Teachers deliver aid, document conditions in Haiti

While others went skiing over February break, English teacher Ryan Ikeda and social studies teacher Seth Donnelly took a five-day trip to Haiti.

The purpose of the visit was to bring medical supplies, meet with Haitian activists and distribute funds the school raised in response to the recent Haitian earthquake. This trip was Ikeda’s third and Donnelly’s eighth time going to Haiti.

They stayed in tents near the Port-Au-Prince airport in the project MediShare camp, which is the largest functioning hospital in Port-Au-Prince. Ikeda, Donnelly and 15 others on their team traveled on a truck as they documented the situation and distributed resources.

Along with others on their team, they assessed land damage and listened to Haitians’ stories. Ikeda took film footage and pictures to document the current conditions in Haiti.

“As far as the aid, phase one is kind of complete, which is the immediate damage after the earthquake and getting food,” Ikeda said.

However, according to Donnelly, a whole new crisis is emerging after the earthquake: a medical crisis.

“There have been a lot of wounds and infections and a lot of people are living on the ground after they’re homeless,” Donnelly said. “Now that rainy season is kicking in, the rain water will mix with the mud on the ground and the open sewage lines and we could be looking at a major health problem.”

The two teachers plan to return to Haiti at some point soon, possibly in April. This summer, Donnelly encourages students to accompany him there on a solidarity trip and to bring supplies and meet Haitian peers and activists.

“The Haitian people are some of the most courageous, hard-working and loving people I’ve ever met,” Donnelly said.