One of the most well-known shoe charities is Soles4Souls, founded by Wayne Esley. After the 2004 tsunami that struck Southeast Asia, Esley made efforts to contact shoe companies and have millions of pairs donated to the people after the disaster as well as during the time Hurricane Katrina had hit in 2005. Since then, this organization has delivered over 14 million pairs of new or gently worn shoes to people in over 127 countries. It is already astonishing to even know that there are that many countries that don’t have decent footwear. In 2010 after the earthquake struck in Haiti, Soles2Souls donated 1.3 million pairs for the survivors of the disaster. Ever since, many other non-profit groups, businesses and celebrities have collaborated with Soles4Souls in donating shoes or initiating show drives to benefit the rest of the shoeless world. During times of crisis, several school clubs have also worked with this organization and collected thousands of pairs overtime. This organization took a step further in launching a second organization called Clothes4Souls. This sister group was able to extend to more partnerships with various other companies as well as deliver clothing and more relief to the people of these disasters such as in Haiti. As well as donating shoes and clothing, anyone is free to donate money where a single dollar will be used to donate an additional pair of shoes. With their single and simple mission to “procure shoes and get them to those in need,” they continue to make a difference for millions of lives through footwear.
Along with Soles4Souls, Toms Shoes is also a well known shoe charity based on their One to One movement. This movement founded by Blake Mycoskie was created so that every pair of shoes sold by TOMS would be matched by a pair of shoes donated to children in other countries. The inspiration started in Argentina when Mycoskie traveled and witnessed several children barefoot and felt the need to act. Ever since, TOMS has been able to donate several pairs of shoes and has become a success, being featured on commercials as well as producing their own documentary of their journey. They have even gone so far as to create a day to spread awareness of the impact shoes make in the lives of people, naming it One Day Without Shoes. Thousands of events are held worldwide where people spend a day barefoot, initiate conversations as to why they are barefoot and thus spread the word of change. This awareness event is one of the few and amazing ways that this company has outreached to the global population and especially to the youth who are helping other youth simple through word-of-mouth and purchasing TOMS shoes.

TOMS Shoes donating several pairs to barefoot children

Both organizations have made a significant difference for many of the barefooted human beings who continue to travel daily in their already difficult living situations. Through the forces of communication, collaboration and understanding, these charities have definitely been a great source of youth outreach and will continue to thrive for many generations onward, one step at a time.

Brynn Olivia Sy
Team 3: Youth Outreach

© brynnsy for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: TOMS shoes Soles2Souls charity

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

You might be surprised to learn that relief efforts are still continuing all over the southeast to help victims of the spill, both humans and animals. I was researching various non-profits that had done a lot of work during the months that followed the oil spill, and found massive lists of organizations. So many people have done so much, from picking up oil on the sand to cleaning oil off animals.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) stood out in my mind. They serve 13 parishes of New Orleans which were affected directly by the oil spill through inventing ways to improve the communities, finding donors to meet community needs, finding and funding non-profits, and strengthening the feeling of comradeship in the parishes. GNOF created the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund, so that people from all over the country can donate to the cause, and GNOF turns around and gives the money to various non-profit organizations who work directly in the 13 devastated parishes. They work on research as well: “We also work to address the long-term economic, environmental, and cultural effects of the disaster, while simultaneously focusing on strengthening coastal communities against future environmental catastrophes.”

The Greater New Orleans Foundation currently allocates most of their funds to approximately 15 non-profit organizations, including the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Market Umbrella, Louisiana Justice Institute, and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. These organizations do a variety of things for the New Orleans area, including improving water quality, providing legal assistance to affected fishermen and their families, and coordinating marine research and innovation among many other things.

Everything GNOF has done would not have been possible without donations from the public. If you were affected by the Oil Spill, GNOF would be one of the first umbrella organizations you should contact.

Interested in continuing the relief efforts for the oil spill? The Greater New Orleans Foundation has a way you can donate – either go online to the website at the bottom of the article or send your check to the following address.

Greater New Orleans Foundation
1055 St. Charles Ave, Ste 100
New Orleans, LA 70130

Please make your check payable to GNOF and write “Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund” on the memo line.

