Haiti earthquake

[jazzactivist]

I don't know if you heard on the news, but yesterday there was a terrible series of earthquakes in Haiti leaving thousands dead and injured and all the buildings as rubble, even the hospitals and Presidential palace. Haiti forms part of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, along with The Dominican Republic. Not many people who go to The Dominican Republic on holiday realise that Haiti is on the same island, as there is a strict demarcation between the two countries. A few years back I worked in both countries, and Haiti is considered to be the poorest country in the world with most of the population living on less than $1 per day. Hardly anyone there has enough to eat, and natural resources are very scarce, plus hurricanes and the traditional style of food cooking on charcoal has denuded that part of the island of all its trees. There is also a terrible legacy of gang warfare, with the remnants of the security forces, the Ton-ton Macoutes, left over from the days of the Papa Doc and Baby Doc regimes, now often funded by the US military to cause social and political unrest and allow them to enter and gain control of a strategic part of the Caribbean islands. Neighbouring DR is now better off economically, due largely to American assistance and tourism, but their economy and socio-political situation there is still quite fragile too and it would be very hard for that country to support Haiti. The US operates a different strategy in each country with The DR receiving financial support and expertise, while Haiti has only a military presence.

When I worked there, there was a noticeable difference between The DR that was gaining in vibrancy, and Haiti that really is a country where there is absolutely nothing to use or buy and people can hardly afford to live day-to-day. There are a few shops but they are often empty. Many people just sit lethargically in the streets, hungry and depressed and the slum areas are enormous. One of the things that I noticed straightaway is that the DR is full of bright colour, whereas Haiti seems to have hardly any colour at all, as everything you can see has been used so many times that it is colourless. A colourful T-shirt was a sign of 'wealth' when I was there! Not a place that anyone but the most adventurous would go on holiday. Haiti has so little that to lose what they have is really awful and who knows if the country will be able to recover. Many major charities are now collecting funds for the Haiti Aid Appeal, so if you can spare some please donate. Thanks Jazz X.

[Crocus]

We noticed last evening on Sky News when we got back from our trip. It's absolutely horrendous what happened and I can't think how the country will ever survive or overcome this. This afternoon on our local news I heard that S.African search and rescue teams are on their way to help. The news coming in on news channels aren't good. x

[jazzactivist]

I think that a lot of countries have now committed to help Haiti, and Barak Obama is more sympathetic to the situation there than George Bush was so, hopefully, the US miltary presence there will be reduced. All this assistance takes a lot of money, though, so Oxfam, Action Aid et al will have collection points at all their shops and will no doubt also put out a special appeal on TV.

It was a fascinating, if dangerous, place to work and I was only there for three months. It felt like 20 years though, as the hardship was so severe. Even what was meant to be the tourist hotel in the capital, Port au Prince, didn't have regular running water and sometimes no food was served as there wasn't any! As a result the crime rate was very high, with people violently stealing the most basic items from one another. As a visitor I had my baggage stolen before I had even properly left the car that I arrived in! I am still in contact with Haitian colleagues who work for an immigration project in the Dominican Republic, so have dropped them an email to see if there is any more info as to what is happening between the two countries.

[Crocus]

I can't get my head round the idea of how women can get pregnant while living in such very poor conditions, not having enough to eat, let alone anything healthy or any nourishment and just the everyday stress of feeding oneself and your family.

[souter girl]

It is awful how the death toll is rising and as a country Haiti is so poor anyway, I just hope the aid gets through to the people who need it and does not disappear into corrupt officials' pockets. It is a superstitious and I suspect lawless country and worlds away from "western" civilisation

[eleanor2]

i didnt know anything at all about haiti.so thanks for info jazz.it does sound horrendous.is it because it is so badly run.or dont they just have any natural recources to trade with.there are some very wealthy carribean countries that have tourists flocking there.this is certainly an horrific disaster.but i was impressed with barak obamas address last night.he is showing that it is right for all countries to pull together to help.even tho they are a poor back water area.

