By Dionne Rose, Staff ReporterBEFORE HER brother got sick and eventually died from HIV/AIDS, Ionie Clarke had no thoughts of becoming a volunteer. But after finding out about the tremendous benefits of being a volunteer with the Red Cross of Jamaica, where she not only learnt home-based care for persons affected with the virus but also how to administer basic health care, she became hooked.
Now five years later, those skills became handy and she was able to implement them while serving as a volunteer at the National Stadium in St. Andrew, one of the designated shelters during the passage of Hurricane Ivan.
MOTHER OF FOUR
The 50-year-old mother of four told The Gleaner that she manned that shelter for three days straight without even the chance of checking on her own home. "We had quite a number of people in that shelter. As a volunteer, we had to see to it that they are fed, the place is kept clean and render health care," she recounted.
Ms. Clarke said, "It was really a challenge. At first, we did not have any beds or food - we had nothing. Then there was the challenge of keeping the young people under control."
MOST REWARDING MOMENT
But for her, the most rewarding moment was seeing how a bad situation could bring out the best in some people. One such example, she said, was observing a Rastafarian taking on the task of ensuring that the male bathroom was kept clean. "He worked very hard at it but after a while, he seemed to get everything under control," she smiled.
Ms. Clarke has no regrets in being a Red Cross volunteer and pointed out, "You learn a lot and you can save a life." She was one of the more than 200 volunteers that were dispatched by the non-governmental organisation during and after Hurricane Ivan. According to Lois Hue, deputy director-general of the Red Cross of Jamaica, the organisation has been assisting thousands of Jamaicans affected by the hurricane.
PREPARATION
"Before the hurricane, we had our community disaster response teams that went out into the different communities and advised and assisted those to safety. After the hurricane we provided food supplies and counselling," she told The Gleaner.
So far, she said the organisation has distributed 2,945 food packages; 1,500 hygiene kits; 2,150 pieces of tarpaulin; 7,199 blankets; 11,832 bottles of potable water; 982 kitchen sets; 95 mattresses; 156 pairs of water boots, among others.
The agency's disaster mental health team of 26 psychologists has also been out in the field doing counselling. "They went to shelters and assisted with counselling, offering stress management and coping assistance. Oftentimes people think that when there is a disaster that people only need food but that is not the case," the deputy director argued.
CORPORATE ASSISTANCE
She said that the team has been to Portland Cottage in south-east Clarendon, Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine and will be visiting other communities. Mrs. Hue said that the Red Cross has been fortified both locally and from overseas.
With supplies from local companies such as Grace, Kennedy and Company and from overseas by the Canadian Red Cross, the Canadian Fund and the Untied States Agency for International Development (USAID), among others.
The NGO has also been supported with international personnel with eight specialists now in the island. These included experts in the areas of water and sanitation, logistic, financial and communication. Mrs. Hue said: "We are really stretch, and there is extreme demanded on us. We are doing the best we can and we are committed to assisting."
