MaximsNewsNetwork: 13 July 2010 - UN MINUSTAH: Jacmel, Haiti - Hundreds of families living in camps in Jacmel wait to return home as the UN Mission in Haiti, the International Organization for Migration and NGOs work with the Haitian government to rebuild houses and eventually relocate them back to their homes.
Jacmel, 30 kms south east of Port au Prince, in a district called Wolf. It is not far away from the camps.
Here, the former camp residents are meeting with OIM, the International Organization for Migration.
Among them there is also Marie Michelle Antoine. She left with her children the camp Wolf 2 and returned in her previous house. OIM prepares with the former IDP's the first distribution of food as part of the program of the relocation. Ben ODUWA from OIM coordinates this project.
In Jacmel several hundreds families live in the camps "Wolf" and "Pinchina". The families live under difficult conditions. The town hall would like people to return as soon as possible to their old houses. Once local administration has approved the demolition and afterwards the rebuilding of the destroyed houses, the German NGO 'Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe', starts working in the houses in Jacmel. The focus is on the houses which have owners.
The result of this co-operation between the Diakonie and the town hall is very positive.
Outside of the city Jacmel, OIM prepares its very first food distribution to the former IDP's. The rations are for 3 weeks: dry food for 2 weeks and already prepared food rations for one week.
65 families that lived in the 3 camps of Wolf receive today their first rations, among them also Marie Michelle. The rations enable her to save the money in order to start again her little business she lost during the earthquake. Marie Michelle returned with her family by the end of April in her house which was repaired by Diakonie.
Marie Michelle now waits impatiently to get the contract offered for "Cash for work" as last element of the relocation program in Jacmel.
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Marie Michelle Antoine, Beneficiary, former camp resident:
"I didn't feel well in the camps, I am not used to live with the children like this - with everyone all together. We are the same people, but we have different habits and when we live alone we can live our lives. In the camp it is so crowded. And it is not only for one day, for two day s. But it was longer. We were really not feeling well".
SOUNDBITE (French) Jacques Philippe Mondesir, Coordinator, 'Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe':
"We are working at the camp Wolf. We have all the data of the families of the camp Wolf and we know who are the owners of the houses. And for those we rebuilt or reconstruct the house. Once it is rebuilt, we are encouraging the people to go back to their homes."
SOUNDBITE (French) Edwin Zenny, Mayor, Jacmel:
"Today we are working with OIM, Minustah, and with many other NGO's in our area. We try to give a common response, and it is working. Before we had 1500 families living in the camps, now they are only 700 left."
SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Oduwa, coordinator OIM, Jacmel:
"It is a common effort of the inter-cluster of Jacmel. WFP gave the food which is in front of you. "Save the children" gave the hygiene kits and the solar lamps, the relocation cluster contributes with a 2 months contract for "Cash for work" for the families who went back home."
SOUNDBITE (Creole) Marie Michelle Antoine, Beneficiary, former camp resident:
"I want to work, I have 5 children, the father died 14 years ago, they have to go to school, they have to eat and when they are sick I need to pay the doctor".
..... ( UNITED NATIONS STABLIZATION MISSION IN HAITI: UN MINUSTAH ) .............
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