Haiti, the story beyond the story

January 12th 2010. 4.53pm. Sixteen miles west of Port au Prince. Three million affected. One million left homeless. Over 200,000 dead. These are the facts of the tragedy that struck Haiti at the start of the year. Yet these familiar figures only tell one side of the story of the earthquake that brought even greater suffering on a country scarred by poverty.

The other side of the story is one that we have witnessed at first hand. We have seen your generosity drive you to remarkable responses, your giving accounts glowing with activity within hours of news of the earthquake breaking. And we have heard reports back from those at work in Port au Prince and around Haiti of how your giving has allowed them to deliver vital aid and support where it is needed most. ‘All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.’ While nobody really knows who first wrote this, the truth that these fifteen words reveal is undisputed. When we disengage from the world, life gets worse for others. But if this is true, then the reverse is equally valid: when we choose to face the problems that surround us, when we engage our compassion, when we show love for our neighbour, then justice triumphs and hope ascends.

The Response

Taking a look at the figures easily tells the story, especially when you compare giving from Stewardship accounts in the earthquake’s aftermath with the same time the year before. During the first four weeks of 2009 you asked us to give £64,284.94 to Tearfund, World Vision and Christian Aid – three of the best known development charities. During the same four week period in 2010 – with news of the earthquake breaking at end of the second week – those three charities received £219,890.36 from Stewardship – an increase of over £155,000. Broaden the search to include the Disasters Emergency Commission and other agencies such as Samaritan’s Purse and CAFOD and the figure gets even higher: giving increased by more than £250,000 in response to the Haiti earthquake. For account holders like Sonia James, giving with Stewardship made perfect sense: “I save money each month in my account for emergencies such as the Haiti earthquake. I can make a donation just by sending a request by email or phone, no need to write a cheque or credit card.” Richard Miles – another account holder – uses Stewardship for his giving. “It is a convenient way of maximising the amount available for charities. I normally allow a small surplus to accumulate so that I am able to respond to such emergencies or other appeals.”

The Result

In spite of the near-total devastation and early chaos that followed, aid has managed to get through, saving lives and building hope. Returning from a recent trip to deliver medical supplies to hospitals and clinics around the country, Ian Cattle (a production and logistics consultant) was moved by what he saw: “It was five weeks after the earthquake and it was clear that the response from other countries had already made a significant impact. A couple of weeks before our trip there were still dead bodies lying around, but by the time we got there the focus had shifted away from the immediate effects of the earthquake. Because of the generosity of the response, the focus now is on building for Haiti’s future.”

The Challenge

There is no doubt that the earthquake struck a chord with people, and the Church has responded with ompassion and commitment. But as the news cycle shifts to cover other events, have we done our bit? Is it time to move on? Speaking at the recording of a recent charity single with other Gospel artists, Graham Kendrick thinks not. He described the challenge – as he sees it – that Haiti represents: “We see the news, we feel it and are aware of the suffering, but then we forget. This is one of those situations that is going to test us in the long term: is Haiti going to become another forgotten place?” There are millions of those ‘good men and women’ inaction today – and we are privileged to offer a giving service to over 34,000 of them.

Measuring Generosity

Interestingly, a recent study of the responses from individual countries showed that while individuals in the USA have the most amount of money during the first two weeks after the disaster (a colossal $168million – with the UK fourth at $32million), the most generous people were among those with the very least to give: Guyana and Ghana both gave the most when measured as a percentage of country earnings. The UK came thirteenth in the world. (Source: Guardian Datablog)

Essential Access

Allan Guinan, Managing Director of philanthropy consultancy firm Guinan Associates, has recently returned from an assessment visit to Haiti and has seen some remarkable work on the ground: “I’m currently placing a number of grants, one in particular for $22,500 with a national microfinance group to launch a mobile banking service. Given that the banking infrastructure has been largely decimated in the areas around the quake epicentre, what banks that remained were soon completely overrun. Many people were unable to access either their savings or money being sent by friends and family overseas. Launching this mobile bank branch will overcome these problems and allow people to purchase food and much needed materials for rebuilding. It will also provide financial literacy training as people are waiting in the queue. The mobile bank will allow between 250 and 350 people each day to make withdrawals, so the $22,500 over the first three months will help an estimated 19,000 direct beneficiaries.” www.guinan.org.uk