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The Fight For Aid to Puerto Rico

The Fight For Aid to Puerto RicoThe island of Puerto Rico has yet to recover from Hurricane Maria’s landfall in September 2017. Power outages, food shortages and a lack of coordination from disaster relief organizations have jeopardized an entire island inhabited by U.S. citizens. Timely aid to Puerto Rico has become detrimental to the island and as the U.S. government’s funding shrinks, so do many of the people’s chances of prosperity.

Insufficient Funding

Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rossello requested approximately $94.4 billion from the U.S. federal government: $31 billion for housing and $17 billion to reestablish power. The federal government initially offered only around $4.7 billion in loans, but the offer has since shrunk. The aid to Puerto Rico from the U.S. has been cut in half, now at around $2.2 billion.

Congress’ plan allocated a total of $90 billion in disaster relief for Texas, Florida and California, combined with Puerto Rico’s aid. In comparison, Hurricane Sandy garnered around $37 billion in aid to New Jersey alone. Needless to say, $90 billion is an insufficient amount to counter the enormous wreckage these four U.S. territories endured in the past year. Aid to Puerto Rico is the most crucial concerning total loss, yet it is the least prioritized based on governmental decisions for funding placement.

One reason aid to Puerto Rico is scarce is due to the U.S. Treasury Department’s unwillingness to help, suspecting the small island of having a central cash balance that isn’t low enough, despite the island’s debt of $74 billion.

FEMA explains the $2.2 billion is divvied up between housing repairs, at around only $620 million, and other needs at $510 million. This funding, along with other FEMA programs, has helped 130,000 Puerto Ricans and housed fewer than 10,000. These numbers fall short of what’s needed to supply appropriate aid to Puerto Rico.

Misplaced Trust

The federal government and FEMA have also given enormous funds to small, often understaffed or simply untrustworthy organizations to supply help.

One example is Bronze Star, LLC, a Florida company that was granted 30 million to supply tarps and plastic sheets for temporary roof repairs for those without proper shelter. By November of the same year, the contract was nulled and funding was withdrawn as the company did nothing to deliver. The entire process of approval and cancellation took four crucial weeks.

Another example is Tribute Contracting, LLC, whose sole employee was awarded a lofty $156 million as part of a plan to disperse nearly 30 million meals. The contract and funding were withdrawn after the company served only 50,000 people, failing over 18 million others who requested the nutritional aid in Puerto Rico. Since the cancellation, the owner has publicly accused the U.S. government of making her a scapegoat for FEMA’s decision-making.

Looking Ahead

Aid to Puerto Rico is improving, but there’s still much to do. With FEMA’s teetering funding, much of the island is being repaired by its inhabitants and some private investors looking to help. Still, 16 percent of the island is without electricity, leaving 200,000 U.S. citizens without it for 6 months.

Locals and visitors to the island have already made tremendous improvements and repairs since the hurricane hit, but much more work still needs to be done. Most Puerto Ricans don’t have the luxury of waiting for help to come and are forced to do what they can.

– Toni Paz

Photo: Flickr

Are Natural Disasters Getting Worse?

Are Natural Disasters Getting Worse?According to the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, the amount of flood and storm catastrophes has risen by 7.4 percent annually in recent decades. With reports of excessive weather damage constantly in the news, it is important to ask: Are natural disasters getting worse? 

By definition, natural disasters are any form of catastrophic events induced by nature or natural activities of the Earth. Some examples include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, droughts, tsunamis and tornadoes. The severity of such disasters is typically measured by the number of deaths, economic loss and the nation’s capacity to rebuild.

Many natural disasters are beyond human control. The constant motion of Earth’s tectonic plates initiates earthquakes and tsunamis. Fluctuation in solar radiation infiltrating the atmosphere and oceans give rise to storms in the summer and blizzards in the winter.

However, sometimes natural disasters aren’t so natural and are caused by humanity’s interference with the Earth’s system.

