Sean Penn and the J/P Hatian Relief Organization: Part I

Founded by Sean Penn immediately after the January 12th earthquake, J/P HRO is effectively managing five vital programs in areas related to camp management, medical, rubble removal, education, and emergency response operations. J/P HRO manages two Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps: Petionville Camp and the adjacent Terrain Boulos Camp. As of January 12th, 2010 these two IDP camps housed over 55,000 displaced people. J/P HRO has an in-country team of 15 international long-term staff, hundreds of rotating medical volunteers, and over 200 Haitian national staff including doctors, nurses, electricians, contractors, teachers and translators, community organizers and reconstruction teams. In the last year, J/P HRO provided medical treatment to over 75,000 Haitians and delivered over 400 babies through our medical program; which consists of two primary health care clinics, a womenʼs clinic, mobile clinics, a 24/7 emergency room, 24/7 maternity care, 24/7 emergency transport, and a 24/7 Cholera Treatment Isolation Unit (CTU).

The cholera outbreak reached Port-au-Prince in October of 2010. Between October 2010 and January 2011, J/P HRO treated over 140 cases of cholera within their camp, and over 250 cases of cholera from the surrounding neighborhoods. Their medical staff and volunteers, deployed throughout Haiti, treated thousands of cholera patients and delivered over 100 tons of supplies to cholera treatment facilities. Currently, J/P HRO maintains one of the largest in-country inventories of Oral Rehydration Salts, Ringers Lactate, IV tubing, catheters, and water filters to treat an additional 25,000-50,000 patients. The cholera preparedness and response program has earned J/P HRO recognition as one of the most effective Emergency Responders by the Haitian Ministry of Health and International Red Cross. A team of highly trained air, ground, and medical experts are on 24/7 ready alert, supported by four helicopters, in cooperation with the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) and the Government of the Dominican Republic to respond to life saving missions J/P HRO manages each and every day.

Before the 2010 rainy season hit its peak, J/P HRO coordinated the relocation of over 5,000 people living in potential mudslide and flood areas from within the Petionville camp to another camp outside of the flood zone. The relocation allowed the U.S. Navy Construction Battalions to create canals and perform other mitigation to prevent mudslides and flooding in this steep hilly terrain. On September 24th, a storm ripped through the Petionville camp destroying the J/P HRO office and living quarters, but the drainage canals in the camp prevented flooding from the downpour and only minor casualties were registered. J/P HRO employs an all-Haitian construction crew, specializing in rebuilding damaged or weathered structures, which have rebuilt over 1,000 tents since the rainy season.

Sources:
J/P Haitian Relief Organization.
http://www.jphro.org/

J/P HRO.
https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/6591/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=2085about

J/P HRO. Travel channel.
http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain/Special_Features/J_P_Hro_Hatian_Relief_Organization