Restore the House of Hope Orphanage Port au Prince Haiti
Sheffield Architect Phil Khorassandjian writes:
I’m in Haiti doing some work helping to start up a programme for provision of some 8-10,000 Transitional Shelters with Cordaid for those affected by the earthquake that took place 12 January.
Now, I don’t normally do this but when you see the devastation around you, you’re moved to try to help. We try to maintain a professional detachment from the suffering so that we can concentrate on our tasks but it is not easy when you see people living in appalling conditions, their houses, schools, markets and churches reduced to rubble. Our head driver ran (and still runs) the House of Hope Orphanage in Port-au-Prince before the earthquake. This collapsed completely, resulting in the death of six of the children. He was trapped for seven hours and contemplated cutting off his own foot to get out. (He didn’t but has a limp to show for it.) He is now housing the children in tents in his garden – they are too frightened to sleep indoors. Yesterday he received two more orphans into his care.
The children need food, clothing, medical care, education, rehabilitation and housing. So I was moved to try to help directly.
It may not be the recommended path for donations, there may well be more pressing needs but when the suffering stares you in the face you have to respond in a more direct and personal way.
An informal appeal to friends has so far raised over £2,600 in pledges which surpassed my expectations. If no more comes in then this will help restore some dignity to the children by clothing them properly, feeding them and getting them into school for a few months.
I would like to think that we could raise some more and even think about building a new orphanage. There are of course many organisations out here doing very valuable work and you may have contributed already to one of the appeals but if you would like to be part of a smaller, more direct, effort where 100% of the funds go to the beneficiaries then please let me know.
Any small contribution would be much appreciated.
Phil Khorassandjian
Email: haiti@pkac.co.uk
Port-au-Prince
Haiti
26 February 2010
York based architect Keith Knight chair of IHBC Yorkshire is co-ordinating the Yorkshire appeal.
Email: kk@deanknight.co.uk
How you can help
Children are in desperate need after the worst earthquake to hit Haiti in 200 years struck the country.
All donations will go specifically to the House of Hope project to provide immediate help to the children and eventually towards building a new orphanage.
If you have any questions about making a donation to The House of Hope Haiti appeal:
Links
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