Ring Ring Ring

Ring, ring, ring – and the thread of your discussion goes ping!  We’re discussing a complex accounting issue with my Haitian colleagues, in three languages (English, French, Creole).  Then … a shrill jingle… the phone is picked up.  And poof! The thread of thought is broken.  On another day I was in a personal 1-to-1 conversation with a Haitian friend … a shrill jingle… the phone is picked up.  And poof! A sheepish smile “sorry, I won’t be a moment.”

If I’m honest – after many visits to Haiti, I still get annoyed.  For a people who value personal relations so highly, I wondered why is an incoming call given such priority over face to face conversation.

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Haitian Medical Director responds to Aid scandal

In light of the recent Haiti aid scandal and on-going questions over international aid, the Medical Director of Hospital HCBH, Dr Paul Toussaint, has written the below reflection.  It’s a longer blog than normal, but a very insightful reflection from the perspective of one of Haiti’s leading Paediatricians:

Charities work in many sectors: Water, sanitation, health education, human rights etc. But why so many organisations?  What are the results?  We are asking these questions perplexed.

Oxfam Haiti Crisis and us

HHA team with UK Ambassador and Hospital leadership. Us in our DFID T-shirts. team work. no abuse. May 201

Orgies, sexual favours – all part of Oxfam’s 2011 Haiti crisis. And in South Sudan also.  We were in Haiti in this period too, and also help in South Sudan.  After the cataclysmic 2010 earthquake – Hope Health Action and The Baptist Hospital swiftly repurposed buildings to take in spinal injuries, and later cholera victims.  Working intensely with other agencies and of course, the Baptist Hospital, many lives were saved, though many many more were beyond our reach.  It was a desperate time.  And Oxfam, with its hugely larger funds, backed with UK-Aid was able to reach more. 

Running for a life – end

We’re underway

Cheers Dave, joining the run to help out HHA

Virgin London 10k run. Done for Hope Health Action. Real sweat and exhaustion, so Suzette can enjoy less seat and exhaustion. Thanks to all donors. Your money is getting spent well.

Running for a Life 5

Suzette proudly shows HHA her new crop

Tell Suzette.  Tell Suzette she is not forgotten, nor her friends. Nor her displaced and homeless people.  Tell Suzette that though people she knows of have been cruel and utterly wicked, there are those she will never see, mean her good.  Tell Suzette that she is the poster girl for the displaced of South Sudan, in this instance.  Tell Suzette that her face will be carried in front of thousands in London this Sunday.

Running For A Life

That foot?  I’m running the London 10k on Sunday

Tied to a tree- to save his life

9^th July.  And my feet will kill me.  That refugee’s foot – it will kill him.  The malnourished disabled boy is tied to a tree by his mother so he does not run off and die a lonely death.  So he can be kept near to when the food arrives. I’m running.  So that Hope Health Action can ensure food get’s to the refugee camp in South Sudan.  His mum ties the poor lad to a tree, so he’s not running.  So he can eat what we will send him.

Help me to run for my life – so he can just keep his.