Haiti Relief Efforts Lack Participation

Describe Connecticut College students in one word: if you’re the website, we’re “diverse.” If you’re a professor, we are “bright” or “engaged.” If you’re a student, however, who wants to actively recruit other students to participate in an important cause, we’re “apathetic.”

In an email to the CISLA students, Mary Devins, Associate Director of the Toor Cummings Center for International Studies and the Liberal Arts, encouraged students to dispute the dispassion that we are known for by attending Haiti relief events on campus.

“Some folks have said we could not succeed, too much apathy at Connecticut College. Please please prove them wrong and get behind this. It is important to all of us in CISLA and more importantly to these orphaned children.”

This past weekend, a series of lectures and performances organized principally by students comprised the “Hope for Haiti” benefit. On Friday afternoon, there were seven brief lectures and on Friday and Saturday nights, there were N2O improv, a cappella, Dance Team and individual student performances.

The event culminated with Haitian-born, NYC-based Erol Josuè and his band groovin’ and jivin’ in Cro.

Unfortunately, few attended. After months of planning and publicity, the white plastic folding chairs in the 1962 room outnumbered guests at least two to one.

All of the proceeds from the events will go directly to the International Alliance for the Advancement of Children, an on-the-ground organization that provides nutrition, education, and training to thirteen children whose parents perished in the disaster.

Speaking to the audience last Friday, Ghislane Georges thanked Connecticut College community members for their work, expressing that the charity efforts like the College’s give voice to the Haitian people, and that it is through efforts like these that their stories are spread.

But where were the Conn students?

“The overall turnout was very disappointing,” said one of the chairs of the Response Committee. “I thought that considering the circumstances with this horrific disaster, students would have displayed a greater sense of concern and support, and seen this as an opportunity to help people who aren’t as fortunate as we are and who are fighting for their lives.”

Admission to the Hope for Haiti events was contingent on the purchase of a ten-dollar bracelet. Many students expressed concern that the price was “too high” and not well communicated, and this may have resulted in the poor attendance at the events.

“I understand that a student’s budget is somewhat limited, but I do think that there are moments in life where we must embrace the desire to make a difference and show compassion. Just five dollars allows a child in Haiti to go to school for a week, providing these children with proper nutrition, supplies, and a chance for a better life,” the event chair said.

Myaisha Hayes, a prospective student, was deterred by the seeming lack of interest on the part of the campus. “I wondered if this was a typical situation — do CC students not typically show up to events and fundraisers? It seemed like everyone in the audience just went to see their friends.”

“As a performer, we put a lot of time into practices and choreographing, but to dance and see that there weren’t that many faces in the audience… that’s disappointing,” said Livy Grossman ‘12.

In her presentation, Georges ensured that it was easy for anyone to provide assistance to her charity.

“One of many challenges we face is to find competent individuals in Haiti to teach English and computer skills to the children. It would be a great opportunity for students of Connecticut College to travel to Haiti on a rotating basis to help teach English and computer skills to those kids,” she told the room.

The charity is currently providing services, food and care to thirteen displaced orphans that were rescued from Port-au-Prince.

“With a few exceptions, I believe that the best place for children to be is with their parents, or relatives who can love and nurture them. Unfortunately, all of the children have lost one or both parents. For the few that still have a living relative, that person is currently homeless and does not a safe place to keep those kids,” George expressed. “We want to create a safe place for the children, where they can thrive and reach their full potential.”

Since the Hope for Haiti Response Committee started organizing their efforts, there has been one question in classrooms, hallways and discussions: where is our money going? The weekend’s activities provided ample answers, only to be disregarded by many members of the campus community.

Some students were disappointed by the committee’s publicity efforts and the “mandatory donation.” Posters and Facebook events, advertising the same events with different times and dates, confused people who were interested in attending these events.

“I feel like I wasn’t really able to contribute as much to the benefit as we could have because they charged too much for tickets. Also, I didn’t know too much about the events. I was never really sure what was going on,” commented Will Brown ‘11.

Senior Grace Astrove thinks that students have been numbed to the attempts at publicizing the many events on our campus. “I think that students are so overwhelmed with flyers, posters, emails and Facebook event invitations that nothing really gets through or students just ignore it after awhile. I constantly hear students complain that nothing is going on, but I know there are a number of events [being offered]. As a majority of the students here seem to be aloof to the events, there must be some disconnect between publicity and the students at large. However, I believe that students need to take an active role in finding things to do.”

“There was nothing that we could do that we didn’t do. We did the best we could, but you can’t force people to participate,” commented Ted Fisher, a chair of the Response Committee. “The opportunities were there, but people just didn’t take them.”