injured. She wanted to go there in a plane with us to help. That started a BIG conversation. We already donate to medecins sans frontiers and at Christmas had resolved get our children involved in sponsering a child but hadn't gotten round to doing any thing about it.
 

I think it is because people cannot relate to it and don't understand the awfulness of the tragedy. It's like famines and war in Africa. People talked about 9/11 or the Tsunami because most people have been to New York or Asia and could relate to the pictures and the stories. When it comes to something like the Haiti disaster, most people are inclined to comment how awful it is, even make a charitable contibution and then just get on with their lives. Human nature I guess.
 
To make a donation to MSF-Medecins Sans Frontieres- and I hope they don't mind that I plagiarised this from their website-

'In order to make a donation to MSF please call 1800 905 509, or alternatively cheques made payable to "MSF" can be sent to:

MSF (Medecins Sans Frontieres)
PO Box 11645
FREEPOST 4683
Dublin 1'

I'm glad to say that I made another donation today and also finally signed up to sponsor a child. Yes, it's a drop in the ocean but at least we can try to help.
 
Following the suggestion here, I too made a donation to MSF.ie - they have an Irish specific website which was important to me. I'd heard about them before and always liked the idea of what they did.

They mention that you can donate specifically to the Haiti fund, but they suggest you donate to their 'Unspecified Fund' for allocation as they feel its needed. I wanted to go with their wishes but asked instead to split the donation and put half to each to cover both bases.

I would love to think it will make a difference, but as Vanilla said, its just a drop in the ocean.

My thoughts are today preoccupied with not just the poor people of Haiti, but having watched Slumdog Secret Millionaire last night, all people (particualrly children) who face such abject poverty and hardship.
 
I just said to the OH tonight when watching the news, with clips of Bill Clinton doing the rounds shaking hands etc, "how come he can get landed and out and about yet the supplies can't?".

Surely letting a plane full of medical supplies/food/water etc land would be more important than letting a plane with an ex-president and all his security staff land in its place?

A bit of a joke. Maybe Charlie Bird could have taken some supplies in with him - he got there quick enough.
 
Much cynicism is setting in and many tend to forget the disaster at hand. The bottom line is the Haitians need aid and the Organisers are falling down on the job. Bit like Military Cadets being brilliant at college and failing in actual battle.

But, we must help, we cannot ignore the terrible tragedy afoot.
 
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