Jan. 12 was the one year anniversary of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that crushed not only the the land of Haiti but also the lives of many that live there. The earthquake was the disaster of 2010 that killed over 300,000 people and left millions of others injured and without shelter.

OHS senior Brian Urness stated, “It’s unfortunate, and I hope that my donations helped.” He, along with millions of others donated to help rebuild the lives and infrastructure of Haiti. “I wish there was something I could do to help,” said OHS junior Jimmy Lee. Many initial donations were meant for rebuilding, but because of the dire situation, most citizens used the money for food and medical services.

So far, there have not been many signs that Haiti  is going to be reconstructed quickly. Rebuilding in Haiti is still in the beginning stages due to the poverty of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. The government in Haiti has not been responsive to the rebuilding process and many attempts to rebuild have only been made by charity groups; whose main goal is to keep the Haitians healthy and safe.

13 of the 15 government ministry buildings collapsed in the quake, and 30 percent of the government’s workforce was killed; therefore, the government has had much trouble with trying to rebuild. Researchers say that it will take years to rebuild Haiti to its previous state before Jan. 12.  In the meantime, Haiti appreciates any donations, because growth is still clearly underway.