To IYCW National Movements

To Friendly Organizations who are in solidarity with the IYCW

Solidarity greetings from the continental team of the YCW of the Americas. We hope that the development of your actions is improving the working and living conditions of the working class, in particular the young workers around the world.

As you already know, the solidarity plan that we developed in the IYCW to support the reconstruction of the Haiti YCW after the appalling earthquake that hit them is being implemented. We wish to inform you that our friend Leonel Poma joined the reconstruction team over a week ago. He and Yves Rameau, both members of the IYCW international team, are now working together there. We would like to present a report on the first stage of the plan we are carrying out.

Progress in the reconstruction of the Haiti YCW after the earthquake

Current context

This report has been developed based on the visit to and joint work with the Haiti YCW. In this report we are presenting the reconstruction plan as well as the steps we have already taken and will continue to take in a concrete way. Our goal is to meet, at the institutional level, the particular situations of the activists who were affected and to ensure the ongoing management of the YCW internal support in collaboration with other organizations.

There is a big apathy of the people regarding international support because it doesn’t reach the most affected directly. This is why people have started to organize themselves: they have set up their own small businesses or their temporary shelters on the rubble, and people are selling essential goods informally.

Many people have relatives who have not yet been removed from the rubble. For instance, Estelot, an activist of the Haiti YCW, has a relative in the rubble of his house and he doesn’t know when he will be able to remove him.

Many people moved to other cities fearing that the quake might come back. This means that there is a population increase in other cities and no one knows whether this will be permanent or temporary.

Most people have a feeling of guilt promoted by the Evangelist church. That church says that the earthquake took place because people committed a lot of sins and they encourage people to participate in massive masses.

After the quake, the economic system which generates alternative work is not working. Therefore, a lot of YCW activists and young workers are left completely on their own economically-speaking. The presence of the state is not much felt and this makes it more difficult to rebuild the city and to channel international support in an orderly way.

Regarding more personal situations

Patrick’s situation

Patrick, the national treasurer, died in the earthquake. We visited the place where he is buried, near his house, just around the corner. He was wrapped in sheets and buried temporarily. This is due to the current situation in Haiti, where the system to organize tombs and burials is not working at the moment.

However the positive thing if that we know he is buried in a place that his family and friends can identify and he hasn’t been buried in a common grave.

As far as his family is concerned, his wife is 8 months pregnant and has absolutely no assistance in terms of health and income.

Patrick was the breadwinner and his mother and three sisters, 18, 25 and 28, are left with nothing. The family has no income.

Actions

• We will build a temporary crypt where Patrick is buried. This will be done with the support of JOCA and labor of Haiti YCW. We want him to be buried with more dignity.
• Together with MOSTHAC (Haitian health support institution in the Dominican Republic and Haiti) we are working to get psychological support for Patrick’s family, particularly for his mother who has been very affected by the loss of her son.
• Management of direct support for the pregnancy of Patrick’s wife thanks to MOSTHAC support.
• The YCW has arranged for the sending of a box with foodstuffs to Patrick’s family every week. A financial contribution was given to Patrick’s family.
• Arrangement for a US$250 salary (amount he was receiving as national fulltimer). The distribution will be $150 for his wife and $100 for his mother and sisters (this is being discussed with WSM and we want to see if it is possible to include this situation in JOCA’s continental solidarity plan.

Pierlyne’s situation

Pierlyne is now recovering in the Dominican Republic. Her injuries are on the way to healing. Her deepest injury was the one she had at her heel. She also suffers from a tear of a buttocks muscle. She cannot move on her own yet since she is unable to walk.

She has been seen by specialists for both physical and psychological care, so now she feels calmer and more at rest. A YCW friend is taking care of her and Rameau pays visits to the Dominican Republic to organize support.

Concrete actions

• Support by JOCA and MOSTHAC in terms of health, medical supervision and stay in hospital.
• The YCW provides her and the friend who is taking care of her with food.
• Visit by her older brother in Santo Domingo during a YCW visit so that she can be in touch with members of her family.

Prospects

• Organize solidarity support for her recovery through the continental solidarity campaign.
• Organize the visit of a dietitian so that she can have a diet which is appropriate to her situation.
• Visit by YCW friends and relatives every week thanks to the support of Haiti YCW and MOSTHAC.

Situation of the Haiti YCW action after the disaster

Organization of solidarity camps in the neighborhoods 

The YCW has set up 3 camps for young workers and their families, for some 120 people.

• Estenval premier Aveida de Bolosse
• Bertin de Carrefour
• Fouchar, near the Sacred Heart church.

These camps are for young people who lost their parents and whose houses were destroyed.

Actions

• 
• Each week there is food distribution (water, rice, oil, pasta, sugar) run by the YCW.
• Posters to identify the YCW solidarity camps.
• Health visits, mostly at psychological level.
• A $10 special solidarity contribution for the young people of the YCW who were affected because they are in a situation of unemployment and the aid they receive does not cover all their needs.
• Reflection with the young people on the situation in Haiti regarding the distribution of international aid. The aim is to have a critical view of the government’s lack of action and the slow distribution of international aid.
• Tents to sleep. There are currently 6 tents in the 3 camps.

Prospects

• Get another 40 tents. This is already under way with the support of MOSTHAC.
• Continue the food support and community kitchen.
• Functioning of the national secretariat of the Haiti YCW.
• Experiment temporary self-employment (farming, crafts, etc.)

National secretariat of the Haiti YCW

As you know, the national secretariat of the Haiti YCW collapsed and is now inactive since all the material was lost. In terms of finance, the Haiti YCW has lost all its money with the collapse of the building. The rubble cannot be removed because the building belongs to the church (archdiocese), not to the YCW.

The national team of the Haiti YCW met and set up a national commission tasked with running the reconstruction of the YCW. The commission consists of 5 people : Antonie Belange, general coordinator of the commission (in charge of coordinating, together with CTH and MOSTHAC, the support for the YCW camps and other particular things), Rose Missole Guillaume, temporary finance officer, Adner Estelot, organization, distribution and coordination of the 3 camps, Estherline Dumasais, secretariat and organization support, Fritz Pierre, technical and logistical support, JOCA, Yves Rameau, general support and commission advisor, Joseph Auguste Prince.

Actions

• We are running a provisional office in the facilities of the Haiti trade union (CTH) (room, office and chair).
• Purchase of a computer and a printer in Santo Domingo for the functioning of the office. Donation for the temporary functioning (purchase of office equipment, poster to identify the office and the camps).
• List of YCW members and relatives in the camps.
• Continue with the distribution of $10 to the activists affected by the quake every two weeks.

Prospects

• Organize the removal of the rubble from the YCW office building.
• Continue coordinating the support in the camps (food and others).
• Fully install the temporary office of the Haiti YCW.
• Obtain a pro forma in order to get a new office space for the Haiti YCW.
• Project to be submitted to WSM in order to obtain funds to build a new house for the Haiti YCW.

Dear friends of the IYCW and friendly organizations, we hope that this information will give you energy to continue fighting and supporting the Haitian people. We also take advantage of this communication to ask you to send us some information regarding the solidarity campaign: What have you started or done? What are the results in your country? Please let us know about it.

We hope to hear from you in the coming days.

Warm regards in solidarity,

Leonel Poma/Yves Rameau (in Haiti)

Sandra Ruiz/Marcos Rondón

JOCA team