Disaster Response Archives

Photographing Global Humanitarian Crises with Faith, Love, Excellence, and Integrity

Posted March 31st, 2020 by Cinelle Barnes.

An Interview with Photographer Gary Chapman Author and Water Mission writer and copy editor, Cinelle Barnes, recently spoke with humanitarian photographer, Gary S. Chapman, on what it means to photograph global crises such as the coronavirus and the global water crisis. Gary recently returned from India where he was photographing doctors and nurses on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis. He has been on assignment in 75 countries for clients such as TOMS Shoes, Delta, World Vision, National Geographic publications, National Geographic TV, and Atlanta Mission. Here, he talks about how he started in the field, the role photography plays during ... Read More

Amid COVID-19, Doctors and Nurses Need Clean, Safe Water

Posted March 17th, 2020 by Cinelle Barnes.

Originally published in WASH in Healthcare Facilities, a publication by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, on March 28, 2019. The article has been edited to address health and safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2014, amid the Ebola outbreak, doctors and nurses did not have reliable, accessible safe water in places like Liberia. The same is true now for medical professionals in developing countries. Many of them are caring for the sick in under-resourced and overrun healthcare facilities amid an unprecedented health crisis. In areas reported to be affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), doctors and nurses lack reliable, accessible safe water. To aid them in ... Read More

Rebuilding Puerto Rico and the Bahamas After Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Dorian

Posted September 20th, 2019 by Ben Schools.

A few weeks after a disaster hits, the focus shifts toward reconstruction. Following Hurricane Dorian, the people of the Bahamas have found their homes damaged or leveled to the ground. Houses are now ghostly shells of debris. An estimated 70,000 people have been left homeless by the storm. Hurricane Dorian left catastrophic damage in the Bahamas. “We have nothing left so… we just have to see what [lies ahead],” said Romain, a father of four. He hid his children under a bathroom sink to protect them during the category 5 storm. Hurricane Dorian tore apart Romain’s house. The flooding that the storm caused ... Read More

Hurricane Dorian Relief: Collaborating to Respond to Urgent Needs and Unique Challenges in the Bahamas

Posted September 7th, 2019 by Cinelle Barnes.

It’s been a week since Hurricane Dorian hit the Atlantic as a Category 5 storm. Water Mission’s disaster response and engineering teams are now on the ground responding to the urgent need for clean, safe water in the Bahamas. To get the latest updates on our relief efforts, check our Twitter feed and Instagram, where we will share photos, videos, and stories from the field as well and planning and logistics updates from our headquarters. “Water Mission is working with partners and local municipalities to mobilize a safe water system as quickly as possible. Given the lack of freshwater ... Read More

First on the Ground: Collaborating to Serve in Disaster Areas

Posted July 2nd, 2019 by Cinelle Barnes.

When Craig Williams, the disaster response coordinator for Water Mission, gets ready to travel to the heart of a devastating crisis, he considers not only what might be necessary to bring safe water to people affected by disasters but also how to best collaborate with other organizations engaged in this work. Craig says he “makes new best friends” before he gets off the plane, as the other passengers often represent humanitarian organizations. He knows how crucial it is to make these connections — everyone is a possible strategic partner, especially in a crisis situation. Craig secures storage for our equipment in ... Read More

Meeting Critical Needs after Cyclone Idai

Posted June 26th, 2019 by Cinelle Barnes.

“I was totally traumatized,” said Zainabu Lesitula, a mother whose home was destroyed by Cyclone Idai. “I lost everything. When the storm hit, I felt so scared.” Zainabu and her infant son were displaced when the cyclone tore through Malawi in March 2019. They had to live with thousands of other survivors in the Namicheni displacement camp. Initially, the only water available was from a local factory, which was trucked in inconsistently. The supply was insufficient and had yet to be tested for safety or quality. “The little drips of water were not enough. To get more, we had to walk a ... Read More

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News

Photographing Global Humanitarian Crises with Faith, Love, Excellence, and Integrity

Amid COVID-19, Doctors and Nurses Need Clean, Safe Water

Rebuilding Puerto Rico and the Bahamas After Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Dorian

Hurricane Dorian Relief: Collaborating to Respond to Urgent Needs and Unique Challenges in the Bahamas

First on the Ground: Collaborating to Serve in Disaster Areas

Meeting Critical Needs after Cyclone Idai