We arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to 90° weather. We were welcomed by a group of Haitian singers and musicians who perform for all of the travelers arriving at the airport. After collecting our things, we met with our aunt who then drove us to where we were staying.
The roads were dusty and bumpy as a result of the January 2010 earthquake, and the conditions of the roads have worsened since then. In many areas, the streets of Port-au-Prince were filled with trash, rubble and dust. Due to a lack of waste management, some residents resolved to burn small piles of garbage. On the drive, we saw many tent camps interspersed in both residential and non residential areas. Seeing the tent camps quickly reminded us about the mission of our trip – the Safety Kits Project.
We spent the evening of the first day sorting the items for the next day’s distribution. Along with contributions received for the Safety Kits Project, The Empower Foundation received donations of toothbrushes, soap, toothpaste, and combs to distribute in the tent camps.
The plan for Day 2 is to visit two tent camps in Delmas, close to where we are staying. Prior to our arrival, our aunt and uncle went to the individual camps ahead of time and spoke with the residents to find out who runs the camp. They spoke with camp leaders to find out how many families were living in the camps.
The larger camp will receive: 90 safety kits (1 kit per family), 272 bars of soap (3 bars per family), ~40 toothbrushes, 15-20 tubes of toothpaste. The smaller camp will receive: 70 safety kits (1 kit per family), 216 (3 bars per family), ~40 toothbrushes, 15-20 tubes of toothpaste.
Check out some picture below from Day 1 of our Haiti trip.
Check out www.theempowerfoundation.org to learn more about The Empower Foundation and Safety Kits Project.
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