Day: January 18, 2010

From Erika Hansen-

Joey,

This just in from Konbit Pou Ayiti/KONPAY (it means Working Together for Haiti), a local Haiti relief organization with a long history in Haiti and a Gloucester connection (My sister is the U.S. coordinator.).

Progress Report on Coordinated Rapid Response to Haiti Earthquake
January 18, 2010
Melinda Miles, Konbit Pou Ayiti/KONPAY – Working Together for Haiti

We have made substantial progress this weekend on finalizing logistics to get supplies and critical medical teams into Haiti and now have three points of entry to Haiti: direct to Jacmel (where KONPAY is based) via boat from the Dominican Republic (DR), direct to Port-au-Prince (PAP) over land from the DR, and to points north of PAP and the capital via Cap-Haitian and Santiago, DR (crossing at Dajabon-Ounaminthe).

Gathering and Getting Supplies into Haiti:

Several volunteers are currently following up interesting leads and appealing to companies for donations for the people on the ground. We are using an excellent medical supply wish list provided by the Haitian Professionals of Philadelphia, and from the ground we have highlighted several other key items to the donation list including: work gloves, tents, LED head lamps, walkie talkies, water purification filters and tablets, 3M particulate filter respirators, work masks and eye protection.

Amy Fotta has been volunteering through KONPAY and is in touch with Food for the Poor. They will be shipping supplies into Haiti on Royal Caribbean Cruise ships when they dock at the Labadee port. We hope to be able to help them transport supplies over land to PAP from the north and then to aid in distribution on the ground in PAP.

We are very close to securing some amazing material donations such as tarps, ropes and other necessities for some of the millions of Haitians sleeping outdoors right now. As it began to rain last night, five days after the earthquake, we were reminded of the sheer urgency of needs on the ground. It has been frustrating to see the days slipping by while we struggled to set up this response, but we are pleased to report that the points of entry have been established and the coordination is in place to begin mobilizing human and material resources into Haiti.

Visit KONPAY’s web site konpay.org to read Melinda Miles’ full report on progress made transporting teams and supplies into Haiti, the latest summary assessment for Jacmel from the UN in PAP and details of KONPAY’s headquarters and operations in Santo Domingo.

To donate,
http://www.razoo.com/story/Haiti-Earthquake-Emergency-Relief-Campaign
(There is a map of Haiti on this page)

Contact Elise Hansen, elise@konpay.org for more information or if you want to help.
Thank you so much!

I thought I would share some  diving pics on this wintry day. You don’t have to go to the Caribbean, look what’s in your own backyard!