Survey: Haitians seek work, schools, and shelter

Ahead of a conference of donors on Wednesday Oxfam released a report examining the views by Haitians two months after a major earthquake shook the country.

According to a survey conducted of over 1700 Haitians for the relief agency the primary concerns are jobs, schools, and homes. “Haitians are not expecting charity; they want to get jobs, to educate their kids, and to make sure they have a roof over their heads at night,” said the Chief of Mission of Oxfam International in Haiti in a press release. Furthermore, most respondents have little confidence in their own government and would rather see an alliance “between foreign governments, Haitian civil society and the central government in Port-au-Prince.”

Today’s Huffington Post featured a “joint commentary” on the situation in Haiti by the heads of eight relief aid organizations. The article listed several “key areas” where donor governments could help the most and reflect the views of Haitians in the Oxfam poll:

Economic Recovery: Haitians have lost both housing and jobs, and their economy lies in ruins. Between 70 and 80% of Haitians are out of work. Reconstruction projects must ensure local labor opportunities. Jobs and cash-for-work programs are urgently needed in Port au Prince and outside the capital, too, where families hosting displaced relatives and friends are already facing major scarcity and stress. Women and young people -- sometimes an afterthought in economic development programs -- also need urgent help to support themselves and should be included in plans to get the Haitian people back to work.

The International Donors' Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti is expected to create financial commitments needed for post-earthquake reconstruction.

Image- CBC (“A woman walks along a street lined with rubble from buildings that collapsed in the earthquake in downtown Port-au-Prince, Wednesday, March 24, 2010.”)
Online Sources- Oxfam America, CNN, Huffington Post, Reuters