By France Hurtubise, a Canadian Red Cross aid delegate in Haiti
Photos courtesy: Maria Santto / IFRC
“Every day I see children suffering from the after-effects of having lost their homes or close family members,” said Emilie Gauthier-Paré. Psychosocial delegate with the Canadian Red Cross in Haiti,
Émilie is a member of the mobile health clinic team making daily visits to remote villages of Grande Anse in the southwest of the country that was devastated by Hurricane Matthew.
The Canadian Red Cross clinic offers on-site primary health care and raises awareness on the risks of cholera. Emilie’s role is to provide psychological first aid. “Many children come to the clinic on an empty stomach, and that alone adds to their stressed condition.”
The work of a specialist in psycho-social care is essential in the aftermath of a catastrophe. Observe, listen and make contact are the three basic principles that govern her action. She must quickly identify available services and helping hands within the communities she visits: churches, neighbours, family, friends, and Haitian Red Cross volunteers. She can then guide people who require special attention to local services, or refer severe cases to external mental health professionals.
Because of the destructive power of the recent hurricane, the task is very challenging. Hurricane Matthew hit a large percentage of the population, with severe damage to homes, crops, buildings and infrastructure. When almost everyone is impacted, even the most resilient residents are without the means to help the most vulnerable.
Emilie was in Idomeni camp in Greece last year in October for a one-month mission to assist Syrian refugees arriving in Europe. “My job was easier there as I had developed over time good relations with the various aid organizations. I could quickly guide those in need to the right person” said Emilie, “Seeing a family for the first time, I knew right away where to send them. In Haiti, it is not as easy due to the scattering of communities, the extent of the damage, and the short time I can spend in each village because of the number of villages to visit.”
“My number one challenge is to make do with the scant resources I find locally,” adds Emilie. In Moline village, part of Pestel commune, she was fortunate to find someone who ended up being extremely useful: the village priest. “Upon our arrival, this man welcomed us so warmly! I later referred to him a whole family who had not eaten anything for several days.”
One eye badly infected, eight-year-old Medjinn Precilien arrives alone at the mobile clinic just set up in Anse d’Hainault. She walked more than a half an hour to get there. Medjinn, her mother, stepfather, four sisters and two brothers have lost everything to the hurricane. Fortunately, they received one of the shelter kits and managed to rebuild some kind of a hovel against wind and rain. Medjinn was home when Hurricane Matthew struck. She keeps going through the nightmare. Like other girls her age, she loved to play with her doll. But then, it flew away with everything the family owned. She now wants to be a doctor to help people needing care.
On first contact, Emilie can detect clues showing a person is under extreme stress or shock, such as a complete lack of appetite, or among children, the lack of interest in play and games. “It is primordial to reconnect children with the excitement of play, which for them should be a normal behaviour. My challenge is then to find tools on site. Balls, pencils, paper, paint, almost anything will do, it does not have to be a sophisticated toy.” The idea is to nudge the child back on the path of resuming a normal life.
Since October 28, the Canadian Red Cross with the support of the French Red Cross in close collaboration with Haiti's Ministry of Health and the Haitian Red Cross, has been operating a mobile clinic to offer medical care in remote villages in Grande Anse department. More than 1,000 patients were seen by the medical team in the communes of Pestel, Corail, Moron, Anse d’Aineault, Les Irois, and Dame Marie.
Read France’s previous story, Red Cross brings medical team to isolated villages hit by Hurricane Matthew.
Photos courtesy: Maria Santto / IFRC
“Every day I see children suffering from the after-effects of having lost their homes or close family members,” said Emilie Gauthier-Paré. Psychosocial delegate with the Canadian Red Cross in Haiti,
The Canadian Red Cross clinic offers on-site primary health care and raises awareness on the risks of cholera. Emilie’s role is to provide psychological first aid. “Many children come to the clinic on an empty stomach, and that alone adds to their stressed condition.”
The work of a specialist in psycho-social care is essential in the aftermath of a catastrophe. Observe, listen and make contact are the three basic principles that govern her action. She must quickly identify available services and helping hands within the communities she visits: churches, neighbours, family, friends, and Haitian Red Cross volunteers. She can then guide people who require special attention to local services, or refer severe cases to external mental health professionals.
Emilie was in Idomeni camp in Greece last year in October for a one-month mission to assist Syrian refugees arriving in Europe. “My job was easier there as I had developed over time good relations with the various aid organizations. I could quickly guide those in need to the right person” said Emilie, “Seeing a family for the first time, I knew right away where to send them. In Haiti, it is not as easy due to the scattering of communities, the extent of the damage, and the short time I can spend in each village because of the number of villages to visit.”
“My number one challenge is to make do with the scant resources I find locally,” adds Emilie. In Moline village, part of Pestel commune, she was fortunate to find someone who ended up being extremely useful: the village priest. “Upon our arrival, this man welcomed us so warmly! I later referred to him a whole family who had not eaten anything for several days.”
On first contact, Emilie can detect clues showing a person is under extreme stress or shock, such as a complete lack of appetite, or among children, the lack of interest in play and games. “It is primordial to reconnect children with the excitement of play, which for them should be a normal behaviour. My challenge is then to find tools on site. Balls, pencils, paper, paint, almost anything will do, it does not have to be a sophisticated toy.” The idea is to nudge the child back on the path of resuming a normal life.
Since October 28, the Canadian Red Cross with the support of the French Red Cross in close collaboration with Haiti's Ministry of Health and the Haitian Red Cross, has been operating a mobile clinic to offer medical care in remote villages in Grande Anse department. More than 1,000 patients were seen by the medical team in the communes of Pestel, Corail, Moron, Anse d’Aineault, Les Irois, and Dame Marie.
Read France’s previous story, Red Cross brings medical team to isolated villages hit by Hurricane Matthew.
