Sikhs’ Haiti relief team builds food distribution to 5,000 meals a day

Volunteers from the United Sikhs organisation battled through the devastation and chaos of Haiti to begin relief work in its earthquake stricken capital city Port-au-Prince.

Once established they built up resources to the point where they can now distribute 5,000 langgar (community) hot meals day, following a request from the mayor of Carrefour, Yvonne Gerome.

United Sikhs Aid volunteers served in three locations in Carrefour, one of the worst hit areas. Fifteen hundred meals alone were served in Cite Soleil, the poorest section of Port-au-Prince, where 1,000 children were reported in dire need of food and water. City police helped volunteers with the distribution.

“It was heartbreaking to see so many hungry children in line for the food,” said Harcharan Singh, a volunteer from Toronto

Now they have a foothold in Port-au-Prince United Sikhs have been appealing for other volunteers, including doctors, to join them in their humanitarian rescue efforts.

The charity’s humanitarian director, retired Lt Col Gurbachan Singh, and colleagues flew into Santo Domingo airport in the Dominican Republic and drove into Haiti across the Jamini border.

The aid team’s first assessment of the situation showed immediate need for medical supplies, food, water, and shelter for survivors. Like other rescue workers, the team had to overcome serious obstacles and logistics challenges due to a lack of infrastructure.

The charity encountered countless survivors with serious injuries, especially crushed limbs needing emergency medical treatment.

Every building on the roadside was severely damaged with falling concrete roofs crushing people, household goods, and vehicles. There were dead bodies lying on the ground, said Lt Col Gurbachan Singh.

A United Sikhs’ shipment of food, water, clothes and medicines was due to arrive in Haiti this week from Miami, by sea and by air.
More doctors are joining the Sikh Aid team from the US to establish a team comprising rehab doctor, primary care doctors and an occupational therapist. Further trained medical staff and other volunteers are still needed.

Kuldip Singh, president of United Sikhs, USA, said Haiti was in desperate need and called for generous support from the worldwide community to help sustain the organisation’s commitment to survivors.

The volunteers have witnessed mass burials and search and rescue operations, although these have now been wound down.

United Sikhs says donations of any amount could help save lives. You can donate at www.unitedsikhs.org/donate or mail a cheque to the nearest United Sikhs office.

To contact United Sikhs, please visit: www.unitedsikhs.org/contact.php