In The News: Earthquake in Haiti

In The News: Earthquake in Haiti

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, 14 August 2021. The earthquake comes just more than a decade after the island was devastated by another earthquake in 2010. The cities of Les Cayes and Jeremie— which were already still recovering from 2016’s Hurricane Matthew—were the hardest hit by the earthquake.

And Tropical Storm Grace battered the country with up to 10 inches of rain on Monday, 16 August 2021. The death toll has already topped 1,400 people, and rescue efforts have been made all the more difficult with the rain.

In our line of work we see how easy it can be to reduce people to a data point—a number. And so we consider it to be of critical importance to take a moment to let the lives that are connected to that number 1,400 sink in. That is 1,400 births, with a great amount being to parents who likely welcomed their arrival with joy. That is 1,400 people with stories, histories, a real presence, who will now be missed by loved ones, and whose love in return will also be absent. We can rightly assume that the vast majority of those 1,400 people had hopes, and dreams, and were doing the best they could to survive the best they knew how, holding on to even a sliver of belief that the future held the possibility of something better. And all of that was ripped away in one unexpected moment. We hope that you feel the weight of such a devastating loss. Because these are real people with names, families, histories and loved ones.

If you are moved to help, we recommend seeking out those organizations that have representation on their staff and board, as well as those who will prove that 100% or close to 100% of donations will go directly to critical assistance in the country.

The earthquake has only added to the nation’s fragile state, as early last month President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated. Billions of dollars in aid (including $2.3 billion from the U.S. Agency for International Development since 2010) have been sent to the Caribbean island yet the country continues to find itself in a cycle of despair. It’s not a lack of resources, but a lack of responsiveness to the needs of the people. When Haitian nationals who have solutions and ideas to help their community are not brought in and consulted but instead are ignored, it leads to a misuse of funds and resources.

This is why re-powering development is so important, and why impacted peoples should be at the forefront, leading development activities.

A New Year's Message and Birthday Wish From Our Principal

By Cara-Marie Findlay

FHG Principal Consultant

Happy 2021 Everyone 

...and Happy Birthday Findlay House Global!

January 1 is a special day for many reasons, even aside from the new year, it’s the day that Haiti—the first Black republic—was born, after a revolution that defeated imperial France; Sudan, French Cameroon, Brunei and the Czech Republic also gained their independence on January 1 as well. 

The first of January also has special meaning for Findlay House Global (FHG). Although I started my journey as an independent consultant and contractor back in January 2012, FHG officially became an LLC on January 1, 2019. 

We’re celebrating our birthday all month long, and our birthday wish includes you! 

For too long, terms like: agency, activism, community development, economic development, international development, government policies, have been made to feel as though they are beyond comprehension for the average citizen, no matter the country. 

And the fact is, “development” affects everybody.

Every country, regardless of its economic status, is engaged in some form of development—be it the expansion of infrastructure or the expansion of human rights. 

FHG is working towards ensuring our birthday wish comes true! We want greater numbers of underrepresented people to lead, speak, engage, and respond to the development dialogue and planning process taking place at different levels—locally, nationally and globally. 

Development in our cities, neighborhoods and villages, “community development,” should not be happening without us. We should have a say in the decisions being made that will affect us and our families, especially those of us who have found ourselves being marginalized, underserved and underrepresented. 

FHG is ready for 2021, and we are committed now more than ever to making greater numbers of people aware of the sociocultural conditions that shape our lives; and the possibilities of their transformation, especially through the levers of development and social change—academia, policymaking and practice. 

We’ve even updated our handle on Instagram and Twitter to @repower_intldev, to better feature the stories and work of the people, communities, and organizations that inspire us to change the face of development so that the development sector is led and owned by impacted peoples, until ultimately it is no longer needed.

If you’re curious about our use of the word Re-Power, you can read more about our Re-Power Development℠ Framework here.

I’m so grateful for all the awesome partners who have entrusted us with their projects so far, and I’m looking forward to the new partnerships and new projects on the horizon!

But most of all, I’m thankful for the AMAZING individuals who make up FHG’s team! Each of you show up with equal parts dedication, innovation and excellence, and FHG wouldn’t have made it to this point without you. The best way I know to thank you for your labor of love is to work hard so that we continue to rise together and can bring more likeminded people with us. Thank you for not only believing in me and the mission and vision of FHG, but for making FHG your own. I will be forever grateful.

This is just the beginning!

One behalf of the entire FHG team, here’s to a happier, healthier, and more prosperous year!

May 2021, be our best year yet!

One love,

Cara-Marie Findlay