One of many buildings that collapsed following the January 12th earthquake in Pétion-ville, Haiti.
A make-shift camp set up on a median between two roads in Port-au-Prince. Hundreds of shelters are set up in this way.
Stories from the field
Haiti Diary: Sophie Chavanel
From Montreal to Port-au-Prince
August 2, 2010
I left for Port-au-Prince with a clear mandate: to share information and stories with Canadians about how survivors are doing since the earthquake and how the Red Cross is helping.
When I arrived in Port-au-Prince I was completely shocked, but not for the reasons you think. I was shocked to see how beautiful the country is; so unlike the rubble and rocks that I imagined. I am shocked to see how lovely and friendly people are and above all, how they are always ready to laugh. As I get to know this country better, I am amazed by it and it’s filling up my heart.
However, the images I had seen on TV before I arrived are not false. Most of the buildings, even those that were not completely flattened, bear the marks of the violence of the earthquake. The poverty is striking and the living conditions of people in make-shift camps continues to be extremely difficult.
“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.
