Help Haitians, not the Disaster Capitalists

Disaster time again, for our sisters and brothers in Haiti. Already the vultures circle, using this tragedy as another opportunity to take advantage or worse, to engage in the pornography of suffering black bodies.

Now is not the time for tears, hand-wringing, there are lots of organisations that are quietly doing good work in Haiti that does not line the pockets of multinational aid corporations,  or continue to fatten the Port au Prince elite.

The following is a list I’ve compiled thanks to friends in Haiti and its diaspora.  Please do your own research on the organisations listed below. I’ll keep updating it as more info emerges.

Donations in Trinidad 

A group of citizens are doing a non-organisational collection of items from Monday 10th October. Collection/Drop-off point will be at the Veni Mangé Restaurant 67A Ariapita Ave, Woodbrook.

ITNAC Trinidad based organisation sending volunteers soon to Haiti asking for donations of  food/clothing/shoes/women’s sanitary wear/insect repellent as well as urgent cash donations in any currency.

Haitian led NGOs

Konbit Mizik   a NYC based non-profit using music to educate, empower and uplift Haiti’s vulnerable youth.

Haiti Communitiere   Donations go directly to help communities gain access to the resources, knowledge and skills they need to rebuild.

  Art Creation Foundation for Children (ACFFC)  is an arts based non-profit organization created for the personal growth, empowerment, and education of children in need in Jacmel, Haiti.

Sakala  provides a safe space in the heart of Haiti’s largest underdeveloped area, where youth come together to grow, learn, and play.

Soil Haiti  eco sanitation service organisation

Volontariat pour le Développement d’Haïti  focusing on young people’s development

Lambi Fund  working on economic justice and alternative sustainable development.

MADRE LGBTQI friendly organisation doing gender discrimination and violence work.

Sowaseed Sustainable change and support for orphans

Konbit Solèy Leve Participation, Solidarity, Reciprocity

Haitian American Caucus  Brooklyn based young professionals organisation

PRODEV Education access in under-served communities.

Ayiti Se NOU Working on various projects around education, health, environment, entrepreneurship and culture/sports.

International NGOs 

Roots of Development  community led development projects

Partners in Health  Teaching Hospital in Mirebalais

Nova Hope for Haiti  community medical care

Crowd-funding appeals

Fondation Aquin Solidarite (FAS)  is a non-profit organization, founded in 2005, to provide educational, cultural, sports and economic support and mentoring to the city and the people of Aquin, located 117kms southwest of Port-au-Prince.

Hurricane Matthew Relief in Abricots Support for cacao farmers in Abricots organised by dance scholar Dasha Chapman.

Donations in NYC

Flatbush-YMCA at 1401 Flatbush; the Multicultural Bridge Project at 1894 Flatbush Ave.; and the Haitian Family Resource Center at 1783 Flatbush Ave.

Quiescere Resource Center (516-205-9035) is also accepting donations, as is the Fernande Valme Ministries (718-284-1809).

Donations in Florida Click image for details

lunionsuite

Western Union is offering toll free transfers to Haiti from United States, Canada , France, Chile, Brazil and the Caribbean at participating outlets, on their website and on mobile Western Union, where available.

76 thoughts on “Help Haitians, not the Disaster Capitalists”

  5. Pingback: Help Haitians, not the Disaster Capitalists — Tillah Willah – thiscaribbeanspace

  6. Reblogged this on Epignosis (e-pē'-gnō-sēs) Ministries and commented:
    Greetings,

    Parts of HAITI, CUBA and other countries in the Caribbean were totally devastated by hurricane Matthew. The death toll in Haiti alone has risen above 800 at the time of my writing this post.

    I am using this medium to get the word out. We should give assistance.

    At present, a lot of controversy surrounds certain AID organizations because of alleged mismanagement of relief funds.

    With that said, this post that I’m re-blogging lists quite a few organizations that seem legitimate and are in the right place to help the people who are suffering.

    Bear in mind, we should still do our own checks on the organizations before giving. We must ensure that we #HelpHaitians #HelpCubans and #HelpHaiti #HelpCuba instead of sending relief to organizations that may mismanage aid efforts.

    We are commanded in the Holy Bible to love and to take care of people genuinely. We must avoid condescension, avarice and selfishness.

    We need to help our fellow human beings who’ve experienced disaster and catastrophe in their lives.

    Friends, fans and followers, please find it in your hearts to assist the Haitian, Cuban and other Caribbean people who have suffered so much. Every little bit helps. I pray God’s blessings on all.

    ~EM

    Reply

  7. Greetings!
    Gift of Writing Foundation Inc. has been doing charitable work in Haiti for the past 3 years. We collect school supplies and monetary donations to support schools in Haiti. Please visit our website for more information: http://www.giftofwritingfoundation.org you will information, pictures, slide shows, videos of our contribution in Haiti. Kindly add our organization to the list of NGOs. Thank you for providing this outlet and recognizing the NGOs who are doing positive work. I can be reached at pencilsforprogress@gmail.com.

