Former NPCA Staffer on the Ground in Haiti for Red Cross

When National Peace Corps Association staff heard about the earthquake in Haiti late Tuesday afternoon, our thoughts immediately went to our former colleague, Matt Marek.  Matt served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Haiti from 2000 to 2002* and worked for NPCA as our Operations Manager for two years.  He was and is passionate about Haiti, and with fellow Haiti RPCVs founded Haiti Innovation, an all-volunteer, non-profit consultancy offering technical expertise and in depth knowledge of Haitian developmental challenges and solutions. 

Matt returned to Haiti and most recently has been working as Head of Programs for Haiti American Red Cross International Services.  He now finds himself in the midst of a disaster of unimaginable proportions.  (You can read more about his work on the Red Cross website.  Read an update here.)

We got word from Haiti Innovation's Bryan Schaaf that "Matt is ok." He continued, "Responders, including Red Cross, are overwhelmed.  Please encourage members to make cash contributions to provides who are already on the ground.  This includes WFP, UNICEF, Care, Save the Children, and many others.  Thank you!"  [People interested in making contributions to aid Haiti may wish to visit Charity Navigator, an independent charity evaluator.] 

Meanwhile, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington DC has just announced that this evening’s already scheduled Happy Hour will be a fundraiser for Haiti earthquake relief efforts. The Friends of Haiti RPCV group will be in attendance to share what information they have been able to uncover regarding the situation and relief efforts.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti, as well as with the RPCVs who served there and have lost friends and loved ones.

[*Peace Corps does not currently have a program in Haiti, but was in the country during the periods 1982-87, 1990-91 and 1996-2005.]

UPDATE:  See Matt interviewed by Anderson Cooper on CNN about coordinating earthquake relief.

Comments

[ken corvese]

Hey! I am a former peace corp volunteer in Haiti. I was outside of jeremie in a town by the name of Bonbon. Would love any information on Bonbon or Jeremie in general. I think about my extended family and friends all the time. My time was 98-2000, just before you . Pase bon journey, Merci wi! Ken Corvese

[nora friestad]

Hi. I am wondering if there is any need of nursing services in the area. I am an emergency trauma nurse 25 years experience. I am willing to organize/fund my own transportation. Let me know if there is any way I can help.
thanks

[Myriam Kaplan-Pasternak DVM]

I was a PCV in Niger from 1983-1985 during the great drought that resulted in Micheal Jackson's We are the World Tour. I was in Haiti for the quake. This feels like deja vu. All the same questions are being asked. Where did all that money and effort go? 25 years later what do we have to show for it. What will we be saying about Haiti 25 years from now? Haiti's greatest strength is her ability to unify her people, now she is unifying the world. If we can not change her history now, I fear we will never achieve our goal of ending world hunger and poverty. myriamsemail@gmail.com
www.devilsgulchranch.com for more info on the quake

[Catalina Garcia]

hi i want to help, i would like to donate something but i dont have anything just my time. So if you need more people im here

[Bernie Dioguardi]

It's great to see one of our own responding, and the reactions of other RPCV'S. I've been in quakes before in Peru and worked in Arequipa as a vounteer and later as a business entrepreneur there. We all need to show our support for the Haitians. Keep up the good work, I wish I could join you.

Bernie Dioguardi, Peru VI 1963

[Alex Clerfond]

It is nice to know there are Haiti RPCVs on the ground in Haiti helping out. I served in the 1991 group evacuated following the coup. I have since returned to Haiti twice to work with OAS/UN and at L'Hopital Albert Schweitzer. I have made a donation towards relief efforts but as a Haiti RPCV and a Physician Assistant, I am wondering what else I may be able to do. Would be happy to go and help out but am not on any pre-prepared disaster relief list. Any thoughts?

[Amos Judas Mokoena]

I think the world should unite in order to help Haiti with basic food stuff; water, food, shelter etc. This is a tragic event to have befell Haiti. Lets put the people of Haiti in our prayers.

[Nat Goodhue]

Serious consideration should be given to 'helping the Haitians help themselves' by means of such projects as: identification of safe places for buildings and hazardous places where there should not be buildings; identification and protection of potable water; reforestation to produce wood products and stabilize of steep slopes; increasing food supply by improving animal husbandry and raising vegetables; and land use planning. As a former Peace Cops Volunteer doing community development in Chile, I would urge the return of the Peace Corps to Haiti to help the Haitians to implement projects such as those mentioned above.

[Wanda Williams]

Kijan ou ye Matt?

It's good to see that you've returned to Ayiti to help out with this disaster. I'm the female graduate student you spoke with a few years ago following my trip to Haiti with the State Department. My friend's 12-year old daughter was killed by the quake and his young son was also wounded. I've also learned that the Hotel Montana was destroyed. I'm getting more cell phone calls than I can handle from others who make up my Haiti support circle. We're very upset over some of the remarks made in the media and the constant reference to Haiti's status as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Aside from that, my friends are skeptical about donating to some of the more established non-profits and I'm not sure how to advise them. Any suggestions? They want to make sure the money actually helps Haitians on the ground and not volunteers. I'm going to reach out to "Doctors Without Borders" about donating.
I can be reached at williams.wanda130@gmail.com

[Jeff Kerzner]

Big greetings and support to Matt and his colleagues in Haiti! Knowing Matt, I'm sure he's doing a fantastic job...and I wish him and all the people of Haiti strength in the face of this terrible disaster.

[Laura Stenger Paunan]

I hope that someone will be working with Brad Pitt and his aid group to comeup with earthquake proof buildings like he did in New Orleans with housing designs. What previous outreach programs were done and did the programs address the issues now coming out in the news: poor construction,water, deforestration,city planning. I hope these will be future projects considering Porto Prince is now a city starting from scratch. School students at all levels could replant the hills, mountains as part of community service projects that they must complete for graduation requirements. I hope after the first responders bring some order there is a plan to rebuild in such a way that this won't happen again. The US decision makers should be able to help by applying some of the knowledge they gained from Katrina? These suggestions could be tied to Haiti's instituing some of the suggestions if they want to get further aid. Why did the Peace Corps stop going to Haiti?

[Kevin Quigley]

It is tragedy compounded on tragic circumstances that we are witnessing in Haiti. I hope we all can find some ways to be helpful.

It reflects extremely well on our community and NPCA that one of our very own—Matt Marek—is right at the center of the relief efforts. Matt’s deep commitment to his country of service and his evident empathy for the people he works with are outstanding examples of the best of our community. It is clear that Matt is at the right place with the right organization and doing what he was meant to do.