Jocelyne Pierre (right) and her family now have a roof over their heads thanks to the Canadian Red Cross who built a shelter near the spot where their destroyed home once stood.
Stories from the field
Haiti Diary: Sophie Chavanel
Seeing the difference we’re making firsthand
September 6, 2010
After over a month traveling the country, I am preparing to spend a full week in the office reporting, writing, photo editing and working on video. My office is awash in records and for good reason – I don’t spend much time here.
My work is done on the ground and that is what I love. I go into the communities and see how donations from Canadians are making a difference. I see the smiles that light up someone's face because he or she now has a roof to protect them from the elements. I love seeing kids come running to fetch water when the Red Cross water trucks arrive. I also like seeing the sincere handshakes to celebrate a job well done.
As the months pass since the earthquake struck, despite the hardships many people here face, it is inspiring to see their spirit. I can’t truly describe what it is like to watch people dance to kompa (Haitian music) in the street or on the piles of rubble as if to show the world they are overcoming all of this.
“On January 12, 2010, the earth shook violently Haiti. I sat in the newsroom of Radio-Canada in Montreal when I heard the news. The days and weeks that followed were full of extremely strong emotions when I saw, like you, the images of a country of rubble. I then made a decision. I didn’t just want to report the events, I wanted to be there. I then started a new journey as a delegate of the Red Cross.” – Sophie Chavanel, Canadian Red Cross delegate, Haiti.
Sophie Chavanel is the senior communications coordinator for the Canadian Red Cross in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sophie is a former journalist and joined the Red Cross team in Haiti in August 2010, where she will remain for 12 months. Follow her activities through her field diary below or on twitter at http://twitter.com/SophieChavanel.
