Sparks of hope: grassroots women organise self help efforts to restore communities after the Haiti disaster

Six months after the January 12th earthquake in Haiti, We were present in the tent camps in Port au Prince and Leogane to listen to women in affected communities, on their evaluation of their daily lives and the involvement of institutional actors –government and relief/aid agencies. Two decades of experience in post earthquake recovery by Groots International members in Turkey, India, Jamaica and Peru to mention a few, show that women are not merely first responders. Involving women as key stakeholders in relief and long term planning hastens the pace of recovery while ensuring that entitlements, information and services reach households and communities.