Rights Bahamas revealed last Friday that 309 Haitian-Bahamians were reported missing by families and loved ones after Hurricane Dorian made landfall.

Rights Bahamas President Stephanie St. Fleur compiled a three-page list for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) with names and pictures of the missing persons. The majority of the persons are from Abaco. 

Currently, St. Fleur is working with shelters in New Providence to assist evacuees.

“We’re making contact with the administrators of these shelters. They’re calling to us and request certain things,” St. Fleur mentioned.

“Fox Hill call us saying that they didn’t have size five pampers or diapers. However, we’re able to assist them with supplies. That’s what we’re doing right now.

“There are still people right now as we speak, club called me and said there were 50 persons that were housed there and the person who put them up cannot afford to house them. So right now, that’s a priority to find shelters for these 50 families right now.”   

United Haitian Community Front is a newly formed group with a dozen organizations and the League of Haitian Pastors is helping victims with education, health and other necessities to aid in recovery.

United Haitian Community Front Marketer Robertson Dieudonne was on the ground in Abaco to assist those evacuating. There are those that choose, as he explained, they “don’t have nothing they can relate to in Nassau”.

“I think most of us understand island life. They come and they do what they have to do and they go back to the airport and they wanna go back. That’s island and that’s Bahamians, Bahamians of Haitian descent and Haitian residents living. They’re not attached to Nassau.  

“Then there’s the hope they’re gonna build from scratch. That they can rebuild. I’ve heard Bahamians on the island saying on the phone ‘I ain’t going nowhere. I gotta be here to rebuild.’”  

The group’s Education and Counseling Director Edward St. Fleur is looking to give mental health support for the survivors.

“We have an organization that’s ready to assist us in providing counseling either one-to-one or group counseling so that we can help them to debrief. Get into the proper mind frame to continue their education. That’s for the children and of course the parents,” St. Fleur explained.