For example, as environmental pollution increases, humans are contributing more energy to the system; which strengthens the likelihood of repeated hazards such as flash floods, bushfires, heatwaves and tropical cyclones. 

So are natural disasters getting worse? The answer is yes. The number of geophysical disasters on Earth’s surface, like earthquakes, landslides and volcano eruptions, have remained steady since the 1970s. But the number of climate-related catastrophes has vastly increased. The amount of damage done to the economy due to these catastrophes has seen a steady upsurge.

There were triple the number of natural disasters between 2000 to 2009 as the number that occurred between 1980 to 1989. A large majority, 80 percent, of this growth is caused by climate-related happenings.

It may no longer be important to ask: Are natural disasters getting worse? But instead: Why are natural catastrophes getting worse?

The scale of disasters has swelled due to higher rates of urbanization, deforestation, environmental degradation and escalating climatic elements like high temperatures, extreme rain and snow and more brutal wind and water storms.

Dangerous events do not need to result in a tragedy. Limiting vulnerability and increasing the ability to respond to these disasters can save lives. Additionally, the continuous evolution of science and technology is making it more possible to anticipate disasters, provide aid quicker and allow for the rebuilding of cities in safer areas.

– Zainab Adebayo

Photo: Flickr

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How Blood Donation Rates Were Multiplied in Haiti

blood donation rates multiplied in haitiAfter the devastation of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, health challenges greatly increased. Thousands of men, women and children were seriously injured or their livelihoods were threatened following the disaster. The National Blood Transfusion Center (NBTC) located in Port-au-Prince was destroyed, which reduced monthly national blood collections by over 46 percent.

The NBTC was responsible for the majority of blood collections as well as screening all of Haiti’s blood donations for transfusion-transmissible pathogens. Many of the men, women and children in critical conditions that were waiting for blood transfusions were thus unable to get the treatment necessary to survive. Organizations such as the Haitian Red Cross relied on foreign aid in order to collect a blood supply to help as many patients as possible.

Rapid efforts were put into place to actively repair damages and increase the scale of blood donations following the earthquake. By 2014, blood donation rates had multiplied in Haiti. Before the earthquake, blood collections were 52 percent in Port-au-Prince, which is the largest city in Haiti. As part of the recovery plan, Haiti’s Ministry of Health (MSPP) created the National Blood Safety Program (NBSP) in order to increase blood collections in outer regions of Haiti, hoping to decrease focus on the Port-au-Prince area, as this was where most of the damage was received.

Expanding the blood transfusion posts, where blood donations were completed and blood stored, was also a goal of the NBSP, as this would also encourage more active participation in blood donations throughout the entirety of Haiti. Prior to the 2010 disaster, Haiti was one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. This was only exacerbated following the destruction. Building blood transfusion posts, recruiting donors and obtaining healthy blood were intense challenges faced by health and humanitarian efforts.

However, with the collaborative efforts of MSPP and the Haitian Red Cross, as well as generous donations from international relief agencies, the NBSP saw their efforts paying off within years. By building a greater geographic area for all participants to access transfusion centers, blood donation rates multiplied in Haiti. By 2012, annual blood collections exceeded pre-earthquake levels and continued to increase. By 2014, collections were 36 percent higher than in 2009. Both the international community and local community within Haiti understood the necessity for blood transfusions in the country, and volunteers rose to the occasion.

Blood donation rates multiplied in Haiti due to other efforts as well, outside of building new facilities. In 2012, Haiti initiated a new plan to continue attracting volunteers for blood donations. The country aimed to increase the percentage of voluntary blood donors to 85 percent and regular donors to 40 percent. It also sent mobile blood drivers around Haiti to network with the community and discuss the importance of blood donations. Incentives were given out, like t-shirts, books and stickers, to attract locals to the idea.

Using technology to network also became an important driver. The Haitian Red Cross Society hosts a biweekly radio show to educate listeners on the subject and encourage life-saving behaviors. Particularly on important dates such as Blood Donor Day, the National Blood Transfusion Center produces messages on the radio and through text for people to donate blood, which can help compensate for limited stocks at different moments in time.