[jazzactivist]

This is only a very potted history of the situation. Haiti is the only country in the Caribbean that has never been fully colonised by a western power. It was once a really proud and wealthy nation in its own right and regulary traded with the west on equal terms, and has its own language, Creole. However, it suffered for many years with two terrifying, self-imposed, Presidents known as Papa Doc and Baby Doc Duvalier, who used every means possible to maintain their own power and generate their own wealth, including corrupting the nation's official religion Vodoun to suit themselves, and scare people by creating "zombies" which were people who were drug induced to carry out horrible mass murders as part of their secret militia, called Ton-ton Macoutes. Meanwhile spending all the country's money on playboy lifestyles. It is from their regimes that outsiders think of "voodoo" as a frightening anti-Christian religion, and where the idea of zombies comes from in horror films. They ruled the people through terror and enforced poverty and for many years refused to let outsiders enter the country. People didn't just sit about, as Papa Doc died in 1971 and Baby Doc was forced into exile in 1986 through public unrest. He still lives in exile in France. Later President Aristide and current Preseident Preval have tried to change the situation in Haiti with some success, but it is still the poorest country in the world.

Because of the geographic position of Haiti the American CIA is very interested in it as a strategic base to continue their influence in the Caribbean, and particularly to keep their eye on Fidel Castro and communism in Cuba. So, like in Nicaragua and Colombia, there has been a long-standing 'buying off' of the Presidents with favours and infiltrating their secret militia in order to keep people quiet and poor, and Haiti bidable. One stunning action was that after an outbreak of African swine fever in 1980s the Reagan government insisted on killing all the pigs on Haiti to protect America and sent their military in to do it. Pig rearing was most people's only income, and food, and they knew it. The Americans could have provided vaccines for the pigs, but prefered to kill them and offered no support at all afterwards. From that time Haiti also suffered a number of hurricanes that destroyed mostly all vegetation. These two things impoverished the majority of people and they still suffer for it today. President Preval has taken the step that he won't accept loans from the International Monetary Fund which would create huge debts that Haiti can't pay back, and indebt the country to the West in terms of trade and social structure, as is the case in many African countries.

When I worked there George Bush was US President and he very much held the view that Haitians are 'lawless satanists' and need to be controlled by US military law to protect America, but this was just a cover up. In fact, Haitians didn't know whether they were coming or going as the CIA seemed to be behind reinvigorating the Ton-ton Macoutes while at the same time America was saying that it was rooting them out! This, and not having enough to eat, has led to a lot of civil unrest. However, many countries in the western world don't like the fact that Preval won't indebt Haiti to us and refuse to enter trade agreements with Haiti without this tie. Now he obviously has agreed due to the earthquake. Accepting debt and the associated conditions of the IMF is a condition for obtaining western Aid, so for Haiti this earthquake is now a double-edged sword - on the one hand people there desperately need the help, but on the other the country will pay for it in terms of national debt and having to allow future investment and cheap labour policies by 'foreign' countries.

I was pleased to see on the news that people in Port au Prince looked slightly better off than when I was there, although I worked in Les Cayes, but it is still the poorest country in the world. I am glad that Aid is being provided now, and will contribute, but am sorry that it comes at such a price for Haiti's future prosperity. Hopefully, Barak Obama will have enough compassion to lead a more moderate approach to subsequent trade agreements to let Haiti get onto its feet.

[dinger]

This is indeed tragic . I was watching on the news last night people digging with their hands for survivors. I also heard them say there was an airport bringing supplies in and was only ten minutes away from this area but still no help at all had reached them. Why would this be when they are in such a desperate situation.