    Reply

  8. Thank you for this list. I would suggest adding the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation, a very well respected organization that operates a full-service hospital in Fond-des-Blancs on the southern peninsula. It offers care to all people, without regard for the patients’ ability to pay. The staff is 98% Haitian, including the medical leadership team. They are mobilizing and prepared to accept huge numbers of patients who will be in need of care in the aftermath of the hurricane. Their website is haitihealth.org and donations can be made at haitihealth.org/hurricane. Thank you for getting the word out about these critical on-the-ground groups!

    Reply

  11. Thank you! One correction – MADRE should be listed with international NGOs. It’s an NYC-based organization that partners with locally-run organizations in Haiti and other parts of the world.

    Reply

  13. Please could you add FESMAR in your list of Haitian Orgs! They have been working in Dame Marie for ages, (members are born and raised) which is one of the most affected areas but is very hard to reach if you are not already there. People there are in need of water and food, it’s been days, please help!
    http://www.fesmar.org/en/the-mission/ There is a paypal button in the link.

    Reply

  15. There are enough NGOs in HAITI to make a measurable difference in the lives of Haitians. It’s about time that we take actions to actually help the people in Haiti. I know some NGOs work hard to make life better for Haitians. I am willing and interested in rebuilding Haiti and making Haiti self sustained. The immediate relief is necessary but the long term implementations to avoid these calamities are just as crucial.
    If anyone is interested please let me know. BASFHO@yahoo.com

    Reply

      • Sorry, this wasn’t a fair response on my part. You’re totally right that the goal of NGOs should be to work themselves out of a job. My point is that with natural disasters – additional, emergency support will always be needed. Should it be delivered professionally and with accountability? Absolutely.

      • If the NGOs are not there to help solve problems as you clearly stated, what is their purpose? Make profit, get rich, live la vida loca?

      • If the aim of doctors were to actually cure disease, then they’d have no justification to exist. Hmm.

        If the aim of firemen were really to put out fires, then they’d have no justification to exist. Hmm.

      • This week’s Time magazine has a full-page ad from one of those disaster capitalist organizations exploiting Haiti once again. No. I’m supporting one of Haiti’s local groups.

  16. Haiti’s Hope is another great organization I’ve done work with. I’ve also been to Haiti twice with them. I know they are raising funds to go to Haiti to help soon. Praying for Haiti! Check them out at haitishope.org

    Reply

  17. Please, please reconsider promoting any physical donations or collections.

    “Donated goods can clog ports and prevent more critical relief items from getting through. Ports can only hold and process so many goods and often the port authorities have difficulty sorting through everything arriving to get it processed. Please do not take up collections of medicine, clothing, baby formula, or food for shipment, or show up on your own to hand out money or goods. Although well intentioned, this can actually make the situation worse as it adds to the confusion, diverts resources, and may lead to aid dependency.”
     https://www.philanthropy.com/article/A-Donors-Guide-to-Giving/227829

    Reply

  22. Pingback: Haiti & Hurricane Matthew – Helbug Reads

  24. I am away and busy with other matters, being in Congo-Kinshasa. But I would approach it differently and with more good faith and discernment. Reality is not that simplistic, between genuine, versatile and efficient national NGOs/Associations and the rest of the world, inept, greedy and narcissist… You can take all these adjectives, throw them like dices, and the outcome will be equally shared between local, national and foreign entities. We’re all from the same, universal human stuff. Some care, some don’t.
    The only argument that closes the discussion is “we only trust Haitians” or “we want it that way”, “it suits us intellectually to favor that approach”. Perfectly legitimate as a roadmap for real self-determination. With consequences in the short term though: IN TIMES OF ABSOLUTE CRISIS (like in Jérémie these hours) one has to opt between preserving one’s convictions (that everything coming from outside is going against national interests, counterproductive, etc…) or preserving lives with adequate skills, ready-to-use universal kits, and logistics.
    In times of absolute crisis, one has to distinguish long term actions (local associations are best placed to work on domestic violence, charity, education) from humanitarian work to be done in the next two weeks or so: this is where some organisation (and to be on the safe side I will single out MSF) is beyond compare. They are efficient not from day one but from minute one. Dedicated nurses, doctors and sanitation officers. Logistically equipped to be quick… and those you will see at a terrace at Petion Ville will just be the few who, like Michael Collins with Apollo XI, have to keep the engine on and monitor the work while the team is there, on the ground, siding with the “wrecked of the earth” and will locally hired and trained colleagues… and only working with those State agents who REALLY behave in the name of general interest.
    I know the earthquake disaster (with these improvised, mediocre behaviors), and the cholera episode have left deep wounds, and indeed, there is much ground for suspicion. But suspicion must not leave way to dogmatism. Emergency relief is not a matter for amateurism, and there is nothing worse than goodwill… stuck and inhibited, like a warehouse full with useless stuff. Without a single moto and fuel to make it work. Or without skills to distinguish a victim who has 10 minutes to live if not treated from another victim who can sustain his/her injuries for a few hours…

