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There are no translations available.
By José Luis Soto, member, WACC-Caribe
(translation by Cándida González-López, Vice-Chair, WACC-Caribe) 
| | Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 2, 2010: Haiti based Groupe Médialternatif is a well established community media organization focused on participatory communications. Its office was completely destroyed by the January 12 earthquake when its members were preparing to launch a work plan for the next five years, recalls Gotson Pierre, Executive Director of Alterpresse News Agency which is a member of the Groupe Médialternatif.
“ We were on the verge of launching a five year strategic plan. Now we have to start from scratch because everything changed and the strategy has to change”, laments Pierre in an interview with José Luis Soto, a WACC-Caribe member who is on a special assignment in Haiti.
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In addition to moving the offices of Groupe Médialternatif, Alterpresse and the Youth Tele-Center to a new location, acquiring new equipment is another great challenge, said Pierre.
“We need to acquire new equipment and device new projects which would enable us to participate in the process of rebuilding our community communications infrastructure. The reconstruction of Haiti cannot be left to the leadership of foreign aid agencies alone. Haitian people must lead the process”, he said, adding that the role of community media, particularly Groupe Médialternatif, is crucial due to its direct interaction with the people on the ground.
Pierre further observed that the effect of the disaster to the Groupe Médialternatif's operations is a clear reflection of the enormous challenges facing Haiti’s media in general. “We need to make great efforts and a lot of support in order to re-build communications infrastructure in Haiti”, he said.
For many years WACC has supported communication initiatives in Haiti. Following the earthquake, WACC launched an appeal to raise funds eventually to rebuild community communications in those areas of Haiti most severely affected by the earthquake. Donations will be used to replace damaged communication structures, to purchase new broadcasting equipment, and to train new journalists. See details of the appeal here...
---------- See updates in Spanish on our partner network Espacinsular See updates in French from WACC member Alter Presse in Haiti
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