Founder's Story
An adventure to discover culture uncovered a humanitarian world despirate for stability and modern infrastructure.In 2007 I took a trip to Africa.
My father had been helping Equatorial Guinea Africa with infrastructure work and sending humanitarian aid. I assisted him in placing orders and arrange for shipping surplus from organizations such as UNICEF and Heart to Heart.
Mozambique
In planning a trip to Mozambique, my friend and I were asked to come a couple months early to help with flood victims. Almost 300,000 people had been displaced or needed aid because of the flood. We agreed. That was the last I heard from our contacts until we arrived. When I requested a list of items they needed to order from our surplus organizations, the line went cold. Even the U.S. contacts could not reach anyone who might know.
American Guess
My best, very ignorant, American guess for emergency items made me think surgical. So, I brought the wrong supplies, which were put in storage for two years. They needed first aid, de-worming, anti-malaria, and a few other simple medicines which we had available to save lives. The South African doctor working with us on the front lines said 20% of the victims we had treated would be dead the next year. “They have no follow-up treatments and we have no medicines to leave.”
No Medicine
We could not get to any of the other villages, the majority of the victims, because we had no more medicine or anything useful. They were left to battle infections, disease, and wounds with nothing but disease ridden water and dirt. Hundreds were left to die in their make-shift mud and straw huts, all because I could not find out what supplies they needed. This broke my heart! There has got to be a better way with all the technology at our fingertips!
There’s A Solution
My experiences with hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed similar gaps. Many Katrina victims were brought to Houston. Then hurricane Rita hit Houston and victims were brought from the Astrodome to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. So many of my friends, affluent and not, were asking how they could help. “Can we offer our spare rooms? Can we bring food? How do we volunteer?” Security had blocked all civilians from helping. Only Red Cross employees and volunteers who had previously been background checked could help. Meanwhile, victims were sleeping on cots and on the floor in Reunion Arena. When a local apartment complex opened up a wing of their units to victims, we were able to assist distributing furniture and household items. Before then, our hands were tied.
I knew there had to be a solution!
Displaced
Dead within the year
New Infrastructure
A new humanitarian infrastructure needs to be put in place. So many kind hearts are willing and wanting to help their neighbor, especially during a crisis. Thus, Humat was born. An opulent supply of surplus and resources are available. Humat aims to provide the efficient pipeline needed to empower organizations and the public to multiply their power of resources to these needs.
Our Story
Watch Our Story in under a minute, as seen on Championship.Score.Org.
