The recent earthquake in Haiti, that left hundreds of thousands dead and over a million homeless, is one of the worst calamities in recent history.

Rwanda was one of the first African countries to come to the rescue of the stricken country that has had more than its shares of disasters.

The financial contribution was not the only area where Rwanda has played a role; it also has a contingent from the National Police serving as peacekeepers under the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and they have been part of the international efforts to assist the people of Haiti as they struggle to cope up.

This gesture of solidarity is not for photo opportunity, as is the case with certain ‘humanitarian’ agencies that rush to the scenes of disaster a public relations ploy.

Rwanda’s contribution in many strife-torn areas has a deep-rooted reason: It has travelled down the same road, and worse. The people of this country know the pain and cost of loss of lives on a large scale; that is why they are more than eager to come to the aide of whoever is in trouble.

Haiti has been battered by one storm after another, nearly brought to its knees by lawlessness and failure of state organs …. and now this catastrophe.

We may not have a big purse, but a big heart we do. That is what Haiti needs at this time of need — from everyone — not camera-toting NGOs falling over each other.

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