María Suárez Toro, RIF
22 January. San Juan. Radio Internacional Feminista.
Translated by Ruth Jordan, Barbados
Via sea and land, Haitian activists will receive the first donations from the Haitian Feminist International Camp this Saturday, 23 January when a delegate of the Latin American and Caribbean feminist initiative, Sergia Galvan, will travel to Port au Prince to meet with Haitian feminist activists from various organizations, among them SOPHA (The Strengthening of Public Health Associations) and ENFOFAM (Association of Women and Gender Studies from Countries in Transition).
Two truckloads of food, medicine, lamps, batteries, tanks of gas, camping tents, sleeping bags, and other personal toiletries will leave tomorrow at dawn from Santo Domingo to cross the border, going directly to activists who are reorganizing themselves in the capital to work with the most vulnerable sections of the population: the women and children. "We have filled these two trucks because of the solidarity of so many organizations here in the Dominican Republic and unified response of organizations and people who have quickly sent money to our account.”
Feminists who travel to Santo Domingo on Monday from Puerto Rico - Ana Irma Rivera Lassen, Aidita Cruz, Nirvana Gonzalez and Maria Suarez (RIF) – will carry some of the more than 20 camping tents collected one by one, the result of a solidarity of people and businesses in that country who have donated to the Feminist Radio International.
Other tents will travel by sea via Caribbean Ferries between Borinquen and Quisquilla. The shipping industry has also expressed solidarity and has not charged for the transfer of 15 tents with sleeping bags, plates, mugs and flashlights. "In the Dominican Republic tents are scarce and very necessary not only now but from now on, because people are sleeping outdoors and those who have a piece of roof, if they are moved to other locations, they are going to have to adjust to minimum cover " says a young Guatemalan / Puerto Rican, Fernando Maldonado, who will open the permanent bridge by sea so that feminists can continue sending the required necessities.
Panamanian feminists have collected tents which they sent by air to Quisqueya for the same purpose. Mariela Arce along with Petateras, JASS Mesoamerica and the Panamanian Center for Studies and Social Action have organized another airlift of camping tents and other necessities that could be scarce.
All this and more has been made possible by international solidarity organizations such as MADRE in the United States, JASS Mesoamerica, the Global Fund for Women and the Social Forum of the Americas, that have already been able to send their contributions. The personal contribution of many women in the region who have pulled their own pockets and sent the collected money and businesses like the construction company - Habelton Groups in Puerto Rico and others in the Dominican Republic who have given discounts.
When a Walmart employee from the sports section where the tents are located, heard that we had asked for a donation and that the manager had said that she would donate one, and give a 10 % discount on the ones bought by our donors, he told us that he would donate one on behalf of his family. Josué Dávila thinks that those who have a lot should give more, but everyone should do it to make up for those who are not doing enough.
Mude Duquella, the Haitian artist residing in Puerto Rico, has been able to get a lot of contributions that will be sent through RIF. Other Puerto Rican artists who will make donations through RIF are actors from the Theater Company Alephp. Its director and playwright, Provi Sein, has just completed a production of a version of the book Women, Metamorphosis of the butterfly effect with Butterfly Wings in Puerto Rico to be staged between 25-28 March. It has been agreed that all the proceeds from the performances will go to the women of Haiti.
On Thursday 28th of this month, two more trucks will be leaving. A core of Feminist International Radio Journalists comprising its director, Katerina Anfossi and a producer will accompany the solidarity caravan. The trucks should be filled just like those which will be leaving tomorrow. Women and Health Collective in the neighboring country with Haiti has disclosed that they are receiving money to continue filling trucks so that they can continue to pass the necessities directly to Haitian women to meet their needs and those of their communities.