March 30, 2010
Paul Farmer, speaking at Barry University, said that NGOs were not doing enough to help the Haitian people after the earthquake, reports the Miami New Times blog. The article continues:
“There’s graffiti all over the walls in Port au Prince right now saying, ‘Down with NGOs,'” Farmer said in a speech at Barry University. “I think people in the NGO sector need to read the writing on the wall.”
Farmer also noted that there has been a disconnect between all the aid pouring into Haiti and what the Haitian people have seen. The New Times continues:
“In the end, that becomes the goal of the NGO — self-preservation — instead of whatever goals are spelled out in their grand mission statement,” Farmer said to an audience filled with Haitian-American students and residents. “The Haitian people are seeing the money coming in and the resources aren’t coming to them. That discontent will only grow as rainy season moves in.”
Paul Farmer is the founder of Partners in Health, an organization with over 20 years experience in Haiti that currently has over 5000 staff on the ground.
