1 February 2010: Monsters under the bed are easy to deal with - a night light usually sends them packing. Children in Haiti are struggling with an entirely different sort of beast, and it comes from above. There is no quick fix.

A roof over one’s head ought to be one of life’s comforts. For most children - and adults for that matter - the earthquake 3 weeks ago changed all that.

Even if a house appears completely intact, children dare not enter. And they are right.
Everywhere you look, families are camped out in tents or makeshift shelters, often next to their homes if they have the space. Adults are willing to risk a few minutes inside, always alert for a tremor – almost expecting another one the moment they have a ceiling above them. But sleeping inside is off limits.

It will take weeks or even months to sort out which structures are safe and which need to be added to the growing heaps of rubble. It will take just as long to help children work through their nightmares.

Volunteer action

I met a group of 35 young people – 18 to 24 – who are already on the job. They worked with Plan in their youth, acting as community volunteers to help connect Plan directly to the grassroots.  They are now university students or teachers or other professions left sidelined with no job or destroyed university buildings.

When the quake hit, they quickly mobilised - initially working with Plan to coordinate and implement the distribution of food, tents and other essentials. They are now being trained by staff experts, including psychologists and doctors experienced in responding to the needs of children after disasters. Some have been brought in from overseas Plan offices. The goal is to train community volunteers to provide both emotional and physical support to children.

Bed sores can kill, so visiting bed-ridden children recovering from severe injuries is vital to help prevent or treat sores.

Child safe areas

The magical paper tissue rose

But just as importantly, these young people are already organising safe areas for children for laughing and playing. The volunteers planned out the day and led the games. A spindle of thread and a few sheets of tissue paper is all it took to get a group of more than 100 youngsters giggling. A few twists and presto: pink carnations. Pure magic.

Kids are more than willing to jump to the front of the group and start leading sing-a-longs. This scene is playing out in a snug area with lots of trees and grass. No collapsed buildings or walls within sight. Three tiny puppies are running around, also enjoying themselves.

Off to the side, relatives of the children are feeling better than they have for a long time. Seeing their children laughing reminds them of better times. They need this break from the daily toil almost as much as the kids. And so do I.