Stories from the field
Haiti Diary: Chiran Livera
Shelter needs – looking and planning ahead
March 3, 2010
We have now completed the distribution of emergency relief items, such as blankets, kitchen sets, tarpaulins, and hygiene sets, to 25,000 people in Jacmel. The coordination with other organizations is going well and we are able to identify gaps and quickly address needs. The focus has now shifted to transitional shelter. This style of shelter will provide affected families with a shelter solution for up to a few years. The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) has particular expertise in this, and the Canadian Red Cross has an excellent track record in this field from its experience during the 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia and other emergencies.
Transitional shelter not only includes the physical house structure, generally made of timber, but also sanitation and livelihood components. Last week, the IFRC set up prototypes of the structures in Port au Prince and had an open discussion with local authorities and other organizations on the flexibility and toughness of the design as the rain and hurricane season approaches.
Of course there are many other matters to address before beginning to assist people in constructing these transitional shelters. The Red Cross is currently urging authorities to make more space available to cope with the high population density. Due to massive amounts of debris and infrastructure damage in Port-au-Prince, Léogâne and other surrounding communities, there is a shortage of available land to set up adequate shelter for those displaced.
The Canadian Red Cross has indicated interest in working in Jacmel and Léogâne to provide support for these transitional shelters. As this is too large a task for one National Red Cross society, we will be partnering with Red Cross’ from other parts of the world who have expertise in sanitation and creating community programmes to help people re-establish and improve their lives. We hope to provide a safe and habitable solution for those affected by the earthquake.
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.
