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It’s been a quiet hurricane season this year; a welcome respite for all of Haiti’s vulnerable communities. This is a good time to raise awareness in villages about what families should do in the event of a hurricane. That is the purpose of Kouri Di Vwazen, a community-based early warning program, which means “Run and tell your neighbour”, implemented by the Haitian Red Cross Society. I joined a team of trained volunteers from the Haitian Red Cross this week to see their activities for myself. I was greeted at the branch office by Roselore Lafortune, the regional coordinator and a team of four volunteers from Anse à Veau, a town of approximately 60,000 people. The day’s plan was to meet with families living in Basse-Ville, a small community within Anse à Veau considered particularly vulnerable due to its proximity to the Panache River, which floods its banks at least twice every year during the rainy season. The volunteers set out on foot with posters and a loudspeaker, determined to go door to door and meet the families of this community. They were greeted with the habitual “Comment o ye?” followed by “Pas pi mal.” Creole for “How are you?” and “Not too bad”, always accompanied by a smile. Volunteers gathered families around and provided them with critical information on preparation for the hurricane season, such as the importance of keeping key documents in plastic bags, being ready for possible evacuation and having flashlights and radios on hand. They were given tips on how to prepare their house for heavy winds by cutting overhanging branches that could fall and damage the roof and securing loose windows and door frames. They also received vital information on where to go if they hear an evacuation alert from local authorities and what to do after a hurricane to insure a safe return to their homes. Each family received an information poster to put on their wall, which summarizes the actions to take before, during and after a hurricane and encouraged everyone to share the information with their neighbours. In the short time that I was with them, they met with 65 families and 50 students of a local primary school. Haitian Red Cross volunteers are part of the community and are sharing valuable information with their neighbours and friends to minimize the impact of disasters. Early warning programs, such as Kouri Di Vwazen are crucial in Haiti. According to Roselore, only one person has lost his life to hurricanes in this area since the program’s launch in 2006. This is an extraordinary testimony to the importance of the awareness raising efforts of volunteers helping their families, friends and neighbours be better prepared. Posted September 29, 2009 |
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