Help Haiti!
January 13, 2010 7:42 AM Subscribe
How can we help Haiti? I am a skilled off-road motorcycle rider and know many others. Does anyone know or have connections with a group, person, NGO that would be interested in bringing such people into Haiti to assist in delivering medicine, etc.? One of the biggest problems for aid workers is getting to the people who need help. Obviously, lives are lost with each hour that goes by.
I second Partners in Health - a fantastic grassroots focussed organization. There's a great book about them and the founder Paul Farmer -
here's the link
http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1298
(I can't seem to get the link function to have a label)
I've been supporting them since I read the book.
posted by judybxxx at 8:18 AM on January 13, 2010
here's the link
http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1298
(I can't seem to get the link function to have a label)
I've been supporting them since I read the book.
posted by judybxxx at 8:18 AM on January 13, 2010
Best answer: I know someone at an NGO who has done public health work in Hati. I could make some inquiries, but given what I know given that Hati is an annual hurricane risk, I suspect NGOs already have logistics plans that they are executing against, so ad hoc offers of assistance may not get a lot of attention.
I can still ask, but it would help to package this. How many people can you find who are serious enough to leave work and travel to Hati in the next few days? How long can they spend? How many already have a passport? How many have travel vaccination appropriate for travel to Hati? Are they willing to use their own equipment? Can they get it to some central rendezvous point for transportation to Hati?
While you are out there gauging interest in the off-road motorcycle community and ability, you should see how many people would be interested in doing something like this in the future, because I think the next disaster (and there is always a next disaster, somewhere) is your best bet. If you can get a group of people together who can answer yes to the questions I've asked above, then you can approach other NGOs and offer your assistance to compliment their own strengths.
posted by Good Brain at 8:41 AM on January 13, 2010 [3 favorites]
I can still ask, but it would help to package this. How many people can you find who are serious enough to leave work and travel to Hati in the next few days? How long can they spend? How many already have a passport? How many have travel vaccination appropriate for travel to Hati? Are they willing to use their own equipment? Can they get it to some central rendezvous point for transportation to Hati?
While you are out there gauging interest in the off-road motorcycle community and ability, you should see how many people would be interested in doing something like this in the future, because I think the next disaster (and there is always a next disaster, somewhere) is your best bet. If you can get a group of people together who can answer yes to the questions I've asked above, then you can approach other NGOs and offer your assistance to compliment their own strengths.
posted by Good Brain at 8:41 AM on January 13, 2010 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Partners in Health is terrific, and we do give to them. Terrific suggestions, Good Brain. I can put out a poll/request for info in a few places and get some info. I guess I'm thinking we can make a difference on a "micro" basis -- like ferrying medicine to the villages closes to the epicenter. If we can help even one person, it is worth doing. I'm now hearing that this is the worst event in over 200 years there, and that there could be 100,000+ dead already. My guess is that logistics plans are probably going to be about as effective as they were in New Orleans in the early stages.
posted by Shike at 9:37 AM on January 13, 2010
posted by Shike at 9:37 AM on January 13, 2010
clubs are a good way to do this, since there is already an organizational hierarchy and someone knows a) who's good at what and b) who has a lot of free time.
these central florida airboaters put together, at the last minute and at their own expense, a substantial relief mission in new orleans after katrina and might be a good model for you.
posted by toodleydoodley at 9:38 AM on January 13, 2010
these central florida airboaters put together, at the last minute and at their own expense, a substantial relief mission in new orleans after katrina and might be a good model for you.
posted by toodleydoodley at 9:38 AM on January 13, 2010
Response by poster: Good point. I'm a member of a couple clubs, and there is an online community of adventure riders (worldwide) that should be a good source of people. I've posted Good Brain's excellent list of questions there at the following post: http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11872234#post11872234
It is a fun site to browse, by the way. "> Incredible stories and pictures.
posted by Shike at 9:44 AM on January 13, 2010
It is a fun site to browse, by the way. "> Incredible stories and pictures.
posted by Shike at 9:44 AM on January 13, 2010
Response by poster: Sorry. Messed up the last link. Here is the link to ADV Rider.
posted by Shike at 9:47 AM on January 13, 2010
posted by Shike at 9:47 AM on January 13, 2010
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posted by oinopaponton at 7:51 AM on January 13, 2010