Haiti diary 3: Deciding priorities
11 February 2010
Karri Goeldner Byrne is the IRC's director of economic recovery programmes and is based in London. She has flown out to Haiti to work on a market mapping analysis designed to help speed recovery and independence for communities after a disaster.
Day 3
Going past the American Embassy this morning was astonishing; there must have been 1,000 people in line at 8am. I assume they were getting visas for the US, although some seemed to have US passports. Some of them looked bored and tired already, while others were nearly frantic to have their chance to explain their situation to someone.
We've started doing the emergency market mapping, and it is going really well. We looked at what markets were going to touch the most people, and then after much debate decided to look at two food markets (beans and rice, the staples of the Haitian diet), income opportunity for our target groups (construction labour, which of course is going to be much in need) and a shelter material (we settled on corrugated iron sheeting that is used for roofing).
Already the assessment groups were so buzzing with ideas that I could barely get them to stop talking so I could make announcements. I think we are going to get some really good results, and I know people are already interested to hear what we find.
There are just so many issues to look at – today I had a long conversation with someone doing a fuel analysis. Haiti is in desperate need of a change when it comes to its fuel usage, which is predominantly charcoal – bad for the environment but often cheaper than other fuels. With charcoal becoming more and more expensive (almost half the daily wage) it feels like the perfect moment to explore other fuel options. But first we have to find out what options are realistic for people who are first of all struggling to feed their families.
I came home today exhausted from listening to Creole/French all day. It's amazing how using a different part of your brain makes you physically exhausted. My French skills are fine for seeing the sights of Paris, but the Haitian accent is hard for me to understand, and my own makes it almost impossible for many to understand me. A translator is unfortunately the best way to go. Despite the fact that there are 15 people in the house, at least I can relax and speak to everyone in my own language!
More about our work in Haiti >
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