[Crocus]

I must add Jazz that I didn't now a whole lot about Haiti, apart from being a very poor country. Thanks for all the info, it helps to understand more what exactly is going on there at the moment. I'm keeping an eye on the news as well, and I've noticed that looting is now a huge problem because of the lack of security. What worries me most is what about people trapped and still alive who are waiting for help which may turn up to late? People are now fighting over water and food - it seems this is going to turn into more of nightmare it already is. X

[jazzactivist]

That's the situation with truly desperate people, and why it is important that everyone in the world has a moderate level of income - at least enough to provide properly for their basic needs. Unfortunately, decency and dignity go out of the window when people have been starving for all of their lives. It is very hard to pull together in groups and think about the needs of others alongside themselves, as we might do in more affluent societies. I think that it is sad to see people running past and looting when you can see other people screaming and waving their arms and feet from under the wreckage. A legacy of the Duvalier years has been gang warfare where some people take whatever they can for themselves, and life is very cheap.

I certainly found Haiti to be significantly different in people's attitudes to one another than in their slightly better off neighbour, The Dominican Republic. I have never been to a more 'freaky' place, for want of a better word, and have to say that there was nothing nice about Haiti at all - no nice scenery as it has all been destroyed, no kindness among its people, no natural resouces as they were all polluted or damaged. There was very little to work with, although I worked on a project that taught people how to graft trees and plants to create more, and also with a mental health services project offering confidence building. It was really hard work, though, as most people didn't have the strength to concentrate for long.

This was in contrast to the DR where community activity was very much part of their society. Attitudes there towards Haitians are very racist, though. It is an insult to call someone "Haitian" - it means that they are very black in colour and, therefore, savage. Some Haitians are allowed to cross the border to work in the DR in the sugar cane industry, and have to live and work in compounds under gun protection - to stop them leaving the compound. They get paid, but can only buy items from the shop in the compound owned by their employer - Pepsi or Tate and Lyle - which is very expensive and the amounts are docked from their wages. It is a form of modern day slavery, but Haitians still seem to think that it is worth it as their lives in the compounds are better than life in Haiti.

Men and women can eventually gain DR citizenship by having a child on Dominican soil, and having the birth certificate that proves it. This certificate is written out by the chief of the compound, in return for favours, and they can then apply to leave the compound and get a visa to live in the DR. When I was there, just my being present with a video camera as representative of an organisation caused a Chief to sign loads of certificates whilst smiling away at the camera, which ensured a better life for those children. To try to shed some light on your question about pregnacy, crocus, is that in very poor societies there really isn't anything else to do than have sex, as its free and enjoyable and a form of escapism. Also, many women are raped by militia and social elders. Haiti, however, has the lowest birthrate of third world countries, due to lack of nutrition.

I think that extreme poverty shows up how power can be corrupted to suit the individuals who have it - whether that is in a family, corporate directors, or as the head of a nation. Ordinary people aren't stupid to put up with it, but are the ones who suffer because multiple misuses of power prevent them from doing what needs to be done to prosper.

[Crocus]

Hi Jazz, I was actually wondering about how their bodies could take being pregnant, or even get pregnant when so under nourished and most probably under huge stress to make a living and feed their families.

From what you've shared with us on here, it seems as Haiti is a forgotten country, and quite primitive. Something I don't understand is why they don't want to be called "Haitian' - surely they can't be ashamed of it, because that's how they were born? Or do I have it wrong?

I listened to a discussion on radio this morning about technology etc. and the professor mentioned that technology can only exist if people are interested and want new technology. It was a phone-in programme and someone phoned in and mentioned if the increase in world population is not going to be controlled in some way, even bigger problems will be experienced economically, living accommodation, all natural resources etc. etc. Which brings me back to fact how women with totally under nourished bodies etc. etc. still can get pregnant. Apart from this, what about the economic burden?

[jazzactivist]

Haiti is on the same island as the Dominican Republic, crocus, but they are two completely separate countries. It is in the DR that to be called "Haitian" is an insult. There they value lighter skin colours and priviledge is based on the lighter your skin the more opportunities you get, and Haitian people are usually very dark-skinned so are at the bottom of the ladder.

