Humanitarian  Action  in  Scouting    -­‐  Case  Study  -­‐  Haiti      Positioning  Scouting  as  a  dependable  partner  in  Humanitarian  Action    -­‐  The  case  of  Haiti,  a  country  with  limited  logistical  capability  to  handle  large-­‐scale  disasters    

 

Key  points  

-­   Specialised  training  can  help  the  Scouts  run  safe  activities  after  a  disaster  and  valorise  their  contribution  to  the  Humanitarian  response  

-­   It  is  essential  to  develop  strong  partnerships  and  plan  for  the  long  term  in  order  to  better  protect  the  responders  and  the  community.  

 

On  4  October  2016,  Haiti  was  struck  by  Category-­4  Hurricane  Matthew,    the  strongest  

storm  to  directly  impact  Haiti  since  1964  and  which  the  United  Nations  confirmed  to  be  

the  country’s  largest  humanitarian  emergency  since  the  2010  earthquake.  Officially,  546  deaths   were   attributed   to   the   storm.     2.1   million   people   were   affected,   including  

800,000  children.  

 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  country,  80%  of  the  houses  were  destroyed  or  damaged.  Communications   with   areas   in   the   direct   path   of   Matthew   were   lost,   and   tens   of  

thousands   of   people   became   isolated   for   several   days   as   roads   and   bridges   were  destroyed.  

   

Twenty-­four   hours   before   the   hurricane   hit,   the   Scouts   of   Haiti   had   activated   its  

emergency  cells  across  the  country.  The  Scout  emergency  cells  are  groups  of  20-­50  young  people  between  the  age  of  18  and  23  years  old,  who  have  been  trained  through  

the  Scout  method  in  emergency  response.    In  collaboration  with  different  partners,  each  member  of  the  emergency  cells  has  been  trained  in  specific  areas  and  acquired  skills  

that  complement  each  other.      

 

A  special  Scout  unit,  specifically  trained  in  operating  satellite  communication  gear,  was  deployed  by  a  UN  helicopter  to  the  most  affected  areas  where  they  provided  crucial  communication  technology  to  the  Haitian  Government  and  over   20   humanitarian   organizations   including   IFRC,   UNOCHA,   WHO,   UNICEF,  WFP,  OIM.  Since  2010,  the  Scouts  of  Haiti  has  been  the  only  organisation  capable  of  

delivering  this  kind  of  services,  thanks  to  its  partnership  with  Telecom  Sans  Frontières  but  also  due  to  the  sustainable  long-­term  educational  approach  of  Scouting,  where  the  

values  of  volunteering  and  service  are  instilled  into  young  people.  

 

When  asked  what  motivated  her,  Jaelle  Sévigne,  one  of  the  young  people  in  the  field  answered:  “I  am  doing  my  duty  as  a  Scout,  I  committed  to  always  be  ready  to  serve!”  

 

In  an  emergency  response  a  rapid  assessment  is  important  to  improve  the  quality  and  

speed  of  response  and  ensure  that  aid  is  properly  directed  to  where  it  is  most  needed.    The   local   Scouts   were   promptly   deployed   and   helped   with   situation   and   needs  

assessment  in  communities  they  know  very  well  as  members  of  those  communities.    

 

They  surveyed  the  population  in  many  affected  localities  and  provided  much-­needed  

figures  to  aid  agencies,  enabling  their  work.    They  compiled  a  register  of  victims  and  survivors.   They   set   up   telecom   centres.     Teams   of   Scouts   reached   out   to   isolated  

communities  with  satellite  telephones  to  collect  and  transmit  data  to  other  organizations  as  well  as  connecting  families.    Over  500  households  have  benefited  free  talk  time  to  

restore  contact  with  loved  ones  in  Haiti  or  abroad.  

 

In   the   local   context,   those   activities,   including   the   distribution   of   food   and   drinking  water,  are  considered  to  be  low  risk  by  national  and  local  Haitian  Scout  leaders.    The  

Scouts  have  a  lot  of  interest  in  the  technological  skills  they  develop  and  are  proud  to  be  dependable  actors,  working  along  expert  humanitarians  and  regarded  as  valuable  

resources.      

 

According  to  the  leaders,  the  educational  value  of  these  activities  is  real  and  that  is  a  goal   they   suggest   other   NSOs   to   set   in   advance   and   actively   pursue   during   any  

humanitarian  action.  They  also  suggest  to  seize  the  opportunity   in  cases   like  that  to  highlight  the  unique  contribution  of  Scouting  by  pointing  to  the  technical  skills  as  well  

as  the  deep  Scouting  values  that  are  the  trademark  of  our  volunteers.    That  will  help  build  more  respect  for  our  organisation  and  push  other  actors  to  recognise  Scouting  as  

a  key  stakeholder  in  Humanitarian  Action.  

 

While   this   partnership   with   Telecom   Sans   Frontières   continues,   several   other  

partnerships  that  were  supporting  the  training  and  equipment  of  the  Emergency  Cells  have   ended.     The   NSO   does   not   have   the   necessary   resources   itself   to   engage   in  

continuing  training  and  equipment  maintenance.    In  the  long  term,  that  will  jeopardise  the  effectiveness  and  safety  of  the  interventions.        

 

The  key  lesson  learnt  with  this  model  is  the  importance  of  developing  strong  partnerships   and   plan   for   the   long   term   in   order   to   better   protect   the  responders  and  the  community.