The rains are beginning in Haiti

The rains are beginning in Haiti, and the lack of proper sanitation in the camps is about to become a major health hazard. Three weeks ago, we issued an urgent appeal to Government donors and agencies to step up the pace of latrine construction, to pre-empt this crisis.

Donors came through with the funds, and we`re all are working flat out to get the latrines dug. Additionally, Oxfam is testing over-ground latrines that won`t get flooded.

Oxfam latrines and water taps are now serving approximately 225,000 people.

The need for shelter continues. It looks like only 60% of the need will be covered by the end of March.

The rains pose other urgent challenges: Not only do people need shelter, but some camps prone to flooding will have to be evacuated or at least decongested.

The US army is leading on clearing the drainage channels of debris. This should help avoid flooding in some areas.

Twenty-one camps are in either in flood prone areas, or are highly congested. Although the effort to find new sites for those who don't have other options should continue, it must be matched with rubble clearance work in the immediate "feeder" neighbourhoods.

The government is proposing new temporary camps at five sites outside the city, and work has begun on one. It is not clear how people will be selected for those camps, or if they will go when asked. Some think people won`t move, since they will want to remain close to their homes and families; others think people in the overcrowded camps prone to flooding can`t wait to get out.

This brings up an unaddressed challenge: How to make sure every Haitian has sufficient information to make informed decisions.

At the moment, no one knows what their options are. Right away, government and donors need to develop government-run information centres around affected areas, and engage the media to provide reliable information about citizens` rights and assistance available.

Oxfam carried out a small survey last week and found that 47% of Haitians wanted to return to their previous homes or neighbourhoods, and 8.5% wanted to leave the city or country.

Given those desires, Oxfam suggests we assist the evacuation and decongestion of camps by encouraging people to return home and begin repairs. The government and the international community would have to provide reassurances to the Haitian people that they will continue to be safe and supported after leaving the camps.

We suggest bringing in international or Haitian engineers working under guidelines of Ministry of Transport & Public Works to inspect houses, training masons in safe repair, providing building materials, technical support, and cash grants for owner/occupant-led repairs. The engineers could identify one safe room for sleeping while repairs are made. In our survey, 54% said they would make use of an expert evaluation of their houses, if provided.

Rebuilding tactics that have worked after other earthquakes can work in Haiti: Repairing and upgrading public water and sanitation systems, giving kits to those moving back into homes, making neighbourhood-based distributions of plastic sheeting and rubble removal tools.

Nearly 600,000 people fled Port au Prince after the quake, and are living with family or friends in the countryside. Reports say the host communities are increasingly hard put to sustain their guests. We have heard that people have resorted to eating their seed grain, which would leave them with nothing to plant. Support is essential if we are not to have thousands of people flooding back into the city in search of food and public services.

Ensuring a successful harvest now will prevent hunger later. The planting season has begun. Oxfam is distributing seeds and tools via the Haitian farmers organizations we have worked with for years, but Governments who have pledged to support Haiti have not come through with funding for the government`s appeal on agriculture.