The problem of population boom is a difficult one, but I once read an article, I think from the World Council of Churches at the time of the Drop the Debt campaign, that taking the GDP and natural resources of each country in the world there is enough wealth for every single person to have a decent diet, plenty of water to drink, a proper house to live in, to be able to keep warm / cool, have sanitation etc., but 'Developed' countries retain 80% of all of this wealth for ourselves! If we were willing to share more equitably then population growth in poor nations would slow down as families wouldn't need so many children to work to bring in an adequate income.

In many countries in the Latin American area (incl. the Caribbean) religion is the problem behind population growth. The Dominican Republic has Catholicism as its official religion, with 'Voodoo' and Santeria (a mix of vodoun and catholicism) as their other main religions. Ever since Catholicism became the official religion the population there has expanded so rapidly, due to no contraception or terminations being available, that the DR is now struggling to cope economically and socially. It is better off than Haiti, but still a poor country, and the government there won't bend to allow a change to the contraception laws as a lot of funding comes from the Catholic church. Women there have children quite young - at 13 / 14, and 15 is the traditional age to marry and girls often wear a white wedding dress on their 15th birthday to demonstrate their availability. Masculinity is based on how many children men father, and having more than one wife is common practice, although illegal now. No amount of education can change people's attitudes to what is normal if the President and government won't legislate for change and act as suitable role models themselves.

As far as women's health goes, multiple pregancies take a toll on them and many women age very rapidly. I was always getting people's ages wrong! But, like with all pregancies, the body does everything in its power to nourish the growing child. In the DR women are given extra milk and government food vouchers while they are pregnant, so it is in their interests to be pregnant as often as possible.

All this is probably quite similar to South Africa, I think, but as it is a better off African country, you will know better than me whether SA receives Aid packages through loan arrangements with the IMF or other big providers. There are some interesting articles on population growth and its causes at www.newint.org. I think that it is the governments, all of them, that need educating most rather than people.

[cindy]

The situation in Haiti is tragic but I do wonder how much of this humanitarian aid will actually reach the people that so desperately need it and how much will go into corrupt officials pockets The aid will certainly need controlling hopefully by the agencies that donate it.

[jazzactivist]

It is always a danger that most of the Aid doesn't reach the people who really need it, cindy. There are corrupt politicians and bankers in just about every country, though. We can't talk in the UK, as look at how our bankers take millions in bonuses and how some of our MPs took thousands in unwaranted expenses. That money has to come from somewhere. If we had a big natural disaster here and were to receive Aid from other countries could we be sure that it got to the people who need it most?

[Crocus]

As far as I'm aware no Aid packages are provided Jazz. With the R220 being received for each child up to the age of 6, free health care etc. it's not really necessary. You will find that in one home the granny will look after 5 or 6 of her grandchildren; she receives old age pension and if you add all of this it comes down to quite an amount each month without even having to go out to work.

Regarding falling pregnant in such extreme conditions, I guess one's hormones takes over their most basic function, that of reproduction. About the population boom and countries sharing what they have with poorer countries, in Africa, S.A. are quite developed and wealthy relative to the rest of the continent, but even if the country were to hand out most of it's wealth, many many people in Africa will still go hungry, live in appalling conditions etc. Africa's population is just to much, a billion people on the African continent. South Africa's population is about 49 million.

[jazzactivist]

The article referred to if the whole world were to share its wealth equally. It certainly wouldn't be possible for SA to share with the whole of the rest of Africa, but Europe and America, or the Middle East, could do so and end all of Africa's financial problems! If anyone doesn't believe how rich we are, in an item on another forum I read "Last year Britain paid just one banker in partially government owned bank a £10 000 000 bonus, but has only sent £6 000 000 in Aid for the whole of Haiti"!

[sheddie]

Jazz I feel you are an extremely educated woman and if I don't get involved on some of these threads it is because I do not know how to put things into words. X

[annie fenbug]

Jazz, thank you so much for the information; it's so valuable to hear from someone who has actually lived and worked in the country even if for a relatively short time. While the media are doing their best to convey the terrible situation that Haiti is now in, they are only telling part of the story, and that with a journalist's instincts for the Big Story.