Sources: http://www.gnof.org/programs/gnof-oil-spill-fund/

Jenny Combs

Team 2: Servant Scholars

Grade 11

Alabaster, AL

© jennycombs for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: donations, Service Scholars

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

It is a well-known fact that Auburn University and the University of Alabama have a long-standing and sometimes vicious rivalry. Just last year, an Alabama fan poisoned trees on Toomer’s Corner, which is a beloved spot for Auburn fans to congregate before and after football games. But when the devastating storms came through, Auburn fans stepped up to the plate and started Toomer’s for Tuscaloosa, an organization to raise money to help storm victims and repair damage on the Alabama campus.

The organizer of Toomer’s for Tuscaloosa is Auburn fan Warren Tidwell, who has been involved in disaster relief in the past and knew that he had to help in the rebuilding on northern Alabama cities after the tornado ripped through. Toomer’s for Tuscaloosa (TFT) began as a localized effort in the Tuscaloosa area but quickly spread through a grassroots network of volunteers, and soon TFT was sending aid and supplies to devastated cities all over Alabama and southeastern states like Mississippi and Georgia.

While the initial intent of TFT was to raise money and food to give affected victims in the Tuscaloosa area food and water, they now organize volunteers to send to various cities, and the money they raise they hope to possibly even spread their influence further by partnering with another organization to lead the rebuilding of Alabama.

Even though Auburn and Alabama are notorious rivals, countless numbers of Auburn fans and students flocked to the Alabama campus and Tuscaloosa through TFT to clean up the grounds and handing out food and water to victims. Many think that the rivalry will change forever after the past year, when Alabama students raised money to help save Toomer’s Corner, and Auburn students and fans banded together to donate money for tornado revitalization on the Alabama campus.

Toomer’s for Tuscaloosa is proof that when people put aside their differences, even it is over a football team, and join together for a cause, great and even amazing things can happen. If you’re interested in TFT or helping out with disaster relief, contact TFT by emailing them at toomersfortuscaloosa@yahoo.com . TFT also has a facebook page, which you can view here: http://www.facebook.com/toomersfortuscaloosa?sk=wall .

Toomer’s for Tuscaloosa highly encourages donations, which go toward food, shelter, and clothing for victims as well as cleaning up highly damaged areas. For information on how to donate, go to this website: http://toomersfortuscaloosa.com/donate/. If you’re not in state, you can always send supplies like canned goods and water bottles and clothing to the following address: 3600 3rd Ave South Birmingham, AL 35222. If you’re not interested in paying to send the supplies, you can find a donation center somewhere near you. Here’s the comprehensive list of states that are participating, and addresses of centers to bring your supplies: http://toomersfortuscaloosa.com/out-of-state-donations/.

Sources:

Toomersfortuscaloosa.com

Jenny Combs

Team 2: Servant Scholars

Grade 11

Alabaster, AL

© jennycombs for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: awareness, donations, fundraising, Service Scholars, volunteer

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

As I started to do research for this article, I found a large amount of non-profits set up for the crisis in Japan. The most ludicrous was a charity titled “Socks for Japan”. I am not sure about you, but I strongly do not believe that socks would be the first thing on my mind after such disasters.

So I decided to go and look for what exactly would be most beneficial to the Japanese in this time of crisis. And in doing so, I found a fount of articles all decrying sending substantial aid to Japan. Why? you might ask, because Japan is the 3rd largest economy in the world with already established disaster plans. This onslaught of misguided relief efforts even earned an article in the New York Times.

“The only things Japan has really asked for at this point is some specialized search-and-rescue teams with dogs, some specialized medical help and some communications equipment, as well as the bulk shipment of goods, which is largely about country-to-country assistance,” (NYT). From what I can gather, I’m pretty sure that Japan does not need or want your money. So if you are planning on donating to some well-meaning (I hope) charitable organization keep these facts in mind.

Just to make matters even clearer, “They [Japan] are working almost exclusively with other governments, not with international charities. That means many of the groups raising money in Japan’s name are still uncertain to whom or to where the money will go.”

I hope you ponder these facts as we make our donations to the numerous charities that the well-meaning people of the world have created. And as we pray for and hope that Japan pulls out of this crisis as quickly as possible, we should also endeavour to make sure that the resources we are contributing are actually needed (or will be utilized).

