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HAITI HELP: WHILE HELP IS SLOWLY FINDING ITS WAY TO HAITI IN THE FORM OF WATER, FOOD AND MEDICINE -- RESIDENTS IN THE DEVASTATED CAPITAL OF PORT AU PRINCE ARE FACING A LONG, HARD ROAD TO RECOVERY.
January 18, 2010
AND CANADIANS ARE TRYING TO HELP. ((Brown)) A KINGSTON WOMAN IS HOLDING A FUNDRAISING EVENT THIS EVENING AT THE CLOVERLEAF BOWLING LANES. AND AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION CALLED "SHELTERBOX" IS LOOKING FOR DONATIONS TO HELP HAITIAN SURVIVORS. THE STORY FROM NEWSWATCH'S CHRIS HARVEY. PKG
IN HAITI, THE RESCUE PHASE FOLLOWING THE MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE IS FADING. THE FOCUS IS SHIFTING TO IMMEDIATE RELIEF -- GETTING FOOD AND WATER TO DESPERATE SURVIVORS -- AND LONG TERM RECOVERY. "SHELTER BOX" IS AN INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN RELIEF ORGANIZATION THAT LOOKS TO THE FUTURE....HOW TO HELP FAMILIES GET BACK ON THEIR COLLECTIVE FEET. DAVE HALLETT: "SO WE RESPOND TO EARTHQUAKES, TSUNAMIS, FLOODS, CYCLONES, AS WELL AS SOME REFUGEE RELIEF PARTICULARLY IN AFRICA." THIS IS A "SHELTER BOX"...A LARGE GREEN RUBBERMADE CONTAINER PACKED WITH SUPPLIES INCLUDING A FAMILY SIZED TENT. DAVE HALLETT:2 "IN ADDITION TO THAT WE HAVE GROUND SHEETS AND BLANKETS, WATER CARRIERS, WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS, A BASIC SET OF TOOLS LIKE A HAMMER, SAW AND PLIERS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, WIRE CUTTERS." IT ALSO CONTAINS POTS AND PANS AND OTHER COOKING UTENSILS TO ALLOW FAMILIES TO REUNITE UNDER ONE ROOF AGAIN. DAVE HALLETT:3 "ONCE THAT FAMILY UNIT IS CONTAINED AND SAFE AND THEY'VE GOT SOME INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THEM, THEN THEY CAN START WORKING ON THAT REBUILDING EFFORT." SHELTER BOX IS ALSO TRYING TO RAISE MONEY. IT COSTS ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO EQUIP AND SHIP A BOX TO ITS DESTINATION. 960 BOXES ARE ON THE GROUND AND READY TO GO. THEY'RE TRYING TO RAISE MONEY FOR AT LEAST 2000 MORE. THAT WOULD PROVIDE SHELTER FOR AS MANY AS 30 THOUSAND PEOPLE. AND MANY OTHER FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS ARE UNDERWAY. THE GROUP "HELP TAMMY HELP HAITI," IS HOLDING A FUNDRAISER AT THE CLOVERLEAF BOWLING LANES. TAMMY BABCOCK: "LOCAL ART FROM HAITI THAT I HAVE, AND ALSO A 50-50 DRAW, STRAIGHT UP DONATIONS, AND LIKE I SAY JUST INFORMATION. I'LL BE THERE FIELDING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE AND ANY INFORMATION THAT I'VE BEEN BROUGHT UP TO SPEED ABOUT." BABCOCK LEAVES FOR HAITI NEXT WEEK ((ON JANUARY 26TH)) CARRYING A 100 POUND BACKPACK FILLED WITH FOOD AND SUPPLIES. SHE SAYS SHE'LL PITCH IN ANY WAY SHE CAN TO HELP THE PEOPLE IN THE PORT AU PRINCE SUBURB, CITY SOLEIL, AS SHE HAS IN THE PAST. TAMMY BABCOCK: "ONCE WE ARRIVE IN CITY SOLIEL, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE SITUATION IS THERE. IF THEY ARE SOMEWHAT STABLE AND ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES AND ARE DOING WELL, WE'LL MOVE IN CLOSER TO THE HEART OF THE DISASTER." ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBER KILLED IN THE MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE RANGE FROM 50 THOUSAND TO 100 THOUSAND.... WITH AN ESTIMATED ONE MILLION PEOPLE HOMELESS. CHRIS HARVEY, CKWS NEWSWATCH, KINGSTON.
