Helping Haiti
2011-03-21 · documentary visit · Hank · 3:56 · watch on YouTube
Topic: Global development · mode: Advocacy & fundraising · tags: fundraising ask, timely hook, heavy topic
On World Water Day, Hank reports from his trip with Water.org to Savann Tabak, a village near Pignon, Haiti, and introduces its well committee, explaining why Water.org requires a broad community coalition. Having seen how Water.org operates, he asks viewers to follow the village's progress and donate at my.water.org/vlogbrothers.
What is said
The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).
00:00:00 — Hank's easy morning water use costing about a nickel; World Water Day: how awesome our lives are
- ★★ Hank says he used water again and again this morning, clean water that leaks out of somewhere if he jostles the silver fixtures, and all of it cost about one nickel. — 00:00:00
- ★★ Hank notes March 22nd is World Water Day and says we should take a moment to think about how freaking awesome our lives are. — 00:00:25
00:00:32 — Hank's trip last week: Miami, Port-au-Prince, a small plane to Pignon with Water.org; Savann Tabak's letter to the mayor
- ★★★ Hank says that last week (March 2011) he flew from Miami to Port-au-Prince, then on a small, bumpy plane to Pignon, to meet people there with Water.org and learn how they live. — 00:00:32
- ★★ Hank says Pignon, in central Haiti, has about twenty thousand people, and the village of Savann Tabak about sixty households. — 00:00:40
- ★★ Hank says Savann Tabak brought in one of Water.org's carefully selected local partners by sending the mayor of Pignon a letter explaining their situation. — 00:00:51
00:01:01 — The well committee and why Water.org requires a broad coalition, so the well belongs to the community
- ★★★ Hank explains Water.org requires a well committee spanning genders, religions, neighborhoods and families, so the well becomes a community asset rather than one church's or family's. — 00:01:12 · Savann Tabak well, aid effectiveness
- ★★ Hank says without the coalition the two men who wrote the letter could claim credit for the well, demand gratitude, or in the worst case sell water for personal profit. — 00:01:16 · Savann Tabak well
- ★★ Hank says the two letter writers seemed a bit frustrated with the process, thinking Water.org should just drill the well and leave things as they were. (hedged) — 00:01:31
00:01:51 — Portraits of committee members, including a mother whose kids spend more time fetching water than at school and the youngest, frustrated member
- ★★ Hank introduces the committee, saying that was mostly what he wanted to do: a tough woman he'd want representing him in local government, a joking, respected old man, a quiet mother, and the youngest, fed up but not begging. — 00:01:51 · Savann Tabak well
- ★★ Hank says one committee member was frustrated that her kids had been sick and spent more time fetching water than they did at school. — 00:02:09
00:02:44 — Follow the community at my.water.org/vlogbrothers; not all non-profits are equal; Hank asks viewers to donate to Water.org
- ★★★ Hank asks viewers to go to my.water.org/vlogbrothers to follow the Savann Tabak community as it meets its milestones. — 00:02:48 · Savann Tabak well
- ★★ Hank says Water.org has a very specific outline for a community to come together and build a sustainable water project that redefines the community, not a short-term fix. — 00:02:56 · aid effectiveness
- ★★★ Hank says a key lesson from Haiti is that not all non-profits are equal; having done due diligence on how Water.org operates, he is comfortable asking viewers to donate to it. — 00:03:06 · aid effectiveness
- ★★★ Hank says Savann Tabak has hard work ahead before it has sustainable water, but viewers can help: no amount is too great or small to help people out of a situation that sucks. — 00:03:17 · Savann Tabak well
00:03:29 — Thanks to Water.org and Haiti Outreach; Lisa Nova and Timothy DeLaGhetto's Haiti videos; sign-off
- ★★ Hank thanks Water.org and Haiti Outreach, and points viewers to Lisa Nova's and Timothy DeLaGhetto's channels: they were in Haiti with him and made videos about it. — 00:03:29
In the description and comments
- ★ The description says Hank's Seattle show is sold out and lists tickets for his Portland show on March 25. — video description
Threads in this video
- update · Hank's trip to Haiti (2011) — Hank reports on his trip last week (week of 14 March 2011): Miami to Port-au-Prince, then a small plane to Pignon, to meet the people of Savann Tabak with Water.org. (00:00:32)
- refine · What makes charity or aid work well? — Hank holds that good water aid requires a broad community committee so the well is a community asset, sustainable planning, and donor due diligence on the organisation. (00:01:38)
- launched · Savann Tabak well: the vlogbrothers' Water.org campaign for a Haitian village (2011) — Hank introduces the vlogbrothers Water.org page for the Savann Tabak well, where viewers can follow the community's milestones and donate. (00:02:48)
- asked · Hank asks viewers to follow the Savann Tabak well committee at my.water.org/vlogbrothers (2011) — Hank asks viewers to go to my.water.org/vlogbrothers and follow the Savann Tabak community as it meets its milestones. (00:02:48)
- asked · Hank asks viewers to donate to Water.org for the Savann Tabak well (2011) — Hank asks viewers to donate to Water.org for Savann Tabak's water project; no amount is too great or small. (00:03:12)
- reminder · Hank asks viewers to come to his Seattle and Portland shows with Mike Phirman and Paul and Storm (2011) — The description says Hank's Seattle show is sold out and gives a ticket link for his Portland show on March 25. (video description)
Where the stories that moved here went next
- Hank asks viewers to follow the Savann Tabak well committee at my.water.org/vlogbrothers (2011) — the project it belongs to reported its result; last: reminder, 2011-05-30
- Hank asks viewers to donate to Water.org for the Savann Tabak well (2011) — reported back; last: thanks, 2011-12-17
- Savann Tabak well: the vlogbrothers' Water.org campaign for a Haitian village (2011) — completed; last: outcome, 2011-12-17
- Hank's trip to Haiti (2011) — told 6×, last update 2011; last: retold, 2011-12-17
Mentioned
Central: aid effectiveness · Savann Tabak · Savann Tabak well · Water.org
Also: Haiti · Lisa Donovan · Miami · Pignon · Port-au-Prince · Timothy DeLaGhetto · water scarcity · World Water Day
Only in the description or credits: Haiti Outreach · Portland, Oregon · Seattle
Also centred on Savann Tabak: Thoughts from The Well · We Built a Well in Haiti
Also centred on Water.org: Thoughts from The Well · Horatio, the Newest Member of our Family · We Built a Well in Haiti · Looking Away
Later videos replying to this one
- 2011-03-23 · Why Does My Dog Eat Poop? (John) — answers (remind on Hank asks viewers to donate to Water.org for the Savann Tabak well (2011)) — John thanks Hank for his Haiti video and points viewers to the real way to help that it gave, linked in the description (my.water.org/vlogbrothers). (00:00:03)
- 2011-04-04 · Thoughts from The Well (Hank) — continues (update on Hank's trip to Haiti (2011)) — Hank continues the story of his Haiti trip: the Savann Tabak villagers walk him past a broken well, a sugar cane mill and storehouses to the muddy spring where they get water. (00:00:03)