Reflections on Haiti Week
Matthew Richardson looks at how pupils at Friends' School Saffron Walden tried to help following the earthquake in Haiti in January
As part of the Haiti week at Friends’ School Saffron Walden, Year 7 volunteers talked about the impact of the catastrophic earthquake that hit the country. As a Quaker school, we are committed to helping people in all walks of life and all over the world. By raising awareness in our week of activities, we wished to show our compassion and concern for the people of Haiti.
It began with the Year 7 volunteers talking about where Haiti is, what its capital was called and what life was like before the disaster. The school learned that Haiti was a poor country even before the earthquake and was not prepared for a disaster of this kind.
The disaster itself was sad to see and hear about. The earthquake measured magnitude 7 on the Richter Scale. It was a major catastrophe and the capital Port au Prince was flattened. People were homeless and children had been separated from their families. Roads and airports were destroyed so that it was very difficult to get around the country and bring help to the people who needed it most. The school was reminded of how much help was needed in Haiti.
The immediate help required in Haiti was food, drink and medical assistance. Afterwards they would need to rebuild the capital. That would not be easy since Haiti was a poor country.
However, the aid agencies were already in Haiti before the disaster, but people working with the charities lost their lives and bases in the disaster. In spite of this aid workers did their best to help in the situation. Some of the charities involved were the British Red Cross, Oxfam and Merlin.
The volunteers then said how the school could help. From sponsored swims to wishing wells, they did everything they could to help the people of Haiti. In one week, the school raised £1500 to help the people of Haiti.
Visit www.friends.org.uk to learn more about Haiti Week.