From what I can understand from the BBC reports, a large part of the aid problem is that so many of the peacekeeping team who were established in Haiti are missing, so they're having to establish the organisation all over again. And in such a poor country much of the equipment you'd need to shift huge blocks of concrete and rubble just isn't there so has to be shipped in, which takes time.

[Katelb]

That was my understanding too AF,it is such a desperate situation everywhere out there that any rescuers who have been sent either from this country or others must be hard put to know where to start in the absence of any organised instructions. I did see on the lunchtime news that someone had been found alive after being buried since it happened,and if I'm not mistaken, the fantastic equipment which can send a camera cable down through the rubble in order to locate any sign of life was used together with the dogs, it is a mammoth task and I hope that the aid seen arriving by air again on the news,has now begun to be distributed to the needy.

[jazzactivist]

It is amazing what types of equipment are available now, incluidng infrared scanners and micro cameras. When I was in Haiti no Aid or support organisations had bases there at all, nor did the UN. Just a visiting official now and then. However, all of the big orgs like Oxfam have bases over the border in the Dominican Republic. So I am glad if they managed to establish some bases in Haiti itself, so the government must have made some agreements. However, the buildings were in such a ramshackle state that I am not suprised that they all fell down with even the slightest tremor, let alone a big earthquake. Even the very old ones will never have been maintained, which is the case in most poor countries. I was only in Haiti for 3 months, as that was the only visa I could get, and in the DR for 9 months. I retained contact with some of the Haitian people that I met in the DR, though, and email them on and off. I haven't received any response from the email I sent two days ago, though, and hope that I do.

Don't feel unable to contribute to a political type discussion, sheddie, as even if you feel that you don't know much about the subject just look it up on another internet site and add a fact that you found out and see what people think about it. Although I went to Haiti to work, before going I had to do a lot of reading about it to find out more detail, as I wasn't even sure exactly where it was at first!

One of the things that most people do know about Haiti is the 'voodoo' religion, and find it quite frightening due to how it has been protrayed in horror and detective films set in New Orleans. It is actually quite a complex religion based around worshiping the natural world and different saints, and was imported from Africa with the slaves who founded Haiti. There are rituals involved, but they aren't usually the scary ones portrayed in the press and films. When I was there people went to great pains to show me that their religion isn't awful and dangerous, although I must admit that a couple of the events that I attended were a bit hair-raising to Western eyes. I didn't get an in-depth look, as people were quite suspicious of why I was there, but enough to see that it isn't how it is often portrayed and seemed quite gentle, visiting saints and leaving offerings and doing special movements to drumming music. I am sure that there is much more to it than that, and I don't profess to understand it, but one of the women who hosted me was a vodoun holy woman and she was happy to tell me a bit about it and take me round.

[sunflower]

The earthquake in Haiti is absolutely terrible. For whatever reason I am glad the President of USA quickly committed to send aid and we have also followed.....sending out firemen and rescue workers. I do believe that Aid will get through and will only be hindered by the ground level devastation. Therefore it is important that everyone gives what they can to help the people of Haiti.

[Catriona]

Jazz, thanks for sharing all your knowledge of Haiti. There is some interesting info on the BBC news website about how survivors are found

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8459653.stm

[dragonfly]

They are still finding survivors and two children have been found today. I don't know much about Haiti or their politics but could cry for the poor souls that are suffering. The British have a bad name abroad but don't they rallying round when there is a disaster. On the news today not only were the charities sending food and tents for shelter but a bag for the children with crayons and paper.

[jazzactivist]

I suspect that one of the major problems will be that there are no official records of how many people live in each area or building, so knowing how many to look for will be really difficult. Ironically, this disaster will probably mean that the survivors end up better off than they have ever been. For many the tents will be more comfortable than the buildings that they lived in!

