This was the scene last time I was in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 2008. Other than the overcast skies (forecast shows rain for the next 10 days!), I expect little to be the same when we return this Thursday. At the moment the Haitian National Palace is still in ruins and the surrounding Champs de Mars plaza is still a tent camp, more than two years after an earthquake leveled the nation’s already troubled capital. Add to that a cholera epidemic and who knows what to expect. What I do expect to find however is the same spirit in the people who live there, as they carry on in the face of seemingly insurmountable circumstances.
This time I’m heading down with Erinn and our friend Michael to tag along with GlobalDIRT (disaster immediate response team), a fledgling NGO, started by a young Marine, Adam Marlatt, during the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Following the tragic event, Adam and Robert Sullivan, also a Marine, hit the ground, converting a bread truck into an ambulance to help rescue some of the countless victims. Only two years later the organization is working on building the first 24/7 911 ambulance system in the country and is working with the local government and other NGO’s to help create a more efficient system that will better aid victims in Port-au-Prince and eventually across the country. We’ll be telling their story as well as discussing the shortcomings of emergency medical care in Haiti and the inefficiencies of some of the larger NGO’s.
Erinn and I are paying for this project largely out of pocket will be operating on a shoestring budget. We can therefore use all the support we can get in order to make a professional project that we hope will bring a large amount of attention to the organizations efforts and the ongoing problems in Haiti. Upon our return we’ll be aiming to publish the story in a number of magazines and news outlets. I will also be shooting video, which we hope will broaden the reach of our story. Of course, prints will be available for purchase when we return, but we are also taking pre-orders/donations at a slight discount in order to help us while we are down there. If you care to help out I have listed below the thank you perks I am offering in exchange for your support. Other than that, wish us luck!
Donations can be made via Paypal to my address, dz@davidzentz.com.
Perks:
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$10
All donors will receive a thank you email and can take pride in knowing that they are furthering a longtime tradition of quality news reporting by serious and dedicated journalists. Donors names will be included on a “Thank You” plaque, which will be displayed during the photo exhibit in Los Angeles.
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$25
You will receive the previous perk, plus a custom thank-you postcard featuring an image from a select series of photos from the project and others taken along the way that reflect the beauty and character of Haiti.
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$50
You will receive the previous perks, plus set of four postcards for your personal use, featuring images selected from the project and others taken along the way that reflect the beauty and character of Haiti.
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$100
You will get everything from the previous perks PLUS an 8×12 inch signed print of your choosing from a limited edition print series featuring images selected from the project and others taken along the way that reflect the beauty and character of Haiti.
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$250
You will get everything from the first three perks, PLUS an 11×17 inch signed print of your choosing from a limited edition print series featuring images selected from the project and others taken along the way that reflect the beauty and character of Haiti.
