Stories from the field
Haiti Diary: Chiran Livera
Hearts that define the Red Cross
February 22, 2010
It has been a week and half since I arrived and much has been accomplished by our team. Distributions and community needs assessments are ongoing daily and my days are occupied with working alongside the Haitian Red Cross.
I have been working with the Jacmel branch of the Haitian Red Cross alongside 40 dedicated volunteers. It is clear to me that these volunteers are the faces and hearts that define the Red Cross Movement. I began my career as a youth volunteer in Vancouver so I understand the importance of their dedication and passion.
I have had the pleasure to get to know many of them on a personal level and their stories are both difficult and optimistic. Many of them were affected by this earthquake. Even though some of their houses are now inhabitable, each morning they walk many kilometers to the Red Cross office to give their energy to assisting others.
One volunteer, Michele Guardina, is a 22-year-old student who calls the valley of Jacmel her home. Michele is a natural leader and has an innate talent to motivate others and resolve difficult situations. Since the earthquake, she spends her days and evenings at the Red Cross office working on different emergency assistance projects.
When I asked her why she has been volunteering with the Red Cross all this time, she simply replied that this is her life and she would not dream of doing anything else. This idea of neighbours helping strangers and communities coming together to identify solutions to challenges is apparent in what I have seen in Haiti. Often out of a tragedy, a sense of community spirit and resilience can emerge and Haiti is no exception.
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.
