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Tracking aid from the UK to Haiti | Tracking aid from the UK to Haiti |
(about 3 hours later) | |
By Luisa Baldini BBC News, Oxfordshire | |
Inside the warehouse where Oxfam are organising supplies for Haiti | |
BBC News is following a shipment of aid on its journey from Oxfam's logistics warehouse in Oxfordshire to the streets of Port-au-Prince, in earthquake-devastated Haiti. | BBC News is following a shipment of aid on its journey from Oxfam's logistics warehouse in Oxfordshire to the streets of Port-au-Prince, in earthquake-devastated Haiti. |
The beeping, orange light of a fork-lift truck weaves around stacks of boxes, crates and rolls of plastic piping piled high in Oxfam's warehouse in Bicester. | The beeping, orange light of a fork-lift truck weaves around stacks of boxes, crates and rolls of plastic piping piled high in Oxfam's warehouse in Bicester. |
It targets pallets and manoeuvres them carefully, but speedily, to a waiting lorry outside. | It targets pallets and manoeuvres them carefully, but speedily, to a waiting lorry outside. |
This operation goes on for several hours, filling five lorries and constituting a 50-tonne consignment of some of the vital tools that Haiti's earthquake survivors will need if they are to live long-term in the open air. | This operation goes on for several hours, filling five lorries and constituting a 50-tonne consignment of some of the vital tools that Haiti's earthquake survivors will need if they are to live long-term in the open air. |
Loading up the lorries here in the UK is straightforward but once the consignment gets to Haiti, can Oxfam be sure it will reach the people who need it? | Loading up the lorries here in the UK is straightforward but once the consignment gets to Haiti, can Oxfam be sure it will reach the people who need it? |
This couldn't have happened in a worse place. A country which is already weak with poor infrustucture. It makes it difficult to reach the people as nothing works. Even to make a phone call is extremely difficult Martijn BlansjaarHead of logistics, Oxfam | This couldn't have happened in a worse place. A country which is already weak with poor infrustucture. It makes it difficult to reach the people as nothing works. Even to make a phone call is extremely difficult Martijn BlansjaarHead of logistics, Oxfam |
Martijn Blansjaar, Oxfam's head of logistics, is certain it will get through. | Martijn Blansjaar, Oxfam's head of logistics, is certain it will get through. |
"We are not using the airport in Port au Prince, we are using the airport in the Dominican Republic and then the road into Haiti, which is a route we have already used to take in 40 tonnes of aid which we are distributing in Port au Prince at the moment," he said. | "We are not using the airport in Port au Prince, we are using the airport in the Dominican Republic and then the road into Haiti, which is a route we have already used to take in 40 tonnes of aid which we are distributing in Port au Prince at the moment," he said. |
The emergency equipment includes tools like shovels, pick-axes and wheelbarrows to dig latrines as well as 1,000 latrine slabs, in order to improve sanitation for the homeless. | The emergency equipment includes tools like shovels, pick-axes and wheelbarrows to dig latrines as well as 1,000 latrine slabs, in order to improve sanitation for the homeless. |
In addition there are 1,000 pairs of surgical gloves and 20,000 bars of soap for those digging and clearing latrine areas. | In addition there are 1,000 pairs of surgical gloves and 20,000 bars of soap for those digging and clearing latrine areas. |
Also included in this delivery are 40 tap stands, each with 6 taps that can be rigged up to water towers using the plastic piping. | Also included in this delivery are 40 tap stands, each with 6 taps that can be rigged up to water towers using the plastic piping. |
Sorting out sanitation is a priority for Oxfam, which is working in seven sites across the Haitian capital targeting nearly 100,000 people. | Sorting out sanitation is a priority for Oxfam, which is working in seven sites across the Haitian capital targeting nearly 100,000 people. |
The charity has already sent out some equipment for latrines, water tanks and buckets with lids, as well as plastic sheeting, so that people have some semblance of a roof over their heads. | The charity has already sent out some equipment for latrines, water tanks and buckets with lids, as well as plastic sheeting, so that people have some semblance of a roof over their heads. |
In this consignment alone, equipment worth at least £150,000 is leaving the depot for Haiti, paid for by public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee fund. | In this consignment alone, equipment worth at least £150,000 is leaving the depot for Haiti, paid for by public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee fund. |
It is transported to Stansted airport in Essex where, along with aid from the Red Cross, it will be packed onto a flight donated free of charge by British Airways. | It is transported to Stansted airport in Essex where, along with aid from the Red Cross, it will be packed onto a flight donated free of charge by British Airways. |
DEC APPEAL The Disasters Emergency Committee is co-ordinating an appeal to help the people of HaitiThere are 13 charities involved including the British Red Cross, Islamic Relief and World VisionDonate via the DEC website or by calling 0370 60 60 900 DEC radio appeal Haiti: How to help | DEC APPEAL The Disasters Emergency Committee is co-ordinating an appeal to help the people of HaitiThere are 13 charities involved including the British Red Cross, Islamic Relief and World VisionDonate via the DEC website or by calling 0370 60 60 900 DEC radio appeal Haiti: How to help |
The flight's first stop will be Billund, in Denmark, where additional aid from the World Food Programme and Unicef will be loaded onto the plane before it is flown to Santo Domingo airport. | The flight's first stop will be Billund, in Denmark, where additional aid from the World Food Programme and Unicef will be loaded onto the plane before it is flown to Santo Domingo airport. |
In order to follow this consignment, the BBC has labelled several of the crates as they make their way to Haiti so that BBC reporters there can track the aid and witness it arriving at its destination. | In order to follow this consignment, the BBC has labelled several of the crates as they make their way to Haiti so that BBC reporters there can track the aid and witness it arriving at its destination. |
Despite his confidence that the aid will definitely reach those who need it, Mr Blansjaar admits that the logistics are extremely challenging. | Despite his confidence that the aid will definitely reach those who need it, Mr Blansjaar admits that the logistics are extremely challenging. |
"The situation is very difficult. This couldn't have happened in a worse place. A country which is already weak with poor infrustucture. It makes it difficult to reach the people as nothing works. Even to make a phone call is extremely difficult." | "The situation is very difficult. This couldn't have happened in a worse place. A country which is already weak with poor infrustucture. It makes it difficult to reach the people as nothing works. Even to make a phone call is extremely difficult." |