These combined efforts have clearly exemplified the dedication that Haiti has to reaching its goal of 100 percent donation rates in upcoming years. Its work has set an example for nations worldwide that have suffered from similar problems in obtaining efficient blood collections to treat those in need.

– Caysi Simpson

Photo: Flickr

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Post-Hurricane Success of Humanitarian Aid to Grenada

humanitarian aid to grenada

In September 2004, Hurricane Ivan tore through Grenada, leaving 90 percent of homes ruined, causing over three dozen fatalities and freeing an unidentified number of convicts when a prison was destroyed. With constant looting and marauders on the loose, people left on the island felt extremely unsafe. Grateful for outside assistance, countries’, such as Trinidad, troops were sent in to reinforce order and support police officials.

Outside Assistance

In the aftermath of Ivan, humanitarian aid to Grenada not only came from many contributors but also remains as one of the most covered topics in the country’s history. Mexico sent over 34.5 tons of humanitarian aid, including food and construction material while the Red Cross sent 22 tons containing generators and hygiene parcels.

Damages estimated about $1 billion throughout the entire island. The European Commision provided 1.2 million euros in recovery support in September 2005, a few months after category 2 Hurricane Emily passed. The funds assisted in rehabilitating or strengthening homes and offered training on how to cope with future disasters. Venezuela provided $1 million, first aid and rescue teams to assist with humanitarian aid to Grenada.

Focusing on children, UNICEF placed their efforts into improving and ensuring children’s education as well as health systems. Salvaging damaged schools and getting children back to a normal routine served as crucial components of the organization’s aid goals. “It is imperative that children return to school as soon as possible, not just to continue their education, but to give them a sense of normalcy to their topsy-turvy lives,” said Jean Gough, UNICEF Representative for Barbados and Eastern Caribbean.

Return to Happiness

Thanks to UNICEF’s efforts, the psychological program “Return to Happiness” was created and provided to children living in shelters. Through puppet play, child-to-child methodology and songs as a means of psychological recovery, children of Grenada were taught coping methods to deal with calamitous events.

From various countries’ and organizations’ efforts, humanitarian aid to Grenada after Hurricane Ivan was received and immediately implemented. Although the initial aid provided did not cover the estimated damage at the time, Grenada as a whole was uplifted by kindness and continues to be ever since.

– Tara Jackson

Photo: Flickr

Lin-Manuel Miranda Supports Full Recovery in Puerto Rico

full recovery in puerto ricoTwo months after category four Hurricane Maria made landfall on the U.S. territory island of Puerto Rico, bringing with it massive damages and a heavy reconstruction cost, recovery efforts are still underway. So, how is Puerto Rico doing now?

Director of research and analysis for the global medical nonprofit Direct Relief, Andrew Schroeder, indicates that a full recovery in Puerto Rico will take time. He states that the situation on the island, “remains quite serious and will require significant support for some time to come.”

In addition, PBS NewsHour reports that 44 percent of the island remains without power, and despite FEMA presence and efforts to up government funding for relief, the island remains in critical condition. As the efforts continue, some individuals and celebrities have taken up the cause to help bring about a full recovery in Puerto Rico.

Among those most notable for their advocacy and relief efforts for Puerto Rico is Tony, Emmy, Pulitzer and Grammy award-winning composer and lyricist Lin Manuel Miranda. The Hamilton playwright and actor of Puerto Rican descent has been vocal in his support for aid to the island and joined thousands in a Unity March for the Puerto Rico in Washington D.C. Miranda has also taken to Twitter to urge the administration to keep up the recovery efforts, saying, “We still need your help” to President Trump.

Miranda took it a step further when he released a single, “Almost Like Praying,” borrowing its title from Leonard Bernstein’s musical West Side Story, which features Puerto Rican immigrants. This single brings together top musical names such as Marc Anthony, Luis Fonsi, Gloria Estefan and Jennifer Lopez, among others, who have banded together to perform this song written for and benefiting Hurricane Maria victims. The charity single debuted as a Top 40 song on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart at number 20 in sales, and brought in 5.2 million streams in its first week alone.

