Haiti's Stories of Heroism, Community Solidarity and Compassion

Based on personal post earthquake visits to Mexico, Chile and Colombia in the 1980's, I am convinced that there are hundreds of untold tales of heroism, community solidarity and compassion that are not being told about Haiti as the mainstream media touts looting to justify militarization of aid distribution. I will be trying to collect these tales here. These are important in identifying who is and will be empowering Haitians on the ground in the coming months and years and are deserving of medium and long-term support.

A note from Aristide's "Eyes of the Heart"
How do these people survive? Why is suicide practically unheard of in Haiti? To understand we must move beyond statistics. To see the richness of the Haitian people we must examine cultural factors: wealth of humor, warmth of character, ease of laughter, dignity, solidarity. We have traditions in Haiti that allow us to share food when we can. We raise the child of a friend or relative who cannot. We work toether in a Konbit to bring in a crop, or build a neighbor's house in exchange for a meal shared at the end of the day. We can make one more place on a tap-tap that is already impossibly full. The majority of Haitians survive in a vast informal economy that remains beyond the statisticians, yet provides sustenance for 70% of the urban workforce. And then we still smile, and we still laugh. In Haiti we are rich in these.

Give Haitians the means to help ourselves
By Yolette Etienne, Oxfam representative in Haiti

Haiti Untold: Nonviolence and Humanization at the Grassroots

CCIC and Caribbean recommendations to the foreign ministers meeting in Montreal, Monday 25 January 2010

HAITI-DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Sisters in Catastrophe - a story of cross border co-operation

Canadian Network on Cuba and Cuban Embassy in Canada solicit support for Cuban and Cuban trained Haitian medical personnel in Haiti

SOPUDEP School update

Haitian popular organizations - 2007 trip blog report

Zanmi Lasante

Bureau des avocats internationaux (Office of International Lawyers) - A human rights office in Haiti

CCIC Recommendations to the Foreign Ministers meeting in Montreal, Monday 25 January 2010

10 things Canada should do to help Haiti overcome Tuesday’s earthquake by Yves Engler, Montreal author

Canadian trio helps deliver clean water to desperate Haitian communities

One report I've seen says rural villages are feeding residents of Port au Prince who have fled the city and that stocks of seeds for the next agricultural crop are being eaten up. There will be an urgent need for local food crop seeds (local varieties, not imported GMO seeds!) to replace them if Haitians are to be able to feed themselves in the coming months and year.