Monetary donations are paramount for relief organizations in Haiti

By María Camila Morales for Infosurhoy.com-18/01/2010

WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A. - A week after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, new challenges rise for the nongovernmental organizations working in the impoverished nation.

The distribution of clean water and providing shelter for survivors are the most urgent priorities of aid agencies in Haiti, according to Iván Muñoz, spokesperson for global relief organization Oxfam International in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Morales: What is the biggest challenge for humanitarian agencies?

Muñoz: It's been almost a week since the earthquake, so finding survivors under the rubble is almost improbable. Now, we have to think of the Haitians' future. So we have two challenges this week: We should distribute clean water to the population, not only in bottles or big jars, but we should think ahead about building a pipe and water treatment system. That is what people in Port-au-Prince request the most, and it is a way to avoid epidemics since they won't be consuming unfiltered water. Next, we should speed up the delivery of tents and shelter material to give them a roof over their heads after the quake. Now, Haitians sleep wherever they can - in parks, town squares and on street corners. We cannot leave them like that.

Morales: How can people help earthquake victims?

Muñoz: Economic donations must be a priority. People should donate money to those organizations that are working in the field. You could choose the one you prefer or know for their humanitarian work. I'm going to give you an example: For medicine, tents or doctors to reach Port-au-Prince from the airport or from the border with Dominican Republic, vehicles are needed. And humanitarian agencies need gasoline for those vehicles. Right now, we are buying it in Haiti whenever we can find it, but prices are increasing. One can always buy gas in the Dominican Republic, but even before the earthquake, the price was higher. Besides, contraband is an issue that worries Dominican authorities at the border. We have to pay for the gas at whatever price we are offered. Therefore, money is a priority.

Morales: What are the main infrastructure problems that you've seen in Haiti?

Muñoz: Roads are destroyed or congested, which slows down our cargo transport operations. Hospitals are saturated and the airport in Port-au-Prince is operating at full capacity - only four planes can be unloaded at the same time on the tarmac. The Las Américas airport in Santo Domingo is an alternative to receive more airplanes and warehouse the aid. Food, tents, medicine and medical personnel cannot make it directly to Haiti, as one has to make a stopover in the Dominican Republic before the aid reaches Haitians.

Source: infosurhoy.com

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