While Haiti calls for help from beyond its borders, help is also coming from within.
“I had some money, so I used it to take care of the people.” It’s a simple yet powerful statement from one of the real-life heroes emerging in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.
People like Alouze Luzane are stepping up and sharing the little they have with their neighbours. Last Tuesday she packed her bags, took whatever money she had and made the four-hour journey to Flament in Les Cayes from her home of Jacmel. All of the southern region was hard hit by Matthew, but Flament has been virtually cut off from the humanitarian efforts underway in other communities.
“When I came I found the people were really, really in need. I found especially that they were hungry because of Hurricane Matthew,” Luzane says.
At the site of Flament’s last standing home, Luzane works hard to battle that hunger. Her simple meal of rice, beans and chicken feeds over 50 people a day. It’s a light for the people of Flament who have lost, not just their belongings, but also their future.
Plantations of crops, coconut trees, bananas ready for harvesting were all levelled. With no food to sell or cook, it is a scenario destined to lead to further hunger. Luzane’s greatest fear is that the people will starve if she leaves. Through her links with ITNAC, she is receiving money to continue to help the people.
“I have to leave at some point, but I hope that when I am gone food will be still sent to them,” she says.
“I hope that it doesn’t stop.”
The church at the top of the hill in Flament was also flattened. It was a place of refuge for Luzane who worshipped there for many years. During her time in the congregation she developed a close relationship with its now deceased founder.
She says she “came to help people in that church, but she ended up helping all of the other people.”
She once came to the church on the hill to be fed spiritually, now the people of Flament come to her for their daily bread.
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Guardian Media has partnered with ITNAC and is encouraging citizens to donate relief items to this group which has been involved in a range of humanitarian and developmental projects since 2003. Among the priority items needed are children’s clothes, non-perishable food, over the counter medication, baby supplies, bedsheets, towels and shoes. The items can be dropped off at Sa Maison Guest House, 6A Anderson Street, St James. Cash donations can be made to ITNAC’s accounts at First Citizens 1660410 or Republic Bank at 510009446802.