Torrential Rain: A New River?!

On the 8th of August at around 7:00 pm, rain started pouring accompanied by thunder and lightning as I was cooling down in the balcony at the end of a boiling hot day. I love lightning so I was enjoying the cool air. However, in about twenty minutes, I heard people talking and laughing outside. I then looked down the street in front of the house, and could not believe what I saw!

There was a new river that did not exist just twenty minutes ago. The sound of the water was like that of a waterfall! People came out of their homes to play in the muddy, dirty water.

This event highlights a few of many problems in Haiti. First of all, there is an evident lack of proper drainage system, not to mention the lack of preventative measures against mudslide. Another is that people were enjoying putting their feet in the muddy water, which is quite unhygienic. People are unaware of the danger of infections such as tetanus. The hurricane season is about to begin, and what we saw was only one torrential rain, not a hurricane. What will happen when the actual hurricane hits Haiti that is already ravaged by the earthquake?

JEN is now working to repair water points and conduct hygiene education. We are now only at the first step, which is a crucial one. Haiti needs long-term support to restore the necessary infrastructure and install preventative measures to be fully prepared for natural disasters as a disaster-prone country. We are continuing our effort toward this goal.