Haitian quake hits home
Written by Rachel Strobel Friday, 22 January 2010 08:00
A week has passed since a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastated the small country of Haiti. Buildings remain in shambles, citizens are sleeping amongst the rubble of their homes and the death toll continues to rise. Haitian government officials have released a preliminary estimate of 200,000 dead.
After the catastrophic event many nations and organizations have stepped in to help the suffering people of Haiti. NDSU is no different as some student organizations are currently working to help in the relief.
The Black Student Association and African Student Union have been fundraising since the earthquake hit. They currently have a table set up in the Memorial Union so students can drop off donations which will then be turned over to the American Red Cross.
Although the epicenter of the earthquake was nearly 2,400 miles away from Fargo, the quake hit some NDSU students much closer than that.
Christelle Dominique is originally from the District of Delmas in the capital city of Port-au-Prince (16 miles east the epicenter). She left Haiti when she was 21 to attend school in the U.S. She first settled in New York, but is currently a tri-college student majoring in apparel and textiles at NDSU.
Dominique first heard of the earthquake while in class. “I received a text and first thought of my mom, so I stepped out to call her,” Dominique said. Unfortunately, her attempt was futile. The earthquake struck on Tuesday, but communication with her family was not reached until Friday afternoon. “They are all safe, but my family is not sleeping in their house. It still stands, but it is fractured and not safe to be in.”
Over the phone she heard of other damages to the nation. Her mother’s hometown of Leogane was severely damaged with less than 10 percent of the buildings still intact.
She also heard of the wreckage in Jacamel, what she calls Haiti’s most breathtaking town. “It is completely destroyed. Before the earthquake it had beautiful colonial houses and the water there was literally turquoise blue” Dominique said.
As she thinks of her home country, Dominique recalls fond childhood memories; her favorite of them is Carnival. It is a celebration that takes place every February in Haiti and is very similar to Mardi Gras.
The streets are packed with people dressed in brightly colored costumes; there is live music playing and many parades.
When asked if the country would celebrate the festival this year, Dominique said, “I do not think that they will be able to celebrate because of the earthquake. But then again, knowing Haitians, I would not be surprised if they do.”
Haiti’s need for help is immense, and the people of NDSU can still contribut. The Black Student Association and African Student Union table is set up to take donations and will remain in the Union until today. At the end of last week they had collected $970, though they do not have a target amount they are trying to reach.
“The people of Haiti are very strong. They have been through a lot and don’t let the little things break their spirits,” Dominique said. This morale has already shown amidst the rubble. Dominique said, “I have seen people marching through the streets and chanting. This does not mean things are better, but it shows they have strong faith.”