From my experience there I would be surprised if children have ever used crayons and paper outside of school. The school that I was based in had one set of 12 coloured chalks between the whole class. They were chopped into pieces and handed out to each child for whatever they were drawing or writing and then carefully collected back by the teacher afterwards. I bought two packs of 24 for the class, thinking it would keep them going for a while. In thanks, they had a small award ceremony where some individual chalk sticks were given out as prizes to certain children and I was asked to present them. The rest of the chalk was locked in a cupboard for future use and the old bits still used. It was all a bit cringe-worthy, but it makes you very aware of how much we take for granted here.

[Crocus]

I've noticed that on Sky News DF (about the crayons etc.) I think it's a wonderful idea to give it to the kids - it would hopefully keep them busy and hopefully distract them from the terrible circumstances they might be in. The little girl they pulled out from under the rubble appeared to be in reasonably good condition, taking into account it is three days since the earthquake. I just hope they could find her parents or someone she knows.

I've heard on our local radio news this morning that the planes our country sent over with search and rescue teams had to land in DR because the airports are to congested with all the planes coming in.

[Primrose]

I can't imagine what it must be like to be in this situation - Haiti Medics Operating Without Anaesthetic - on top of everything else.

I have to go and have three stitches out of my jaw tomorrow - I don't like the thought of that. But it brings it into perspective when I think of the suffering of those poor people .....

[Crocus]

Three stitches in your jaw? What happened Primrose? x

[Ivy]

Our dear friend Exmoorjane from the old CL site has- I think- written a very worthwhile blog about this topic:

http://exmoorjane.blogspot.com/

um not about Primrose' s stitches! About donating for Haiti

[Primrose]

Have made my donation to their appeal money to send Shelter Boxes - thank you Ivy.

When I have more time I will look at her site again.

(I also see there is a link to a site called 'British Mummy Bloggers'. I wish when my children were small I had a computer to have this social networking.)

[jazzactivist]

I couldn't get her blog up, as we have been having a few problems with our computer over the past few days, so will try again later. Those emergency boxes are good, aren't they? We made a cash donation through the televised appeal, which will go on a range of things, I hope. It looks as if the rescue teams are doing very well over there, given the poor equipment and conditions that they are working in. I imagine that if you are badly injured and in severe pain you won't notice the lack of anaesthetic at the time, but it is the danger of infection afterwards and lack of clean water that will cause a lot of problems. I noticed that the British government have now upped our contribution to £20 million, after other countries donated more than we did, and now people some forums are moaning about it!

[Crocus]

I feel these people should get all the help they can get. At last our search and rescue teams could get to Haiti after the plane has been redirected to the DR (airport was congested with all the planes flying in with help of some kind).

I just hope the donations end up in the hands of the right people to help those who suffer in Haiti. x

[dinger]

How lovely and marvelous to see a little boy of 7 brought out of the ruins of this tragedy alive after being buried in rubble for eight days. I am also pleased to hear Simon Cowell is making a band aid type of recording to raise money for these poor souls the more they can raise the better they need help so badly.

[jazzactivist]

I am sure that the last thing that Haitians need is Simon Cowell making a whole lot of money out of their plight, dinger! Although some proceeds from charity singles make it to the charity the person who puts up the funds to get it produced doesn't lose out and makes a profit on it too - often more than goes to charity. I also don't agree with the premis that people should expect something in return for their help. Donations should be given freely and from the heart without expecting anything in return. Simon Cowell is an exceedingly rich man with a house on Barbados which isn't far from Haiti. He could donate a quarter of his income to the appeal and not notice the loss, and get all the other wealthy people with homes there to do the same, and show the world that he is more than just a businessman looking for the next opportunity to make money.

I heard on the news this morning that the British rescue teams are returning home from Haiti today. That seems a bit too soon to me. While all the glory goes to the search and rescue teams who initially recover and save people, most of the help needed will be in the years afterwards when the whole country will need to be reconstructed at every level - both buildings and organised society. This is when most money is needed, but is usually when people forget about it as the media has moved on to the next big disaster. I was pleased to see that our local shop has created their own big bucket for donations and everyone in there was giving generously too, as there were no coins in it.