A month later, Miranda announced that he will be reprising his role as Alexander Hamilton in his award-winning musical for a two-week performance at the University of Puerto Rico’s campus in San Juan. He has since stated that he had dreamed of bringing Hamilton to the U.S. island territory since it’s move off Broadway two years ago, but now hopes bringing Hamilton will help stimulate a full recovery in Puerto Rico’s economy after Hurricane Maria.

Lin Manuel Miranda joins many celebrities and artists not willing to give up their shot at helping rebuild Puerto Rico.

– Belén Loza

Photo: Flickr

Infrastructure in Nepal: Gaps Between Mountains and Plains

infrastructure in nepalNepal’s landscape is shaped by the Himalayas, which run along the country. The snow mountains and blue skies are recurrent pictures in the land. These geographic conditions divide the country into three different regions: the plains, the elevated flatland and hills and the mountain region.

Infrastructure in Nepal is also shaped by these features, with gaps in infrastructure between the plains and the mountains. In some areas, it is difficult to build roads and provide citizens with basic services such as electricity and water.

These gaps are visible in water infrastructure. For instance, only 83 percent of the population in Nepal has access to basic water services. Even though most Nepalese have water access, the quality of water varies by region.

Terai, located in the plains, has good water access but in the Western hills region sanitation is the principal concern. Only 16 percent of Nepalese have access to higher/medium quality water service, a percentage which shows the main problem with water infrastructure in the country.

Regarding electricity, only 76 percent of the population has access to energy. The electrical power infrastructure has not improved since 2002. In addition, Nepal faces 18 hours’ load shedding a day, which means that energy generators have to be shut down in order to prevent malfunctions of the power system.

Communications infrastructure also has gaps between the plains and mountain regions. More than 60 percent of the road network in Nepal is concentrated in the lowland areas of the country, specifically in Terai. There are 29,031 km of roads, 53 percent of which are paved roads, and 1,952 bridges in the South Asian country.

This situation affects the Nepali industry and economy. In this way, Nepal’s infrastructure depicts a dual problem. Whereas just 20 percent of Nepal’s population lives in urban areas, Nepal also has the fastest urbanizing indicators with a growth rate of five percent on average since the 1970’s. With these parameters, Nepal has to start to improve its infrastructure in order to improve urbanization in most of the country’s regions.

The infrastructure of Nepal was impacted by an earthquake that occurred in 2015. Around eight million people were affected and 250,000 houses damaged. Despite that, Nepal’s government and the private sector are working to relieve infrastructure in Nepal.

Government capital expenditures in infrastructure have exceeded four percent of Nepali GDP since 2015. This money has gone towards water, communication, transportation and electricity infrastructure.

In addition, the private sector is contributing to upgrading the country’s infrastructure. Transportation and communication infrastructure received an investment of 365 billion Nepalese rupees this year. Whereas water and energy infrastructure got 48 billion Nepalese rupees.

International organizations are providing assistance to Nepal as well. Since the 1970’s the World Bank has founded 12 road projects and recently it has developed the Road Maintenance Groups (RMG) program that employs local Nepalese labor in road infrastructure tasks.

With these advances, Nepal looks to the future. With growing urban areas in the country, infrastructure in Nepal has to reduce the gaps it has in the mountains regions, where access is difficult. However, the government, the private sector and international organizations are all contributing money to the country in order to boost infrastructure in Nepal’s three regions.

– Dario Ledesma

Photo: Pixabay

The Triumphant Containment of Bubonic Plague in Madagascar

bubonic plague in madagascarThe bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, was a pandemic that occurred in Europe in the 14th century. Europe’s case of the plague killed tens of millions of people, seeming to disappear from history after it struck.

However, the bubonic plague is, in fact, still around today, though it doesn’t kill on the same scale that it did thousands of years ago. In countries like Madagascar, the plague is actually an annual occurrence, taking the lives of hundreds each time it appears.

