©InfoJohnny Villon may not have a glamorous job, but digging drainage canals in Automeca camp helps keep the community healthy and better able to fight off Haiti’s continuing cholera crisis.
Johnny, 25, has been living in the camp since the earthquake struck on 12 January 2010. He started volunteering to help improve the condition of the camp and the British Red Cross was quick to employ him when it began to provide sanitation facilities.
The drainage canals dug alongside people’s tents are vital, especially during the hurricane season, when heavy rains flood the camps on a weekly, if not daily, basis. The drainage ditches have to be maintained regularly, because the rain comes down so hard they are often clogged up after just a few hours. Without this work it would be impossible for people to sleep, as the water would be rushing through the tents.
Cash grants
Along with all the residents of Automeca, Johnny received a $250 cash grant from the British Red Cross.
He says: “I live with ten people, including my wife and three children, so this money was so helpful for me to buy food for my family. I was also able to pay off my debts. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn’t been able to do this; I could have ended up in jail. Even though it wasn’t enough money to solve all our problems, we didn’t have anything before, so it made us very happy.”
Although Johnny’s present situation has improved, the future is still uncertain. He says: “I have no idea how long I will be living in this camp. I don’t know if this will be possible, but if I had more money I would use it for opening my own small business. ”
Read Nativida's story: singing about cholera prevention