I sometimes see articles in small town newspapers about churches or schools sending food to Haiti.  The intention is good, but the impact is not - this is not how to promote food security.  Project Medishare takes a different approach by fighting hunger, creating jobs, and supporting the local economy at the same time.  Its Akamil factory, once operational, will produce fortified and highly nutritious food, from locally purchased ingredients, for malnourished children, pregnant women, and people living with tuberculosis and/or HIV/AIDS.  My hope is that this facility will be the first of many.  If you'd like to support this important effort, a link to Project Medishare's project fund-raising site is below.  

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The Clinton Global Initiative has concluded and committments were made totalling 258 million.  This includes the three-year, $2 million pledge by actor Matt Damon's Water.org to get water and sanitation to 50,000 people, a $4.5 million pledge by USAID and Habitat for Humanity to repair 1,500 family homes cities wrecked by last year's hurricanes.  The Green Family Foundation pledged $280,000, as part of a five year $680,000 commitment, to help fight poverty on the Central Plateau through its Millennium Village Project.  Without a doubt, a great event for Haiti. Read more »

By most accounts, the Haitian Government responded well to Gustav.  The Haitian Ministry of Interior’s Office of Civil Protection (DPC) played an active role, gathering information and establishing shelters nationwide. However, Hanna overwhelmed the country's capacity and produced a national catastrophe  that was exacerbated by Ike.  The storms affected 600,000 people in nine of ten departments. Of them, the UN is reporting that 331 people have died and 70,000 people remain in shelters.  Relief has been slow because of damaged infrastructure but it is arriving. Read more »

Below is an email Paul Farmer wrote to Partners in Health (PIH) HQ concerning the recent flooding in Haiti.  The country is dealing with a true catastrophe, described by President Preval as a "nationwide Katrina."  In addition to their responsibilities on the Central Plateau, PIH is stepping up by helping the Ministry of Health provide life saving services throughout the Artibonite. If you have been asking yourself how you can help Haiti, a donation to PIH to fund their emergency operations is an excellent way to do so.  You can make a donation directly through their website.  For additional information, read the transcript of an interview of Paul by Democracy Now here. Read more »

I have seen several articles lately concerning the clay biscuits that the poorest of the poor in Haiti eat to make the hunger pangs subside. This is not a new phenomenon. Much of that clay comes from an area in between Hinche and Thomonde, where I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer.  We all know Haiti is desperately food insecure, but with hunger being such a complicated issue, do we know what to do in order to respond?  What would a Haitian “war against hunger” be like?

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Haitian leaders tend to get bogged down in ever-unstable Port au Prince.  It is a matter of political survival.  However, most of Haiti is rural and certainly most of what is good about Haiti is to be found outside of its largest city.  Recently President Preval made a public tour of the Central Plateau.  We were happy to see that public health was a recurring theme of his trip.  Regardless of one's political beliefs, we can all agree increased attention to public health is essential.  When a person has health, a person has hope.  Where there is hope, there is also the possibility of development and a better future.   Read more »