How do you measure devastation? By how many buildings are destroyed? By the death toll? By how many weeks an incident is the top story in the news? Because of the January 12th Haiti earthquake, more than 222,570 people have died, 300,572 were injured, and at one point a 2.3 million were displaced. Still, the recent BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the World Cup frenzy have shoved coverage of conditions in Haiti to the back of the bus.
flickr, photo by DSC_7928 (w)
However, on the tragedy’s six month anniversary, musician and humanitarian Wyclef Jean is bringing attention back to Haiti relief efforts through a series of national opinion pieces. As the founder of the non-profit organization Yele Haiti, Jean is calling to action world leaders and anyone who can aid in Haiti’s recovery.
Photographs of the country’s vulnerable state may no longer be front page news, but accounts of kidnappings, rapes, and sexual abuse continue have not stopped. In his letter, Jean wrote, “women are at increased risk of violence and rape because they cannot lock their door at night. Children are at increased risk of abduction, trafficking and prostitution because they are living in the streets.“
Jean is turning to the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, which includes the United Nations and former Presidents Bush and Clinton, to ensure that the billions of dollars pledged around the world for Haiti’s reconstruction are delivered.
“I’m a warrior and can’t stand by quietly while promises aren’t kept. I won’t ever surrender,” expressed Jean. “We’ve seen the situation, and we’ve been listening to others on the ground. It’s still bleak. Rubble and collapsed buildings are everywhere.”
In a digital world where content dissemination flies before our eyes at warp speed, and today’s triumphs and failure’s are yesterday’s news until a milestone anniversary, keeping up-to-date on disaster relief developments is crucial. What blogs and publications do you read to stay on top of calls to action for causes close to your heart (other than Whatgives!?, of course 
)?
To contribute to Yele Haiti’s earthquake relief fund, go here, or text “Yele” 501501, which automatically donates $5 to the initiative.
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Tags: Haiti, Wyclef Jean, Yele Haiti