    I hope this helps. I also hope it helps preserve the genuine notion of universal, and proactive, compassion. I am not an MSF staff. I don’t see myself as a vulture. I was heading MSF in Haiti in September 1994 when Cedras-&-co fled, and when scores of wounded were treated at the hospital of Cité Soleil. Just an example. And I am proud of what we did, and of the friendship we developed with proud, dignified AND warm, not hostile, Haitians.

    All the best. Those who, around the world, stand for equality of right to dignity and happiness, can only empathize with the Haitians of Jeremie, Caye, Jacmel and so many other “plaies ouvertes” of our world.

    Reply

    • Agree wholeheartedly. Many of the small NGOs would be swamped by anything but minimal donations–they just don’t have the capacity to deliver aid quickly and sustainably. To do that you need staff and procedures in place. And most donors will ask what was done with their money, but the small organizations don’t have the tracking systems to respond.

      Reply

      • While I do agree that there is a question of absorptive capacity for many of the smaller NGOs, the issue of tracking systems has not been very useful when it comes to the big names in disaster response. The American Red Cross is the obvious example from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, but most of the larger, well known names in humanitarian relief, including UN agencies, are not paens of transparency. The Haiti earthquake relief is one case, but the West African Ebola crisis also brought home how little accountability there really is in humanitarian relief. And MSF (shout out to you Michel!), as good as they are, cannot do it all and everywhere. Private donations flowing to smaller NGOs have as good a chance of doing real good in the emergency period as they do by flowing to well-staffed, wealthy NGOs or UN agencies whose priorities may not match the individual donor’s and who have too long a trail to get to the recipient.

  26. Pingback: Haiti Doesn’t Need Our Hashtags… – Nicole Symmonds

  27. Pingback: Ni châtiment divin, ni simple malchance : la situation d’Haïti résulte de l’acharnement des puissances (néo)coloniales | Le blog de João

  28. Pingback: Help Haitians, not the Disaster Capitalists – The Sunhead Project

  29. Pingback: Haïti, comment t’aider ? – émancipations

  30. Pingback: Haïti, comment t’aider ? – émancipations

  31. Hi. Thanks for the list. I am wondering if there is somewhere I can take or ship goods to. Clothes, blankets, diapers, water, food, toys. So many have lost so much I know people in my community care and want to send stuff. I live in Oregon City and would like to help. Is there a way to send donated goods?

    Reply

    • Please, please do not donate goods. Refer to the post above about the problems that creates for the efficiency of the relief effort. It is so kind and well-intentioned – but does not help. If you want to help – and it sounds like you do! – donate to a reputable organization.

      Reply

  32. Pingback: Devastation of Hurricane Matthew Renews Talk of French Reparations to Haiti | Complete World News

  33. Danita’s Children in Ounaminthe is also an amazing organization, orphanage, clinic, school and church & feeding program… Hope you can add them to this list… they’ve been there for 17 years…

    Reply

  35. Pingback: Devastation of Hurricane Matthew Renews Talk of French Reparations to Haiti | Freedom, Justice, Equality News

  36. Pingback: Updates from Hurricane Matthew: How to Help – 10Power

  39. The wife and I noticed your blog and appreciate the content you have here. Please allow me to encourage you to keep writing and never abandon this site. I am a mobile developer, and if you are ever curious about having a mobile app version of this blog, I would love to help. We appreciate the hard work you have put into this blog and wish you all future success in business and in life.
    Thank you for your time, it is the most precious thing we all possess.
    -Jacque’

    Reply

  40. Pingback: Haiti in desperate need – Caroline Taylor

  56. mate your site is really cool, but it has a poor Domain Authority
    sad truth is that sites with poor Domain Authority won’t rank high in Google and in result get very little of traffic
    I had the same problem in the past and my website didn’t rank high in Google
    I searched for a professional who would help me with it; found one guy who really helped me rank higher in Google and increase my Domain Authority to 58! I’m super happy with this score
    Contact him: http://janzac.com/contact-janzac/ (his prices are very reasonable for the service he provides)

    Reply

  58. Pingback: Wyclef Asks People To Help Haiti After ‘Another Earthquake’: Here’s How To Do Your Part - Black Media Daily

  59. Pingback: Wyclef Asks People To Help Haiti After ‘Another Earthquake’: Here’s How To Do Your Part – EWC Communication

  60. Pingback: Wyclef Asks People To Help Haiti After ‘Another Earthquake’: Here’s How To Do Your Part - Afrii-News

Leave a comment