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Seeds of Change and Green Shoots of Recovery

This morning we left Port au Prince at 6.30am to travel to Jacmel, a 75km drive south of  the capital. The idea is to leave early to avoid the traffic but the plan doesn’t seem to work as we spend the first hour in traffic jams.

Even at this early hour Port au Prince is buzzing with life. The traders and market stall holders are already working hard trying to earn a living.

As we climb into the mountains on the way to Jacmel and pass the beautiful tropical forest it is easy to forget that this is a country that has suffered so much recently but the frequent sight of tents scattered around the countryside serve as a regular reminder of Haiti’s problems.

The following day I meet some farmers who have received seeds allowing them to plant improved crops. It always surprises me how it is such simple things which can often have the greatest impact.

Latrines in Mayard Camp, Jacmel, Haiti
Latrines in Mayard Camp

Next, it’s on to visit Mayard, the newest camp in Jacmel. This camp feels more like an ordinary community than a camp.

Families are being relocated here from other more crowded camps and the atmosphere is far better. There’s much more space for families and many have built gardens around their homes, which are planned to last for 2-3 years.

Children have room to play and the brightly coloured Save the Children latrines and bathing facilities throughout the camp are a testament to the hard work and determination of our staff to build a better future for Haiti.

Our work helping the Haitian people rebuild their country needs continued support please donate what you can. You can find out more about our work  there at our Haiti emergency page.

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