» Haiti tarps

Two Years After Earthquake, Tarps Still Used as Housing in Haiti

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:19:47 +0000

The Associated Press recently followed up on the living conditions in Haiti two years after the devastating earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area. Makeshift communities, as was discovered, are still the norm, with tarps frequently used for homes. Although tarps are a UV-resistant and waterproof material helpful for keeping out the elements, they are not designed for long-term use, let alone as a primary source of shelter.

So, what has happened in Haiti over this time, and are any improvements taking place? An overhaul of the government appears to be one step in a positive direction, but even with a new president and proposed initiatives, neither a housing agency nor a defined strategy has been put in place. Although $2.38 billion has been spent in the country, minimal building has occurred, and because of water and supplies, citizens have gravitated toward camps.

Originally, as the piece detailed, the earthquake was seen as an opportunity for the impoverished nation to start over, and a general plan of new housing and more jobs in Port-au-Prince was proposed. Instead, no plan was enacted, and while some new housing and more classrooms have been erected, the government has left it up to citizens to rebuild their communities and create jobs. Additionally, new housing initiatives just target only five percent of those in need, creating permanent shantytowns in the country.

With this loose strategy, some Port-au-Prince residents have moved into mountainside shantytown Jalousie, creating a new neighborhood and community for the time being. Some residents, as quoted in the Associated Press piece, find the new community a significant upgrade to the post-earthquake camps; because of limited resources in Jalousie, however, other residents consider it more of the same situation.

If Haiti is to truly move forward from the earthquake’s aftermath, including providing housing for all citizens, what type of approach should the government take?

Tarps No Longer Effective in Haiti; Proper Housing Needed

admin — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:51:09 +0000

The Haitian earthquake occurred in January 2010 and, presently, a large portion of the funds gathered for creating new housing still have not been delivered. Instead, in the case of the United States, the money still sits in Washington, according to an Associated Press story. As the AP story explains, the United States gathered $1.15 billion specifically for rebuilding Haitian housing. From the rest of the world, only 15 percent of the amount promised for new construction has arrived.

Back when the earthquake happened, many were sending tarps and supplies to Haiti to be used as temporary shelter. Various organizations donated tarps to Haiti but, it appears, that these tarps are still the only material being used for shelter in Port-Au-Prince. But while tarps are designed for temporary shelter, they shouldn’t be used for more than 90 days. Eight months is too long of a time to be using tarps.

With UV resistance and a waterproof surface, polyethylene tarps are ideal for keeping out sun and water. Nevertheless, the material, no matter how effective against the elements, doesn’t hold up to a standard shelter. While funds are tied up, other organizations are taking it upon themselves to build new homes in Port-Au-Prince to replace the tarps.

According to the story from the Eden Prairie News, The Builders Association of the Twin Cities and Builders Outreach are partnering with World Wide Village to build new, basic homes in Haiti. Their proposed homes will be made from concrete block and will measure 24 by 24 feet square. No bathrooms will be added.

Although from certain standards these dwellings sound meager on the surface, they’ll provide far more protection than tents created from tarps. Hurricane season is almost over, but volunteers to build these homes won’t arrive in Haiti until December.

Tarp Connection from New Orleans to Haiti

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:21:06 +0000

One symbol that appears to connect New Orleans to Haiti is the blue tarp. As a staple to prevent further damage in a hurricane aftermath, tarps are needed for all homes in areas that experience hurricanes. After Hurricane Katrina, many that stayed in the New Orleans area used these blue tarps on their roofs to protect any damage to the interior of their homes. Aside from Katrina, hurricanes of any strength warrant any use of these tarps in the Gulf area. New Orleans has somewhat of a connection to Haiti, not only from Haitian immigrants that came during their independence revolution but also through the amount of damage caused by natural disasters.

Because of these two connections, the Church of the King in Mandeville held a drive for blue tarps to send to Haiti. The church sent an 18-wheeler truck of supplies to Haiti, with tarps as one of the supplies sent. Many residents in the area, not only for the church but also in the New Orleans area, have tarps on hand. With the hurricane season over, many of these unused tarps can be donated to relief efforts in Haiti to give temporary shelter, much like the way tarps are used around the Gulf after a hurricane.

Aside from the tarp connection, the natural disaster connection between New Orleans and Haiti is also significant. With the Saints making it to the Super Bowl recently, attention to the changes since Katrina are another focus on New Orleans. Mentioned in the linked article above, some of the most significant changes to New Orleans have been to make it more flood protected, including creating elevated homes to survive a flood and storm resistant homes in the Ninth Ward. Additionally, more charter schools to improve the education quality and recovery tours have also come about in rebuilding efforts.

Donating Tarps to Haiti

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:42:00 +0000

Food and money seem to be some of the more commonly donated items to Haiti for earthquake victims but so are supplies. Tarps are some of the more commonly donated products to Haiti, as relief workers are distributing them to one million earthquake victims. In fact, a request from President Rene Preval asks for more family-sized shelters, in addition to food and water, from international aid. This includes both tarps and tents that can cover a family. These shelters, however, are only good for three to five months outdoors and, when the rain season hits, the tarps will no longer provide adequate protection.

In the US, various organizations and companies are donating these supplies to relief efforts in Haiti to be distributed. One company in east Tennessee, Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, has been holding a tent drive to get more of these shelters to donate. Tarps are some of these shelters they’re requesting, as well as ordinary tents that can fit a family. Although the tarps and tents don’t need to be new, they need to be in sturdy enough shape so that no repairs need to be made to the material before being donated. Additionally, they also request trucks to help distribute supplies. The estimated delivery time to Haiti is two to three weeks from donation.

Individuals are also organizing donations for tarps. In Hattiesburg, Mississippi, residents have started Operation Pitch-A-Tent to gather items, such as tarps, tents, and sleeping bags, instead of money to donate to relief efforts in Haiti. After enough of these supplies are gathered, the organization plans to ship them from Gulfport, MS, to Haiti.

Although both of these donation efforts are in the South, check locally for any organizations, companies, or individuals holding their own donation drives for tarps and tents.