Much was going to made of this date – January 12th 2011 – a year after one of the worst natural disasters humanity has ever faced. 1.3 million people were left homeless, 300,000 injured and over 230,000 people killed. However, I suspect that due to the very sad, unfolding disaster in Brisbane today, much of the coverage won’t be shown.
Haiti is still struggling to deal with the magnitude of the devastation. There was little infrastructure before the earthquake – many people are still housed in temporary accommodation and to add to their woes the cholera epidemic is still spreading uncontrollably and the outbreak is still yet to reach it’s peak. The elections taking place mean that Haiti is in a very fragile position, with the fear of violence a very real concern.
The charity Haiti Hospital Appeal have a number of fundraising events to focus on “One Year On” from the earthquake. One of the events is called “In Their Shoes” that will enable an audience to understand something of what Haiti has experienced this past year. They are encouraging schools, youth groups and the general public to attend and learn for themselves what life can be like when living in extreme poverty. Check out the details on the website.
I bought one of their wristbands today. I hope we don’t forget:-
