Stories from the field
Haiti Diary: Chiran Livera
Leaving Haiti a better place
May 20, 2010
As our shelter program begins, and the team of delegates in Jacmel and elsewhere in Haiti grows, I’m beginning to say goodbye to this wonderful country and its people. My mission is coming to a close and I will return to Ottawa to debrief and begin another position elsewhere in the world.
As I drive back to Port au Prince from Jacmel, it is incredible to see how much progress has been made since the January 12 earthquake. Aid agencies have worked with the affected populations to distribute water, emergency shelter and life saving medical care to millions across the country. Canadian Red Cross, as part of the larger network of Red Cross Societies, played a crucial role during the first months. Our presence in Leogane, Jacmel and with the hospitals of Petit Goave and Carrefour are very evident.
Now we have committed to the Haitian population our intention of staying long-term to help build back sustainable communities. In Jacmel, this translates into providing shelters for thousands of families alongside a holistic water and sanitation program.
I’m especially proud and fortunate to have worked alongside the much respected Haitian Red Cross. I have seen first hand the dedication and passion if its employees and volunteers. From the moment I arrived, it was clear to me that we must help build the capacity of this organization. I’m happy to say that this obligation is ingrained into all aspects of our work in Haiti and this will be a measure of success for us when we look back on what we’ve accomplished.
As I begin to depart, I’m reminded of a quote a Red Cross colleague said recently adapted from the Winnie the Pooh novel … “Promise you will never forget us. If we thought you would, we could never let you leave us.”
Chiran Livera is a Program Officer for the International Emergency Response team at the Canadian Red Cross. A Simon Fraser University alum, he is trained in humanitarian relief management in complex emergencies and also has a facilitation background in international humanitarian law, armed conflict and active global citizenship. Chiran joined the Canadian Red Cross as a youth volunteer in 2004 and he will be in Haiti for three months to assist with shelter assessment initiatives and distribution of relief items.
