It has nearly been a week since the devastating 7.0 earthquake struck Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and the surrounding cities and towns of this Caribbean country. The disaster is one of the worst in the Western Hemisphere, and our hearts go out to the suffering that is being experienced by so many people in this country. The response to help the people in Haiti has been a global response. Countries and organizations from all over the world have sent people and resources to Haiti.

The enormity of the task to get the needed medical services, food & water, and shelter to the victims has been hampered by the inability to traverse the roads from the airport, where food and water has been staged, to the various cities and towns.

Those of us at a distance from Haiti can try and provide monetary support, and also try and learn as much as we can about this country, its people, and what steps must be taken to restore and help the country re-build after this disaster. This will take time. At the present time, the immediate need is to save lives, and to get help to the people who have suffered so much.

As educators, our psyches are nourished by helping our students prepare for their futures. It is hope that we bring to our students through our work. In the case of our concern about Haiti, and its people, we support all of the efforts to make a future possible for the Haitian people. We look for examples of hope, or human bravery, and how help is being brought to the Haitian people.

There are some sites on the Internet that can be helpful to you and your students. Here are a few.

The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System. This provides real-time alerts about natural disasters, and tools to facilitate coordination. At this site you will find a great deal of information about the Haiti earthquake, and what is being done to help the people.

Real time information is provided here at the GDACS Website

Haiti: The Geology and Geography. From the New York Times, here is a map showing the geology of the area, and damage sustained in various sectors.

The Charity Navigator. This is an independent charity evaluator, which analyzes the largest charities, and in the case of Haiti, provides some specific recommendations. Five charities that were highly recommended by the Director of the Charity Navigator include:

Partners in Health. This group has been working for more than 20 years in Haiti and specializes in working for the poor in health care.

Partners in Health Care

Direct Relief International. Provides direct medical help, and has already established teams to begin treatment for the people in the earthquake. Read about what they are doing now.

AmeriCares. AmeriCares delivers medicines, medical supplies and aid to people in crisis around the world. Already on the ground in Haiti, you can read about their progress.

Water Missions International. This organization provides safe, clean water in developing countries and in disaster areas.

Save the Children. The mission of this organization is to create lasting, positive change in the lives of children. You can view a short video of the work that they do.

And here is a video of Michele Obama on the Haiti response around the world.