| |
In
Creole, ‘Kouri di Vwazin’W’ means ‘tell
your neighbour’. It reflects the oral tradition that reigns
in Haiti, a country where more than 60 per cent of the population
are illiterate. It is also the perfect title for a Red Cross
project that aims to alert and sensitize vulnerable communities
to potential hazards such as hurricanes.
The project uses a combination of traditional and new technology
to achieve its ends. Already, 150 Haitian Red Cross volunteers
have been trained as ‘relais communitaire’. Their
job is to alert the population and raise awareness of what to
do if disaster strikes.
“Relais communitaire is an African concept that represents
the link between the source of information – in this case
the Red Cross – and the community,” explains Toumane
Dianka, the International Federation’s Disaster Management
Delegate in Haiti.
When hurricane Ernesto was approaching southern Haiti, Denis
Jean Colo, one of the relais communitaire, came to alert Etes
Davilma and his wife Piard Marie Anne to the threat and the need
to leave their home for safer ground.
“If Colo hadn’t told us, we wouldn’t have known,” says
Davilma, who has already lost nine relatives including his parents
to hurricanes and floods.
“We had a radio but the batteries ran out and can’t
afford to buy new ones.”
Davilma has lived for 21 years in a high risk area at a river
basin. He could see the river level rising but did not know what
to expect. “You would never think that this river, which
is no threat during the dry season, could become deadly,” explains
Colo.
Davilma and his wife stayed in the emergency shelter for eight
days before they could go back to what remained of their home.
Harnessing radio technology
‘Word of mouth’ is a useful means of communication
but it cannot reach everyone. “We have seen that where
there are no relais communitarie, some people don’t get
the news or get it too late,” says Chery Jean Benito, one
of the project coordinators in Les Cayes, in the south province.
To reach as many people as possible, therefore, another aspect
of the project is to distribute wind-up and solar powered radios.
The first of these were given out on 11 October, the international
day of risk reduction.
“These radios do not need batteries,” explains Benito. “They
are the most innovative thing I’ve ever seen and they solve
a lot of problems for these families.”
Radio remains the most widely used medium to reach and inform
the millions affected by natural disasters and complex emergencies
in developing countries. Reaching the most vulnerable people
is essential both for providing adequate protection and assistance
in an emergency and for strengthening their capacity to cope
in future crises.
Sixty-eight radios will be distributed in the south-west province
alone. As well as family radios, 12 of these will be larger community
radios. These will be given to community leaders who will be
responsible for alerting their neighbours about any threats.
Thanks to a donation from the ‘free players’ company,
a total of 500 radios will be distributed in the six provinces
where the project is being implemented.
To reinforce this, partnerships with community and local radio
stations have been established and radio spots on disaster preparedness
have been distributed.
Building trust through knowledge
“Information, education and communication is what the project
is all about,” says Dianka. “What it is innovative
is that we work together with the community, building a list
of what needs to be done in an emergency. We built trust through
knowledge.”
The most difficult aspect of an emergency is when people need
to be evacuated. This is when Haitian Red Cross volunteers work
together with local authorities to persuade people to recognise
the threat. “It takes time to make them understand that
they need to leave their homes and possessions,” explains
Colo. “We have to persevere. Time is of the essence.”
For some people, the choice is clear. “When news of Ernesto
started coming through, I took my kids and left for the shelter,” says
Monette Petithomme.
“I would rather save our lives than material things”.
But for many living in vulnerable areas, losing kitchen utensils,
mattresses, a pig or their chickens can mean they might never
be able to replace them. “It is a hard choice and we understand
it,” says Colo.
The project covers six provinces but aims eventually to reach
the whole country. “If there is no hurricane, there is
no money for Haiti,” emphasizes Dianka. “But we are
very positive about this project and we are already designing
the second phase.”
The project has been supported by the American, Canadian and
Norwegian Red Cross and the Norwegian and Swiss governments.
|
|
