It’s the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti and we wanted to give thanks to those who are committed to helping with the reconstruction in the country and focused on education to help rebuild.
Those Canadians bringing us the stories include:
The United Nations Special Envoy to Haiti and Canada’s Governor General 2005-2010, Rt. Hon Michaëlle Jean, who notes that in Haiti, “If we want to see a change … we need to start working differently now…and move from the logic of assistance to the logic of investment. What Haiti needs is investment in people’s capacities, in governance, investing in education.”
- Michaelle Jean in the streets of Port-au-Prince. Photo: The Canadian Press / Tom Hanson
Michaëlle Jean moved to tears.
Michaëlle Jean on the logic of investment.
From Free the Children’s Craig Kielburger
We remember when Craig Kielburger travelled to Haiti just a week after the earthquake last year, distributing aid and reconfirming his organization’s projects there. He returned again this past December with Mia Farrow, coinciding with the results of the highly-contested election, and has been updating Canadians on the status in Haiti, in the media and on his special on CTVs W5.
Kielburger agrees with Mme Jean’s focus on education: “That’s the thing about schools – an earthquake might knock down the walls, but education can build them back stronger.” Kielburger’s organization was recently completing their 11th school in Haiti.
Kielburger in the Toronto Star with his Global Voices column.
He encourages us to stay involved: “A year post-earthquake, we, like most others, are frustrated by the lack of progress in Haiti. Emotion drove millions to donate last January. Frustration needs to drive us to demand sustainability and efficiency a year later.”
A 3-year old teaching Craig to dance at opening ceremony for a new Free The Children school in Haiti
MTV’s Aliya-Jasmine Sovani travelled to Haiti recently in advance of the one year anniversary and returned with a special for Daily Planet on the Discovery Channel with inspiring stories from Haiti. You can see her reports this week at 6:26 p.m. on MTV NEWS. A full video diary of her journey will air Sunday, February 20 at 6 p.m. on MTV NEWS PRESENTS: IMPACT. Sovani is also on special assignment for Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet, which reports airing all this week, at 7pm ET looking at future risks and surprising innovations including employment opportunities, reducing risks associated with earthquakes, and new construction techniques.
Aliya-Jasmine & Jared Leto doing an interview in Haiti for MTV News Canada
More on Canadian media coverage of the recovery in Haiti.
There are so many moving pictures from Rt. Hon Michaëlle Jean‘s & Craig Kielburger’s numerous trips to Haiti we wanted to share a couple more.
Rt. Hon. Michaëlle Jean dances in her childhood town of Jacmel during a visit to Haiti in 2006. Press File Photo.
Rt. Hon. Michaëlle Jean hugs Maile Alphonse in Jacmel, Haiti. Alphonse lost her mother Magali in the earthquake who was the godmother of Jean's daughter Marie-Eden. The Canadian Press/Paul Chiasson
Craig Kielburger & Mia Farrow in the streets of Port-au-Prince
Craig giving a boost from behind the crowds at the school opening ceremony