And if you are still not convinced, here’s a little tidbit that could hopefully convince you:

“The Japanese Red Cross, for example, has said repeatedlysince the day after the earthquake that it does not want or need outside assistance. But that has not stopped the American Red Cross from raising $34 million through Tuesday afternoon in the name of Japan’s disaster victims…The American Red Cross keeps 9 percent of any money it raises, which means that as of Tuesday afternoon, it had raised more than $3 million for itself through the Japan campaign.

So if you are considering donating, please make your donations non-specific, so your funds can be directed to crises that need and are requesting help.

-Onome U. Chicago IL, International Health Team, College Sophomore.

References

http://talesfromethehood.com/2011/03/23/aidslut/

http://goodintents.org/disaster/4500-new-charities-for-japan

http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/11/JPeqIB3.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/world/asia/16charity.html?_r=1&ref=stephaniestrom

http://aidwatchers.com/2011/03/does-japan-need-your-donation/

© owhuba for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Reflections on Japan’s Disasters

Twelve days after the earthquake struck, what has the world seen?  What have we learned about the Japanese people?  About courage and endurance? Here are my reflections…

In general we have seen man at his best, with the Japanese people exemplifying the strength of mankind.  In specifics, we have seen the will to live when the 80-year-old lady was rescued with her grandson amidst the rubble.  We have seen the courage of the engineers who risk their lives at the nuclear plants so that their children and grandchildren will have a chance to live.  We have seen the persistence of the soldiers in search of victims hoping against hope that they will find some sign of life in the ruins.  In short, we have seen a country – men, women and children – pulled together in time of disaster and determined to endure.

The will to live is the strength that has helped the 16-year-old boy pull through the ordeal and come out alive.  He and his 80-year-old grandmother survived the earthquake and the tsunami.  They were lucky enough to grab food from a refrigerator that fell close to them until the rescuers found them.  It was quite a miracle that they survived nine days under the rubble.

But others are not as lucky.  Towns have been swallowed by the tsunami, and in their place the camera can show only mud.  “My parents and an elder brother are somewhere in the rubble,” said Kurimura from the city of Soma.  Every day, Kurimura has returned to the area where his parents lived, hoping to find them.  He even checks the morgue, but his search has brought him only heartbreak.

A lot of credit must be given to the Japanese soldiers.  We seldom hear much about them because the military in Japan is limited to defending its own country according to the peace treaty signed at the end of WWII.  In the aftermath of this earth-shattering earthquake and the consequent tsunami and nuclear threat, the Japanese soldiers have taken on the multi-faceted roles of rescuers, medics, and engineers.  The government has dispatched 100,000 troops to the northeastern coast to deliver food and water and other supplies.  We see some soldiers “swapping green fatigues for white anti-radiation gear” and tirelessly spray water on flaming hot reactors.  These are true heroes who have not been trained specifically for such calamities but have stood up and met them face on, doing whatever they can to help their country.

In the nearby towns not devastated by the tsunami, people are running out of food and supplies.  However, they are patient and orderly.  On the television screen, I see long lines of people, often mothers carrying their toddlers, waiting patiently to buy a bottle of water or a bag of rice.  I can see evacuation shelters packed with people, but are clean and orderly.  Some little kids, not knowing the urgency of the situation, roll around on their mats giggling and laughing.  One can imagine the need for basic facilities, but the Japanese people deal with their problems in an admirable way, with no complaints – at least not in front of the American cameras.

Just two days ago, some of the refugees had a chance to bathe after ten days of  being cooped up in evacuation centers.  The luxury of taking a bath was appreciated by these people beyond belief.  The baths, one for men and one for women, were set up by the soldiers.  (Japan is still known for its public baths.)  The people who had the fortune of taking a bath after the disaster struck were thankful for the clean underwear they were issued.  These simple necessities have become great pleasures of life for these disaster-stricken people.

Perhaps the biggest lesson I have learned from watching the news the past twelve days is that life and all its good things are gifts, often taken for granted by us, but they can be taken away in a twinkle of an eye.

