Where are the big NGOs? CAN-DO’s Real-Time Report From Haiti’s Ground Zero

Real time updates from the ground in Port-au-Prince from CAN-DO's Eric Klein

January 18, 2010

Not much sleep last night. We’re heading down into the Delmas neighborhood, 5–10 miles from the airport. The destruction is unreal. We’ve already established our first POD (point of distribution) outside the house where we’re staying, and the plan is simple: map and build as many PODs as we can so incoming supplies can move immediately into the communities that need them.

Just left St. Louis High School — completely demolished. There are 1,500–2,000 people surviving in makeshift tents. Only water is coming in, and even that’s causing small riots because there isn’t enough. These locations near the airport will be ideal for food and medical drops.

More updates soon. — EK

January 19, 2010 – (Morning)

I’m riding around Port-au-Prince in a 1,200-gallon water truck with a local Haitian team. These guys have 17 trucks ready to move — and the capacity to deliver 100,000 gallons of purified water a day. I’ve seen the operation. It’s legit. It’s real.

What they don’t have is diesel. We need 10,000 gallons to operate at full capacity. Even 5,000 gallons will get us moving. If any NGO on the ground is actually doing water work here, contact me: ek@can-do.org.

This is one of the fastest, most efficient systems I’ve ever seen. We can be fully operational in eight hours if we just get the fuel.

Things are bad out here. Really bad. — EK

January 19, 2010 – (Afternoon)

One phone call.Thirty minutes later.30,000 gallons of clean drinking water distributed.

No red tape. No excuses. No delays. All done through a Haitian-based company — the same one we’re trying to fuel up.

You guys back home are making this happen. Thank you. — EK

January 20, 2010 – (6:00 a.m.)

Woke up to the house shaking. A 6.1 aftershock hit at dawn and launched everyone into the street. CNN reporters jumped from the second story; one is in bad shape. They’re working on him now.

We lost 50 feet of wall at our base camp. I’m in the plaza now doing ground assessments, lining up logistics for more drops. We’ve already partnered with a Haitian water company and—if we get more diesel—we can pump out 100,000 gallons per day.

In the last 48 hours alone, we’ve distributed 60,000 gallons.

Still haven’t seen a single Red Cross or big NGO anywhere. Not one. — EK

January 20, 2010 – (10:00 a.m.)

We just set up our 5th supply and water drop. Haitians are stepping up, getting organized, building community lists, identifying needs, and taking control of their own neighborhoods. They’re tired of waiting. — EK

January 20, 2010 – (2:00 p.m.)

Heading back to General Hospital (HUEH) and Hospital de la Communauté.

The situation at HUEH is rough. After this morning’s aftershock, they moved all patients outside in the sun. When the sun goes down, they’ll be operating with flashlights. Supplies are almost gone. Some people are being treated with nothing more than aspirin for pain.

A United plane with medical supplies just landed. We’re trying to get clearance to pick it up now. — EK

January 20, 2010 – (4:30 p.m.)

We picked up medical supplies from Airline Ambassadors and are now in the trucks heading out with them to distribute.

Thank you to everyone supporting this project from back home. — EK