Too Poor to Give? Think Again!
Africa's Impressive Haiti Relief Effort
Posted on February 16, 2010
On January 12, 2010 a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti shortly after 5 p.m., tumbling down buildings, tearing up all infrastructures and knocking down power lines. It quickly became a tragedy of major proportions, causing unimaginable damage and serious loss of life - the current toll stands at 250,000 deaths, the population in dire need of aid and relief and the risks of wide-spread disease increasing with each passing day. This tragedy sent a wave of compassion all over the planet and engendered an unprecedented level of solidarity from all walks of life and from all continents, especially from Africa. Indeed, despite their own political and social problems, financial difficulties and development challenges, 21 African nations (so far) have joined with the international community to donate money and lifesaving or emergency support services to the earthquake-stricken people of Haiti.
Two days after the disaster, the South African government had pledged an initial contribution of 1 million rand ($135,000 US). Businesses and charitable organizations in South Africa soon after started mobilizing in order to make a greater contribution. Vodacom, a leading mobile phone company, has financed the rapid shipment to Haiti a team of 40 emergency doctors, canine units to search and other specialists of the civil defense organization in the country, Rescue South Africa, to help victims of the earthquake. The NGO “Gift of Givers” has also collected more than $600,000 in emergency supplies. The South African Minister of International Relations, Maite Nkoana Mashabane, believes that public contributions may exceed the target of 30 million rand ($ 4 million US) initially set for a national campaign launched by Red Cross and Salvation Army South Africa.
Equatorial Guinea has pledged $2 million in emergency earthquake relief and in a written statement, its head of state, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo said, “Although our two countries are separated by an ocean, Equatorial Guinea stands with the victims in Haiti in this time of distress and chaos.”
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has pledged $2.5 million in emergency aid to help Haitian earthquake victims. DRC Information Minister Lambert Mende told the BBC, “Congo isn’t bankrupt; our own problems should not prevent us from helping a brother country.”
Ghana made a donation of $3 million to the government and people of Haiti. The country also gave some cocoa products and medication. And some Ghanaian organizations including musicians are also making efforts to raise money and relief items to help the people of Haiti. A Ghanaian charity, the Caring Kids International, has launched a fundraising effort to raise $1 million for Haiti. A concert by Ghanaian music stars for the victims called "The likes Ghana Haiti" was held in Accra on January 23rd, and a national campaign messages via cell phone has been launched to raise funds from the public.
Senegal through its president Abdoulaye Wade, has offered $1 million in aid. In addition, he said Haitians were sons and daughters of Africa since Haiti was founded by slaves, including some thought to be from Senegal. Mr Wade’s spokesman, Mamadou Bemba Ndiaye added: “The president is offering voluntary repatriation to any Haitian that wants to return to their origin… Senegal is ready to offer them parcels of land, even an entire region. It all depends on how many Haitians come, if it's just a few individuals, then we will likely offer them housing or small pieces of land. If they come en masse we are ready to give them a region.”
The Senegalese civil society has also mobilized considerably for Haiti. The Union of Social Workers and Health Workers has collected medicines and new clothes to send to Haiti. The Teachers' unions have planned for February a “week of solidarity with Haiti” in order to mobilize support from teachers, students and their parents. The initiative committee Senegal-Haiti, organized by Senegalese citizens and people from the Caribbean who live in Senegal, is campaigning for an effort of solidarity in the longer term and takes into account the enormous task of reconstruction that Haiti which faces. The committee plans to collect funds for an initial period of at least three months, by organizing broad campaigns targeting the general public as well as more individualized initiatives targeting schools and workplaces. Some of the committee members have also proposed to offer scholarships to Haitian students.
Nigeria, which has a contingent of over 120 police in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), has also pledged $ 1.5 million in humanitarian aid. Its Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan said: “the international community mobilizes to help Haiti can count on the support of Nigeria”.
Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Tunisia and Namibia have pledged $1 million each. The Namibian Red Cross has launched a nationwide appeal for the victims and has told the Namibian Broadcasting Company that although the government has responded to Haiti’s predicament, the need is so great the public is being asked to step up and donate as well.
Mauritius, which has pledged some $500,000, has mobilized nationwide to help raise funds for the earthquake victims. The city council of Beau-Bassin–Rose Hill, which is the country’s second-largest city, held a TV charity event on January 29 to collect donations for Haiti.
Botswana is donating $150,000 to the earthquake relief effort, calling the donation “a token of the friendship, goodwill and solidarity that exists between the government and people of Botswana and the government of Haiti.”
Rwanda and Sierra Leone have made $100,000 pledges each.
The government of Liberia has announced a $50,000 donation. The statement from the Ministry of Information providing the details on the donation indicates that the relationship between Haiti and Liberia dates to the founding of the Liberian state.
Benin has established bank accounts to accept donations for earthquake victims and to support the approximately 50 Haitian students studying at a university in Benin. The country has also offered to increase the number of national police it has deployed to the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and offered to send military forces to the U.N. mission there.
Among the African countries, Morocco has made the largest contribution by pledging to provide approximately $ 33 million of humanitarian aid. That is more than most European and Asian countries have pledged.
All across Africa, organizations of civil society have taken initiatives to provide help to Haiti. In Kenya, the National Red Cross is organizing a fundraiser, food and other donations from the public. In countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Congo, Tanzania, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burkina Faso, churches collect contributions from their congregations to send to the relief effort.
To date, the available information indicated that some 21 African countries had made donations or pledges totaling $ 51 million to help with relief operations in Haiti. This certainly represents a small fraction of the 2 billion dollars of donations or pledged at the international level, but it is nevertheless a significant contribution from the continent with the highest poverty rates in the world.
By Serge K. ADOTEVI
