Transformational Development Agency (TDA) has immediately deployed a medical team of 40 doctors, surgeons, nurses, EMTs and other medical experts from Los Angeles to Haiti to help fill the medical need within the earthquake devastated country. TDA, an international non-governmental/non-profit agency committed to bring and empower change globally, quickly responded and developed its "Hope For Haiti" campaign.
"The need is overwhelming, and the scenes of devastation are unimaginable. The people of Haiti are so grateful for any help, and their resilience is amazing in the face of such tragedy," said team leader Rikki Alakija. "We have already heard and witnessed scenes of hope and stories of reconciliation. Our commitment at TDA is for the long haul. We are privileged to be able to respond in their time of need," he continued.
The team of phase one arrived in Haiti on January 24, 2010, and is currently working in Port-au-Prince, setting up makeshift medical clinics in the tent cities crafted from bedsheets and wooden sticks, and performing urgent medical procedures on patients suffering from injuries, including spinal cord injuries, pelvic fractures, and skull fractures, and hunger, stomach illnesses and dehydration. While some team members perform medical work and distribute medicines, other TDA members are sharing compassion and giving love wherever it is needed. Yesterday the team was posted at the Christian Light Ministry's "Broken House" orphanage and saw over 100 patients.
"We have seen some serious injuries and infections that could have been avoided had there been hospitals standing with medical staffing. One boy I saw yesterday had a serious gash on the back of his head that was getting badly infected and needed immediate attention. I am glad we were here to make certain he was given proper medical care," said Jolie Pfahler, MD, an ER doctor from St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica and member of TDA's phase one team.
Today the team is setting up multiple clinics in village outskirts and in downtown Port-au-Prince, the capital and epicenter of the January 12th earthquake that killed an estimated 150,000 people. New Life Children's home has generously given the TDA team a "home base" to set up its own "tent city" as it works to bring some relief to many devastated people. One team was able to reunite a Haitian-born young man with his family who he had not seen since before the earthquake.
"Many Haitians are currently struggling to find medical care for major injuries. While we are tending to the short-term medical need in Haiti, we are making plans for TDA to have a long-term presence in this country. We are putting into place the next three to four phases of medical teams to embark after team phase one returns," said Dr. Ayoade Olatunbosun-Alkija, MD and Founder and Executive Director of TDA. "We are committed and want to focus on alleviating this country's suffering long term and developing solutions that are sustainable into the future," she continued.
About Transformational Development Agency
Transformational Development Agency (TDA) is a non-governmental/non-profit agency committed to bringing empowering change globally. Through the shaping of government policy, the development and implementation of poverty alleviation programs, and social and business entrepreneurship, TDA works to bring sustainable change to nations.
TDA continues to make ongoing investment into the key sectors of society within the nations we are currently working alongside. This includes both infrastructural development and training, with the objective of bringing strategic resolution, excellence, practical provision and support.
Our primary sectors right now include health and family with a particular focus on women and children at risk. In this capacity TDA is involved directly with orphanages, centers and programs dealing with orphans, street children, child prostitutes and child soldiers.
In all analysis and subsequent strategic planning TDA takes a long term view. While working to alleviate human suffering in the short term we look to develop solutions that are sustainable into the future. We therefore have a particular focus on the development and support of micro enterprise ventures, prioritizing initiatives that work at a grassroots level, empowering the bedrock of society; women, their families and local community.
To learn more about TDA, please visit www.tdaafrica.com.
Contacts:
Transformational Development Agency
Melissa Herman, 818-879-3296
melissah@tdaafrica.com