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Haiti aid worker diary: the last week

By Emily Knox
February 15, 2010 at 3:21 pm

Monday Feb 8th:

There was a lot of activity at the warehouse today. We loaded trucks for Haiti as per the latest requisition from the field. Shelter is a priority so we sent thousands of family tents and tarpaulins. The ten 40 ft containers that will have left by lunchtime tomorrow are carrying 150 tonnes of tents, tarpaulins and kitchen sets. Meanwhile another 150 tonnes is making its way from Rio Haina port to Haiti. Attached is a picture of the mega-forklift that moves containers at the port that Gareth was impressed with.

Moving_containers_at_Haina_Por

It’s only three days now until my replacement arrives with the second rotation team so I’m trying to get things ready for the handover. It’s weird to think that I will be leaving. It’s only been just over 3 weeks but it feels like a lifetime. I will miss being able to wear a t-shirt outside in the evening. I will also miss our journeys back from the warehouse, which are full of lively banter and music. Dominicans love music and the driver and volunteers usually start singing on the way home – bachata, meringue, even mambo… It’s a welcome relief from the stresses of the day!

15th Feb:
Well, it is my last day tomorrow… David and I return to the UK. Maria my replacement has arrived and I am in the process of handing over the gauntlet to her. Looking forward to the 24 hour sleep that I have booked myself in for on my first day back!

Gareth has been called to Haiti so he took the 9 hour bus trip yesterday to Port-Au-Prince. The teams over there are reaching 2,500 families a day (working on 5 persons per family) with essential items such as tarpaulins, kitchen sets and mosquito nets. For me, it’s hard being based over the border as you don’t get to see first-hand people making use of the items being sent. However, I am glad to have been part of it.

Tarpaulins

Heard it’s been snowing back home, which is going to be a bit of a shock to the system after a month of Dominican heat!

So, thanks for reading and hasta luego…

Cross posted from the British Red Cross international diary


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  • Mr_Woolf

    A very humbling reading experience.
    You are all the human embodiment of Angels!
    xXx

  • Mr_Woolf

    A very humbling reading experience.
    You are all the human embodiment of Angels!
    xXx