Thanks to modern technology and medical advancements, the plague is now treatable with antibiotics. The key is to be aware of where it hits, so that its spread can be monitored and an epidemic can be prevented.

From August to November 2017, there was a major outbreak of bubonic plague in Madagascar across major cities and nonendemic areas. This was different than previous years, as typically the plague outbreak happens in rural regions of the country.

The plague starts with a simple flea bite, after which the disease rapidly spreads from person-to-person. In the span of three months, the WHO estimated that over 2,000 became ill and 171 died. While this is still an unfortunate amount, it is a decrease from around 300 who died from the bubonic plague in Madagascar in 2016.

The quick and efficient handling of this outbreak can be attributed to a number of sources: U.K. Public Health Rapid Support Team, U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Doctors Without Borders and Madagascar’s Ministry of Health. Together, these organizations developed a rapid response strategy in order to subdue and hopefully eliminate the bubonic plague in Madagascar, containing the bacteria’s spread within the urban area of its origin.

In order to accomplish this, the groups worked to adequately staff health centers so that those infected could get their antibiotics in a timely manner. Then, they conducted in-person interviews with patients to find out all of the people they were in contact with that could have gotten the disease. The health workers tracked down over 7,000 people that they believed may have been infected. The WHO states that 95 percent of the potentially infected have taken preventative antibiotics.

Very few people showed symptoms of the bubonic plague in Madagascar after these efforts, and those that did were treated with swift speed. From this case of bubonic plague in Madagascar, it is clear that treatment must be made accessible, travelers should be monitored in airports and countries must be given the necessary resource capacity and labor in order to avoid the disastrous effects of an outbreak.

Madagascar’s response to this plague outbreak was nothing short of timely and strategic. This is an unbelievable example of strategic planning and disaster mitigation. The steps that the organizations took together in order to reduce fatalities demonstrates the tremendous power of unification.

– Caysi Simpson

Photo: Flickr

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Humanitarian Aid to Mongolia During a Weather Crisis


For the past few years, Mongolia has experienced a detrimental cycle of harsh weather conditions that has been termed “dzud.” Winters are defined by temperatures at -40 degrees Celsius or below, and spring shortages of food and water lead to intense loss of livestock. To top matters off, droughts in the summer make everything from vegetation to livestock to families suffer.

Herders predict the loss of their livestock and quickly attempt to sell what they have in the market for profit. They do this in order to save up money for another expected rough winter. However, when many herders try to do the same thing at the same time, the market value of each animal decreases and farmers end up without enough money to survive.

USAID documents that on January 20, 2016, the government of Mongolia officially declared dzud conditions and announced that the country was in need of immediate assistance. Humanitarian aid to Mongolia was vital.

Fortunately, the response was rapid. With help from the Mongolian government, and the United Nations’ Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) assessed the situation and determined which groups were most vulnerable.

The plan wasn’t designed to put a long-term solution into play that would save Mongolia’s economy, but rather provide the necessary tools and resources to prevent death among thousands during the brutal winter. Basically, CERF provided humanitarian aid to Mongolia in the form of multi-purpose cash assistance for people at risk that allowed them to purchase essentials. In total, the U.N. provided $2.4 million to Mongolia through CERF. These funds bought basic but necessary food items, reproductive health kits for women and food and care for livestock. As a result, approximately 19,076 people received assistance necessary to beat starvation and death.

Without this form of humanitarian aid to Mongolia, thousands could have died or lost loved ones. Aside from saving lives, CERF strengthened the ties between Mongolia and international agencies, both aid and governmental. When countries are in need of assistance, this example in Mongolia shows that the international community is capable of responding rapidly and effectively.

— Caysi Simpson

Photo: Flickr

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The Success of Humanitarian Aid to Vietnam

humanitarian aid to vietnamA developing country struggles substantially more when hit by natural disasters because of a lack of funding and resources. Vietnam, since 1986, is transitioning from an agrarian economy into a more industrial and market-based society. Because Vietnam is prone to natural disasters the ability for development becomes easily stunted.