Sources

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/22/uk-japan-tsunami-victims-enjoy-their-fir-idUSLNE72L05N20110322

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-03-22/bad-weather-slows-japanese-effort-to-aid-thousands-in-shelters.html

http://www.channel4.com/news/japans-miracle-rescues-nine-days-after-tsunami

http://blogs.forbes.com/yasidei/2011/03/22/fukushima-resident-faces-grim-task-of-seeking-relatives/

© brianwong for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Anderson Cooper of CNN reported a story that illustrated the control of the common man in Japan. Although threatened by hunger and thirst, yet he does not blame or whine. Scenario: There was a long queue of people waiting for their turn to get a bucket of clean water. When the water ran out, the man in charge told the people in a matter of fact way that he was sorry that the water had run out and that there would be more water on its way. Amazingly, no one in the crowd made a fuss; the people just quietly stood in line, waiting for the water to come.

I was surprised to hear that there has been no looting in the aftermath of the disaster. Usually amidst a lack of order, such as what had happened in Japan, heartless people would be out looting the stores and homes. But no looting has been reported, which has surprised the western world. The Japanese people are a disciplined people, trained in stoicism, patient and uncomplaining.

If any country can rebuild itself, you can count on the Japanese people doing it well, just like the time after the atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshima in 1945.

According the wisdom of those who survived the atomic bomb in 1945, people develop a special strength after they have experienced hardships. Just as we see humanity at its best in handling the aftermath of Japan’s triple disasters, we also see the best of those who are reaching out with a helping hand.

As the death toll rises in Japan, sixty-nine countries have offered help to Japan. At the time of writing, 3500 have been reported dead and 3400 missing. By now, teams of American rescuers from Los Angeles and Fairfax, Virginia, are helping to go through the rubble with their sniffer dogs.

Let’s look at the big picture: Japan has specifically requested rescue teams from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and the UK. The International Charter on Space and Major Disasters has been asked to help by providing satellite images of affected areas.

The United States has moved aircraft carriers near the coast of Japan so as to provide aid. Russia will provide tankers of liquefied natural gas supplies; Israel has sent rescue teams and medical staff. China has already sent US$167,000 in aid through China’s Red Cross.

The American Red Cross has already sent an initial US$10 million to assist Japan’s earthquake and tsunami survivors. And donations are pouring in through the texting mechanism of dialing in to 90999 in amounts of $10 at a time. Other small countries have given donations, including Taiwan, which has donated 3.3 million US dollars to the relief fund.

Lady GaGa personally, through her specially designed rubber band bracelet, has started a fundraiser. People can order this “We Pray For Japan” bracelet at the cost of $5 each. In the first 48 hours, this project has raised $250,000 for Japan tsunami relief.

All around the globe, people are doing something to help those who have met with the triple disasters, one after another. Right in Japan, there is a noodle shop that has escaped the fate of devastation. It now serves noodles for free. The cook, whose house was taken by the waves, said, “I want to do something for those who have even less.” And so the stories of courage and kindness go on…

Sources:

http://abcnews.go.com/wn?cid=showsitelinks_search

http://edition.cnn.com/

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110313092156AALegnA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Sendai_earthquake_and_tsunami

© brianwong for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

devastation after the quake and tsunami in Japan

Without a doubt, I am almost certain the news of Japan’s intense earthquake has reached the eyes and ears of millions of people world-wide. You can see the news articles pouring out boatloads of information (false, skewed, or true) all over the cyberspace we live in and throughout media networks all over. Usually, I get the quickest news from Tumblr, and later do research on whether what is being stated is true or not. So when the earthquake in Japan hit, I looked up CNN, watched their report live and was horrified among countless others to view the devastation. Then the next day and the day after, there has been increasingly more news about Japan’s devastation, about tsunami warnings and aftermaths from the day before, with more to come obviously. Here’s a round-up and more news for those who are still unaware of how horrifying this earthquake is on various levels:

According to Kyodo news:

