Earthquake survivor: "Haiti is not condemned to live like that, it would not be just"

Haitian businesswoman Nadine Cardozo, survivor of the earthquake that struck Haiti today two years ago, says that "Haiti isn't doomed to live always as well, because it would not be just", and is convinced that "while we understand difficult moments, leave now".

"Haitians have to put much on our side, but we can get out of where we are." "Other countries have done so", said Cardozo in an interview with Efe in Madrid, where today receives the recognition of the Spanish NGO firefighters without borders (BUSF).

January 17, 2010, the Haitian businesswoman was rescued by a team of BUSF after being five days trapped under the rubble of the hotel which runs in Puerto Principe.

"The thrill is always there and I do not think that the distance in time is going to end it." "It helps a little, but not so much because there are feelings and trauma that can not and, perhaps, not be forgotten", u000aindicated.

Cardozo recalled the time when, through the gap opened up between the rubble with Efe, saw the face of Edgar, the Peruvian fireman who came up to her and calmed her before you take it from there.

"He conveyed to me his energy, his strength, and between the two arose a kind of positive electricity, because we began to talk as if we were in a coffee shop." "It was a very normal conversation to be buried under five floors", he recalled it.

Not forget - says - "the vision out of the Group of firefighters working with so much heart." "They spent 18 hours struggling to rescue me".

That instant Cardozo ensures that a "very special" Union shortly afterwards resulting in close collaboration with the Spanish, which so far has donated four ambulances medicalizadas, has potabilizado the water of the hospital in Port au Prince and NGOs working on the construction of two schools. arose

"I would like to think that Haiti has" u000aadvanced a bit at this time, but there is much to be done, because we still have the basics. You need everything: water, electricity, health, school... ", pointed out.

But what most needs the country, according to the Haitian businesswoman, is to create work, "so that each one can spend survive to live in dignity".

Two years after the earthquake which claimed the lives of 300,000 people, more than half a million Haitians are still living in camps and only 43 per cent of the pledged at the donor conference $ 4.6 billion has been delivered.

For Cardozo the problem lies in that, after the earthquake there was a change of Government,"and that has not helped, but it slowed everything", but expects that now "the situation improves and unlock the entry of money".

"The new Government is beginning to work and is already putting in place a very strong school program, with scholarships for many students." You are trying to u000a"significantly increase the number of young people who can go to school", explained.

At the individual level, the Haitian business advocates take a positive view to be able to thrive, because "does nothing to complain, sit in a corner and say: what are we going to do, what can we do?".

"May not always be strong, but you can fight every day." We must look to the future. "When one thinks of as well, always find a solution", underlined.

Cardozo speaking from the experience of having to rebuild the hotel his parents built for seventy years.

"Have lost much, but what hurts most are memories." For my family it is very difficult to accept that, but we do it. Our children have great force, they are very young, and they are working at 15 to 20 hours a day without complaining, to start over. "We want to see better days for US, and for Haiti," concluded.

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