The GDP in Vietnam has shown an increase, but in 2016 due to natural disasters, such as Typhoon Damrey, the targeted growth was not met. According to the government of Vietnam, Typhoon Damrey killed 89 people, injured 170 and damaged or destroyed 121,500 houses and homes. This disaster is one of several that disrupted crops, electric grids, and roads while affecting clean water access and sanitation. Humanitarian aid to Vietnam becomes a need to facilitate the recovery and development of the affected areas.

The Government of Vietnam cannot handle the scale of such disasters and aid must come from foreign countries or non-governmental entities. The USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) provides aid for such incidents. For Typhoon Damrey this agency initially provided 250,000 dollars to the Vietnam Red Cross in order to establish clean water, sanitation and hygiene services.

The European Commission also supplies funding for relief and humanitarian aid to Vietnam. 2016 marked the deliverance of €2 million to provide communities affected by drought and saltwater intrusion with safe water, cash and safe hygiene practices. Other efforts relate to the devastation caused in 2013 by cyclones Wutip and Nari. Through the Disaster Preparedness Programme (DIPECHO) the Commission focuses to promote risk management and increase community resilience to natural disasters. The government of Vietnam, supported by the European Commission has made progress in disaster risk reduction. The high susceptibility of floods and typhoons that affect Vietnam calls for more aid though.

Some organizations exist to supply direct aid to the people of Vietnam in order to relieve the stress of natural disasters. Children of Vietnam started in 1998 by Ben Wilson, works in providing educational, nutritional and housing aid, focusing on the needs of Vietnamese children and families. This organization goes as far as bicycle and school scholarships, training families to raise livestock and to farm rice fields and fruit trees for higher productivity.

East Meets West Foundation is another non-profit humanitarian organization providing aid to Vietnam and working to downsize poverty. The people of this foundation look to increase self-sufficiency by improving health, education and economic conditions within Vietnam.  East Meets West brings education to low-income children, supports children with disabilities and developed Clean Water Program to supply potable water to over a hundred thousand people. Foundations such as these provide relief and help to a country that is faced with recurring natural disasters. Humanitarian aid to Vietnam is pertinent to the success of development within the country.

– Bronti DeRoche

Photo: Flickr

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Humanitarian Aid to Dominica Following Hurricane Maria

humanitarian aid to dominica

On September 18, Hurricane Maria devastated the Caribbean Island of Dominica, inflicting what the country’s Prime Minister called “mind-boggling damage”. Homes were destroyed, entire industries were brought to their knees and 27 lives were lost.

Months later, it is clear that the recovery will be a long and expensive process. Many governments and organizations are chipping in to help the beautiful island of Dominica reclaim its natural beauty and rebuild the infrastructure that its citizens need.

In order to aid in recovery and relief efforts, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has contributed an additional $3.25 million in humanitarian aid to Dominica. These resources will go toward providing shelter, water, hygiene items, and livelihoods to those effected by the hurricane.

The European Union pledged €750,000 to provide survival kits, food, water, and immediate shelter and household materials to those affected by Hurricane Maria. The funds will also go toward providing training and technical support to those who need to rebuild their homes.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has been working on the ground in Dominica to help reopen schools. As of November 9, 48 primary and secondary schools had been reopened. UNICEF is also working with other organizations to provide water and sanitation services to some of these schools.

Another organization providing humanitarian aid to Dominica is the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The WFP made a commitment to provide food assistance to 25,000 citizens of Dominica for three months following Hurricane Maria. They have also been providing critical telecommunications services to those involved in the relief response.

There are many groups that are contributing humanitarian aid to Dominica in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. Progress is being made: schools are reopening, shelters are being built or rebuilt and food and water is being delivered to those who need it most. With sustained investment in the relief effort, Dominica will continue its recovery and become a growing economy and booming tourist destination once again.

– Aaron Childree

Photo: Flickr