I also heard on the news that some of the children in Haiti are now missing from hospital and it is suspected that a child-traffiking ring is in operation. Unfortunately, Aid is an industry just like any other and there is no guarantee that exploiters can't wangle their way into key roles amongst all the emergency. Disgusting, isn't it?

[dinger]

Sorry Jazz but can't agree with your statement about Simon Cowell from what I understand he is not making one penny peice from this and is giving all money from this to help these poor people Ok he is very very wealthy but he also does a lot for charity which we probably never hear about .Give the man some credit for goodness sake.At the start of this topic you said please help and this is what he is doing surely.

[dragonfly]

I was going to say the same Dinger. We don't know how much he or other rich people have already given, it must be a lot for the millions that have been raised. Even if Simon did make some money out of it (which I don't think he is) is that any reason not to accept what he does raise.

[dinger]

To say he is the last thing they need is a bit harsh we shall see how much he raises and I'm pretty sure it will be recieved by Haiti with gratitude and thankful respect .

[jazzactivist]

Apols, I assumed that everyone understands the bigger picture of how capitalist thinking works - even when it comes to Aid. Why do you feel the need to defend someone as powerful as Simon Cowell? Surely anyone can see that if he put his hand in his own pocket he could wipe out Haiti's problems in an instant, rather than putting his hand into ours. Honestly, from my experience of working for charitable and Aid organisations I know that celebrity fundraising efforts are never what they seem, and the end amount of money generated somehow doesn't all make its way to the charities. It is well-known that poor people donate more money and items in times of trouble than rich people, as the experience is closer to them. A case of 'there but for the grace of God go I'. If wealthy and famous people like Simon Cowell had donated money to the cause we would know about it, as they are never behind the door when it comes to publicity for themselves. Simon Cowell already exploits people in this country, so why would he suddenly change his tune for Haiti?

Even the classic Live Aid track Do They Know It's Christmas generated more publicity and subsequently made more money for Bob Geldof than people in Africa, and he is now supremely wealthy and has a string of his own companies. He didn't get that way through being lead singer with the Boomtown Rats! My advice, if anyone wants it, is not to believe what you read in the tabloid newspapers and take an ethical approach towards charitable fundraising. It isn't all 'clean' money for the greater good. It is best to donate straightforwardly through charitable organisations like Save the Children or Christian Aid, as they don't benefit from the end result.

[dinger]

I have read today about a little boy aged 7 yrs old who wanted to help Haiti . He decided to ride his bike round his local park and hoped to raise £500 from friends and neighbours his mum decided to help him by posting what he was doing on the internet and would you believe this little lads efforts have raised an astounding £85,000 pounds with Simon Cowell giving the first £5,000 after being told by someone about him. This little boy deserves an award of some kind. Do you agree.? he and his family should feel very proud. What a little star.

[Crocus]

I've heard it on Sky News too Dinger, it is wonderful thing he did. xxx

[jazzactivist]

It is great that someone so young is thinking about others less fortunate than himself, and using his skills to raise funds for them. Well done to him. I don't think that he should automatically get an award for what he is doing, as people should help others as a matter of course without expecting something in return. It is enough to get the feel good factor frm being able to help. £5000 is sweets money to Simon Cowell. Just thinking about how he is using the Haiti situation to further his own publicity makes my blood boil. He could have donated the money to this boy and not said anything. I imagine that because he made the first donation other people have been like sheep and followed suit, whereas people all over the country may be making less of a donation but their efforts are just as important. I think that it is the duty of all parents to ensure that their children grow up to be charitable, do you?

[dragonfly]

That was good of the little boy dinger. £85,000 is brilliant no matter where it came from.

[dinger]

I agree d f it does'nt matter where it comes from and if Simon Cowells name being mentioned in the raising of this money good for him I say.The people suffering in Haiti are after all the ones who need it and count the most.

sorry if this winds you up Jazz but we all have opinions friendly I hope.

[Katelb]

I saw that dear little boy dinger,he is a little star isn't he,and very articulate for his age.