• 433 confirmed dead
• 784 people reported missing
• Amount of radiation released inside a control room at Fukushima nuclear power plant “1,000 times normal”
• 3,000 residents ordered to evacuate from a 10-mile radius and a 3-mile radius around two nuclear power plants, respectively
• 3,400 buildings damaged or completely destroyed
• 200 fires
• 181 nursing or welfare homes damaged
• 1,800 homes destroyed in Fukushima Prefecture
• 5.57 million households without power
• 1 million households without running water
• 50,000 Self-Defense Forces deployed to aid residents and municipalities in rescue efforts
• Nine expressways closed
• At least 464 domestic flights cancelled
• More than 120,000 people in Tokyo unable to return home due to suspension of mass transit services and / or traffic congestion

This news has only been one or two days old now, so it should be updated as more people are found and more rubble is cleared as the days go on. I also want to point out at the news with women in Japan now. I came across this warning on Tumblr.com about this:

“There have been reports of men approaching single women, pretending to be a police officer or someone from an aid organization offering to take them to a ‘safer place’. They are trying to take advantage of stranded women during the crisis. Please spread this around, and tell anyone you know who is in Japan. Don’t go anywhere alone, buddy up with someone and stick together. There’s a women-only safety shelter in Shibuya: AJWRC, 211 Sakuraoka Cho, 14-10 Shibuya-ku Tokyo, tel: 0337805245”

The original source I traced this from is this: http://www.lacarmina.com/blog/2011/03/japan-women-warning-about-potential-rape-assault-tokyo-earthquake-tsunami-aftershocks-women-only-shelters/

I can’t say this is a very valid news source but if there are reports that are sent out from Japan confirming this news, please comment below and spread the word as much as possible.

Evacutees in Japan devastated over loss.

In other news about Japan relief, many have started organizing ways to help out with Japan and stand by on helping out Japan now. People here in America and outside of it can all do something:

2011 Sendai Earthquake / How To Help:President Obama released a statement earlier announcing that “[t]he United States stands ready to help the Japanese people in this time of great trial.” Below is a list of charities and relief organizations you can donate to in order to help bring aid to those affected by the worst earthquake in Japanese history.

• The American Red Cross has set up a special designation for disaster relief efforts in Japan. To donate, click here, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to instantly donate $10.
• International Medical Corps says it is putting together relief teams and supplies to aid Japan “and other affected countries.” Donate here.
• GlobalGiving’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.
• World Vision’s Disaster Response Fund.
• Click here to donate to AmeriCares’ emergency relief response.
• Save the Children’s Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund.
• Reminder: Google’s Crisis Response Center / Person Finder.

Please stay aware and don’t just pray for hope for Japan. Try your best to do something.

Whirlpool in Japan

Main News Source: http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/77013.html
http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2011/03/japans-nuclear-emergency

Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=k4w27IczOTk

Pictures: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/03/massive_earthquake_hits_japan.html

Earthquake Watch: http://www.niceone.org/lab/quakes/

For more news, check out articles on BBC and Al Jazeera.
Brynn Olivia Sy
Cleveland High School – 12
Team 3 – Youth Outreach

© brynnsy for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

“Hey you look kinda Asian!”

“I’m legit Asian…” I said.

He exclaimed, “oh cool. Well you’re luck you’re not in Asia today..”

I was confused.What was he talking about.

“You didn’t know?” he explained, “there was this huge earthquake in Japan today!!”

I felt horrible when I heard the news. I even felt bad that I was at this dance while there are people dying in Japan.

Japan, due to its geographic position, has always been prone to earthquakes and hence, tsunamis. My parents both went to Japan for years to study and research and they both had vivid memories of crouching under tables during mild, frequent earthquakes. It was pretty horrifying. Because Japan is such a developed countries, it is quick in providing aid and recovering after these earthquakes happen yet every time it hits, the whole nation still suffers greatly.

Today it was a 8.9-degree earthquake and a 10-meter tsunami. The death toll and the damage done is staggering.

Here are some photos taken from theatlantic.com.

Traumatized people finding shelter in a collapsed bookstore

Gas tank burning..

The monstrous tsunami roaming

Houses fall down

Consumed by fires

Nurses in horror

These images really make me want to cry. For now, all we can do is pray for Japan, the country where the sun rises.

