Haiti Disaster Update - Advanced Team Report

The meeting with the Haiti Advanced Team in New York went extremely well. Nadine McNeil, Project Leader, presented the Assessment Report which outlined the current state of conditions on the ground in Haiti; and the volunteer profile and skill set that will be required over the next 12 months.

Excerpts from the Team Assessment Report:
CURRENT OVERALL CONDITIONS:
The initial recovery teams have left and most crisis medical care has been done. The medical needs now are in the realm of broken bones that were never set, secondary infections and maladies due to toxic living conditions and poverty-related illnesses. The roads need to be repaired and built. Buildings need to be rebuilt or made structurally sound again. Communication systems need to be established. Housing needs to be a major priority as approximately 1.5 million people were displaced, a total of 3 million affected. Infrastructure basics such as running water and plumbing are needed to attenuate the ubiquitous diseases that have caused one of the world's highest rates of infant mortality.

VOLUNTEER PROFILE:
All volunteers to Haiti need to be in optimal health condition; i.e., mentally and physically. Given the harsh conditions on the ground and virtually no adequate medical support, to travel in country with questionable health is deemed unacceptable and irresponsible. Awareness of the Haitian cultural backdrop is critical to lending meaningful assistance. Knowledge of French and/or Creole is highly encouraged and recommended, especially for those volunteers who are placed in remote locations. At least for the first 6 to 9 months, all volunteers travelling to Haiti will need to undergo induction training prior to their arrival in Haiti. Prior relief/emergency experience is strongly desired for the first team going in.

Nadine and I have been working around the clock this week confirming which partners we will be working with and setting up the logistics required to operate a safe and effective volunteer program.

We are aiming to have the first team mobilised in April which would include a 5 day training/induction in Jamaica and then a Haiti mission.

We are currently working through the applications received and next week we will commence the selection process based on the recommended criteria. We will also be in a position to provide you with more concrete information about the types of placements being offered and associated costs.

Again, I thank all of you for your continued support and patience during this time.

Kind Regards,

Colin Salisbury
Founder and President
Global Volunteer Network