Dear Friends,
It has been nearly two months since a catastrophic earthquake shook the Tiburon Peninsula in southern Haiti, affecting the South, Grand Anse, and Nippes departments. The 7.2 magnitude quake, along with Hurricane Grace on August 16, killed about 2,200 people, with 12,000 injured and at least 344 missing. Nine hundred aftershocks followed the earthquake. The compounded disaster destroyed 137,500 buildings. A weak government and gang violence prevent vital relief from reaching the people who need it—some 650,000, including half a million children.
Enel Aspilaire is one of those people. Enel has been a good friend of La Troupe Makandal, Makini Sacred Arts, and countless others who have benefitted from his time in New York as the director of Radio Nago, a community radio station. In 2010, under his leadership, Radio Nago conducted a successful fundraising drive. It delivered food to survivors of the earthquake that destroyed much of Port-au-Prince. Now Enel and his family need relief.
Enel’s family home is in Fond-des-Blancs, a communal section in the South Department. Four people live in the house, including Enel’s mother. (See photo above, center.) The earthquake left the house severely damaged. Without extensive repair, it is slated for demolition. Since the catastrophe, the family has been living outdoors, still without relief. Members of the family suffer from medical conditions, and they are without income.
Funds will purchase materials necessary for rebuilding the house, the services of construction workers, food, medical supplies, and any other emergency goods or services. If you want to help, you may do one of the following:
- click/tap on the drum above and make a tax-deductible contribution by PayPal to Makandal’s relief fund. Makandal will make sure that Enel receives it, and we will send you an acknowledgment for your tax records;
- scan the QR code above to send your gift directly to Enel; or
- mail a check written to La Troupe Makandal with “Earthquake 2021” in the memo space; mail it to La Troupe Makandal, 621 Rutland Rd Apt 4C, Brooklyn NY 11203. The Troupe will mail you a hard copy acknowledgment of your tax-deductible contribution.
Questions? Please email us at makandal@earthlink.net. Thank you for your support!
Featured Image: Detail of photo by Ralph Tedy Erol for The Atlantic
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