But as Heather MacLeod, in a paper on the Holistic Care of Children in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies, stated, “Emergency responses to health crises and provision of relief food or household items have a long history. Many people are experienced in these disciplines – but when it comes to specialized assistance for children affected by war [or natural disasters], the pool of expertise is extremely small. Most staff learn on the spot. There is no diploma or degree that prepares people for addressing the holistic needs of children in conflict [or disaster] zones” (MacLeod 2000).
Other authors state that “…well meaning [relief] workers often lack specific child health or child development expertise. They may be unaware that children move through many different development stages and therefore have rapidly changing needs…[and in particular that]… the brains of young children develop most rapidly in the first year of life and that most brain development is completed by age three” (Mandalakas 1999).
I have found these statements to be true as well. Other relief workers I have met that have been here for weeks have shared stories of their experiences. There have been other disasters that have affected whole populations, such as the floods in Sri Lanka in 2003, the tsunami disaster in Asia in 2005, hurricane Katrina, and the earthquake in El Salvador in 2001. But each disaster is unique due to the unique cultural characteristics of the country before the disaster. For example, the majority of the children and especially orphans in Haiti before the earthquake were already living in such poor conditions. It was culturally more acceptable to have orphans running around and being cared for by local churches and such.
Research shows that listening to children is central to both identifying threats against their safety and to helping their recovery, but adults are often too traumatized themselves to do this. Allowing children to express themselves in a safe place and re-establishing the routine of school is also vital, if they are to recover from trauma. A survey of 315 children showing signs of trauma (nightmares, flashbacks) in camps in Sierra Leone highlighted that after four weeks of attending school classes where they were encouraged to draw and tell stories, the symptoms of PTSD had lessened in all but 30 children. That is why reopening the schools in affected communities and establishing a routine is so important to help children recover.
I met today with the mayor of Tabarre, Jean Bernard Chassagne. The orphanage I’m working with, Children’s House of Haiti, is currently located in the Tabarre region of Port-au-Prince, and we wanted to work with the local municipality to address the needs of the local children and to try to creating a sense of community among them. He was not open to any ideas, but was very vocal that his offices and staff needed food and supplies. Without being too politically incorrect, it is enough to say that it has been frustrating trying to work with the local government, and I doubt we will ever get to a point where we can trust them to have the people’s best interests at heart.
Since Children’s House of Haiti, on the other hand, does have the children’s best interest at heart, and had done so long before the current tragedy, my plan is to continue working with this orphanage even after leaving Haiti this week, helping bring in sponsors and donors so that a campus can be built. This orphanage has already done such incredible things for the people of Port-au-Prince, but the best evidence of its long-term impact on people’s lives is that the adults who that stayed in this orphanage as children call Director Sam Sook “Mom”. Immediately following the earthquake, all these former residents instinctively gathered at the orphanage and were the first responders for the children. These men and women are contributing members of the community and are inspiring to see in action. Hearing where they came from and seeing where they are today gives me hope for other children that I’ve met whose outlook seems hopeless.
Even though PTSD recognition and therapy is, in my opinion, as vital as providing food, water, and shelter, long-term rehabilitation programs are needed to fully break Haiti’s cycle of poverty. Giving these children a sense of routine, sense of safety and a sense of community is one of the objectives for Children’s House of Haiti. And one I will continue to work towards as well.
1 comment:
It seems sometimes that there is less, or at least too little, willingness on the part of too many people to accept real responsibility---for themselves or for their decisions, or for the soundness and success of enterprises or institutions, or, in some instances, for much of anything at all. So many there are who seem to want to get out from under, with a maximum amount of so-called security and a minimum amount of responsibility.
(Some, it seems, are unwilling to be responsible even for their own acts and utterances, and are disposed to shift responsibility even for their own sins and shortcomings to circumstances altogether outside themselves.) And yet if the world is to run--if anything is to run--if there is to be soundness and security, someone has to take responsibility; someone has to make decisions; someone has to carry the weight and worry; someone has to see that there is safety and solvency; someone has to face the facts--which not everyone is willing to do.
But some who are less willing to carry any real weight seem to feel that they have unlimited license to criticize the decisions that other men make, and to misjudge motives. Every honor or office, every privilege or right carries with it real responsibility. Even the right of criticism carries with it real responsibility. And yet from the comfortable position of having little or no responsibility, and having the advantage of second sight, men may harshly judge other men who have heavy responsibility, and who have to make decisions on first sight.
It takes courage to carry responsibility. It takes courage to make decisions. It takes courage to take criticism--especially from those who won't share the risk or the weight or the worry--especially from those who play little or no part in the performance.
Men are all men. Some are wiser than others, some more able, some more informed, but we cannot expect omniscience of any of them. We can expect honor and honesty, integrity and intelligence, prudence and candor and courage. All these we may expect --these high qualities of character-- but not omniscience and not perfection.
And with this thought before us, we may cite these lines from Lincoln: "I do the very best I know how--the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so." That's about as much as men may expect of men--the very best they know how--along with a willingness to accept a share of responsibility, and with an awareness that there is no right without real responsibility--not even the right to criticize.
You are one who has accepted responsibility--thank you always Mina Chang!
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