A 7.0-magnitude earthquake, which struck Haiti Jan.12, killed an estimated 150,000 people. In the wake of the devastation, both in material and loss of life, the international community has attempted to address Haiti’s problems and look to the future for ways to completely redevelop its decimated capital, Port-au-Prince.

At a conference on Haiti relief Monday, international leaders addressed the long-term redevelopment of the nation.

One of the biggest issues to come out of the meeting, and others, has been the problem of delivering incredibly large aid packages to a country that had a limited infrastructure, even before the earthquake.

Likewise, the political instability, past and present, raises large problems for international aid. Addressing those issues, Jim Ceresnak, Student Body President said, ‘Haiti has a history of political turmoil and a lot [of the effort] is about the long-standing problems.’

The Ceresnak-led Student Government has taken on a substantial campus initiative for Haiti relief called ‘Howl for Haiti.’ In association with Stop Hunger Now, SG hopes to raise $50,000 for relief.

Students who have friends, classmates or family members who have been to Haiti have heard first-hand accounts of the difficulties associated with delivering the aid, even when it’s collected.

Issac Owolabe II, a senior in aerospace engineering, has a friend in Haiti working for a non-governmental organization. He said, ‘it’s a blessing and a curse at the same time.’ Owolabe said, ‘the country … already [had] a weak infrastructure, so it’s kind of like the earthquake already struck down the things that were there before.’

As far as the delivery, Owolabe said,’It might take a little longer.’

The reconstruction of Haiti is likely to be a long-term commitment, but many people including the leaders of ‘Howl for Haiti’ remain optimistic.

Ceresnak said, ‘What this destruction has brought [is] a lot of international focus on the nation and on the country, and so I hope with the help of the community, Haiti can recover from the disaster and start fighting some of the long-term problems that have existed there.’