——————

Quyen Nguyen

Team EVSS 5

Mar 11 2011

Latin School of Chicago ’12

© quyennguyen for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: earthquake, japan, tsunami

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

President Obama declared Alabama in a state of emergency, and thousands upon thousands have been displaced from their homes. I can remember watching my TV in stunned horror as a tornado formed in the sky and touched down in the middle of downtown Tuscaloosa. I could see the debris flying around in the funnel cloud and could only pray that the debris wasn’t a person. Whole streets were changed from bustling metropolitan areas to a virtual ghost town. When the tornado passed through, the weatherman was silent as he watched disoriented students stumble out of their dorm rooms and onto the lawn of Alabama’s campus, marveling at the destruction all around them. It was in this sobering moment that Alabamians knew that the road to recovery and rebuilding would be a long one.

FEMA has already donated 13.6 million dollars to the south for rebuilding, and over 3 million of that has been given to Alabama specifically, although the amount may go up after FEMA reassesses the damage soon. Many of Alabama’s shelters and hospitals have been flooded with homeless victims, and countless ERs had to deal with numerous injuries due to the storm. This storm was said to be one of the worst ones in Alabama history – local news stations are still reporting amazing stories.

Because of looting in some of the hardest- hit areas, such as Pleasant Grove and Tuscaloosa, volunteers looking to help with relief have to have a permit for the mayor to give aid, or must show proof to the National Guard that they are residents of these places. Yet Alabamians have still found ways to help. Auburn University has raised thousands of dollars to help their rivals, the University of Alabama, and countless churches and organizations are gathering donations to take to various cities. Several of my friends have been involved in hands-on activities such as going through the rubble and helping people gather their possessions.

I have personally been involved in several relief efforts. I helped organize a drive at school through my Latin club, the NJCL, to raise donations for Pleasant Grove victims. My family was also affected by the storm. My aunt lived in a 2 bedroom apartment in Fultondale, and her complex building was extremely damaged. The apartment above her no longer had a roof, and as a result, if it ever rained, it would come crashing down on top of my aunt’s apartment, and my aunt’s on top of the one below hers, and so on. We moved her into an apartment in Pinson.

Devastating events such as this storm are a reminder that service and volunteerism is pertinent even on a local level.

Sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/05/alabama-tornado-disaster-_n_858130.html

Jenny Combs

Team 2: Servant Scholars

Alabaster, AL

Grade 11

© jennycombs for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Service Scholars

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

The world shook when the already fifth world country, Haiti, was faced with another challenge, an earthquake.  This earthquake didn’t simply cause the death of numerous amounts of people; it kicked down a country that didn’t have any further down to go.  On January 12, 2010 an earthquake didn’t just hit the country of Haiti but also my fifth block American Literature class. My teacher, Mr. Becker had been working for over three years to adopt a young girl, and twins.  For almost five days we had do hold are breaths, unaware of what was to happen to these young children, and whether they were even  alive.

When the sixth day came, a miracle occurred.  Not only were the children safe and well, they were going to be sent to the United States immediately. Everyone was ecstatic that the prayers of our small, twelve person class had been answered.  What we were unaware of was that there were still thousands of persons who were in need of help, those children however were the symbol of hope. Something needed in this overwhelming time of struggle.

Through benefit concerts and an awe- inspiring display of people helping others it seemed as though over time Haiti would make its recovery and become an even stronger country then before it had been hit by the first earthquake.  Still, the problems were continuing to head their way as a second earthquake, cholera, took hold of those in Haiti. Cholera is the spread of infection due to a buildup of bacteria. The small intestine begins to fill with the bacteria and shut down causing death.  The cholera epidemic was eradicated until October of 2010.

The cholera epidemic was in a way, Haiti’s reminder that help is still needed in this struggling country.  Natural disasters are occurrences that no country can ever be fully prepared for still; those that have the supplies can take care of the issues in a swifter manner than those countries that lack adequate provisions. For this reason, we must remember Haiti, and be prepared to handle future issues that are caused due to their lack of supplies. The cholera epidemic is the perfect example of the growth of issues due to the unpreparedness of provisions in the country of Haiti. We must be prepared for even more issues to arise; still it is our duty to remember that we will be there to aide them during later problems.

Tylyn Trummer

Team 1: Education

Omaha, Nebraska

Duchesne Academy

© ttrummer for East Villagers Non-Profit Community News, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh