Stories from the field
Canadian Red Cross Community Kiosks
By Louise Taylor, Canadian Red Cross, Haiti
January 4, 2011
On December 2, the community of Ça Ira, Leogane inaugurated its first community kiosk with live music, theatre and, of course, lots of laughter. For the community of Ça Ira the wooden structure is more than a means to post information, it is also an integral tool in the Canadian Red Cross shelter program.
“The kiosks serve as a bridge between the Canadian Red Cross and the community,” explains Isabelle Hachette, community mobilization delegate. “They provide a point of contact through which we can disseminate essential information to communities about Canadian Red Cross programs. This includes the selection criteria for receiving a shelter, contact information and information about other services in the community.”
But more than merely passing along information, the kiosks also provide a way for communities to communicate back to the Canadian Red Cross, as they are equipped with a suggestion box where the public can leave letters or complaints. The Canadian Red Cross also posts a list of all the people in the community who were evaluated to receive a shelter. If someone’s name is missing, they can contact the Canadian Red Cross.
“It is imperative that the communities realize that the work of the Red Cross is not just false promises,” adds Hachette. “We don’t just inform, but we listen, and this builds trust.”
The Canadian Red Cross will be constructing three kiosks, measuring two-meters high and made of two bulletin boards covered by a metal roof to protect them from rain, in each of its communities in Leogane. To educate the community on how to use the kiosk, Canadian Red Cross volunteers created a theatre piece and composed songs to illustrate the mandate of the Canadian Red Cross and the shelter program. One of the volunteers, Jacques Olibrice played a member of the community, bringing the crowd to tears with his performance.
Antoine Makenro, the community mobilization officer in charge of Ça Ira left the performance with a grin from ear to ear. “We really were able to reach the community with our message,” he said. “And they were able to reach back.”
