Scottish charities 'delighted' with public response to Haiti disaster

Scottish charities, Non Governmental Organisations’s (NGO) and politicians have rallied together to manage a unified relief effort for the victims of Haiti's earthquake.

Fiona Hyslop, Scotland’s minister for culture and external affairs, met with twelve NGO's north of the border to co-ordinate how best to organise aid from Scotland to the disaster-struck people of Haiti.

Gerry McLaughlin, chair of the Disaster Emergency Committee Scotland Haiti Earthquake Appeal, told The Journal that he was pleased that the Scottish government had taken the scale of the disaster seriously and that they had talked about the agencies receiving additional funds.

On the relief effort already put in place, he said: “Logistical challenges are huge but hundreds of thousands of people have already been reached in the worst affected areas of Port-au-Prince.

Some hospitals and clinics have also started to receive medical supplies, food and water. After the immediate emergency response, these agencies will remain in Haiti to deal with the long-term needs of its people.

The Journal also spoke to Edinburgh-based charity Mercy Corps who, as well as meeting with Ms Hyslop, are working in conjunction with Edinburgh city council in order to establish a fund-raising scheme across the capital.

Part of a larger global network, Mercy Corps have sent a team of 14 relief workers out to Haiti with the intention of identifying the areas in which funds need to be distributed most quickly.

The initial response is to deal with health, clean water and sanitation as priorities. The Haitians are also in dire need of food and ‘non-food’ items such as toothpaste, which has been in particular shortage due to people using it to cover up the smell of decomposing bodies.

Mercy Corps’ Ross Hornsey explained that the situation is particularly difficult due to the fragile infrastructure in place even before the earthquake struck.

The charity had in fact planned an assessment of Haiti in February to establish their need for international aid. Along with the initial aid to help survivors, NGO’s are looking at the long-term requirements of the country.

Mercy Corps and others understand that an investment must be made in the communities affected by such disasters to ensure that they can better deal with such incidents in the future.

For this to happen, ongoing aid must be supplied. Edinburgh City Council approached Mercy Corps after the 2004 tsunami that caused devastation in Asia.

The council wanted to initiate a scheme to co-ordinate the civic response to such disasters and to galvanise administrative bodies to deal with donations while also providing clear information to Edinburgh residents.

With the help of Mercy Corps, both individual and corporate sponsors can identify where their donations are being used.

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost, George Grubb, chair of the Edinburgh Disaster Committee, said: "For our part, we will be looking to the longer-term and trying to provide assistance for the rebuilding of those communities devastated by the earthquake.

"Our staff and people in the Edinburgh area have a long and proud tradition of reaching out to those in less fortunate circumstances. I'm sure they will act with the same compassion and generosity in response to this tragedy."

Mercy Corps workers praised Edinburgh’s strong response and commended Labour and the Conservatives for agreeing not to cut funds in aid relief.

Hornsey believes that Britain’s international development is globally admired but he feels that the Scottish government has a little more to do.

He said: “Scotland could come forward with more developed international development policy, there is none in their remit. It would be a credit to the government and the rest of Scotland if they co-ordinated better with NGO’s.”

To donate, go to www.DEC.org.uk/haiti-appeal

For more info on Mercy Corps, go to www.mercycorps.co.uk