Saturday, January 30, 2010

Misinformation about Haitian Adoption: Potential Arrests without the Right Paper


American adoption agencies say they are being swamped with calls from people so moved by Haiti's tragedy that they'd like to adopt an orphaned child.
The U.S. government is fast-tracking visas for hundreds of children whose adoptions were already in process, but officials say any wider effort will have to wait.

Kelly Rourke runs Building Arizona Families, an adoption agency in Surprise, Ariz. She says her agency has gotten calls from across the country.
"Some are Haitian originals who have become U.S. citizens and want to go back and help their country," she says. "Others are families who are just looking to help and make a difference in somebody's life. We've had everybody from the family next-door to someone in Alaska."
Rourke has also fielded a good deal of misinformation.

"We must be vigilant not to separate children from relatives in Haiti who are still alive but displaced, or to unknowingly assist criminals who traffic in children in such desperate times."

10 Americans from an Idaho Church Arrested in Haiti over Illegal (paperless) Adoptions of Haitian Children: Rescue or Adoption Efforts and Nightmare

This news must have been some type of mistake.  Confusion over the paperwork may have led to the arrests. 

In Haiti, there are new orphans, quake orphans.  Many groups and countries are trying to help them.  They need to remember that they are dealing with a sovereign country that has been brought down to its knees by the quake.

Many people have been trying to move children out of the country.  Orphans from God's Littlest Children, an orphanage from Port-au-Prince, were sent to France, Canada, USA and Netherlands aboard chartered flights.



The Americans detained by Haitian police include, from left, Steve McMullen, Jim Allen, Carla Thompson, Silas Thompson, Paul Thompson, Laura Silsby, Drew Culborth and Nicole Lankford. The group is affiliated with a Baptist church in Idaho.


"State Department officials confirmed that U.S. citizens had been arrested while applying to enter the Dominican Republic with a group of children. They said consular officials were seeking access to them and were providing all possible assistance."

Taking Haitian Children across the border with the Dominican Republic without the right paperwork is highly discouraged to avoid confusion, arrests and headache in a country that has seen so much suffering. 

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Transparent Language Inc. Offers free Haitian Creole Version of Byki for iPhone and iPod Touch

NASHUA, N.H. --(Business Wire)-- In support of the disaster relief efforts now going on in Haiti, Transparent Language Inc. has pushed a Free Haitian Creole version of Byki for iPhone (News - Alert) to the Apple App store. Developed and released in record time, Byki Haitian Creole for iPhone is now available at no charge from the iTunes App Store to any iPhone or iPod Touch owner. Byki Haitian Creole for iPhone offers users a fast and effective way to learn over 1,000 Haitian Creole words and phrases that are essential for everyday communication. The collection includes the 10 Quick Start lists of the 100 most useful words and phrases as well as a set of Medical Emergency terminology developed by Voxtec International.

About Transparent Language, Inc.

Transparent Language is a leading provider of best-practice language learning software for consumers, educational institutions, government agencies, and businesses. Since 1991, Transparent Language has helped millions of individuals learn new languages quickly, easily, and effectively. Transparent Language's products are also used in more than 12,000 civilian and government educational institutions, including major universities and government facilities, such as the Defense Language Institute and Foreign Service Institute. Call 800-567-9619 or visit www.Transparent.com for more information.

Haitian Earthquake Creating Emergency Relief Drives Millions to Get Exposed to Haitian Creole Spoken by All Haitians

 The earthquake that hit Haiti on Jan. 12 exposed the world to the language spoken by all Haitians.  It gave a wide audience to Creole or commonly referred to as Haitian Creole.  We also know there are other types of Creole languages spoken by many other groups.  Haitian Creole is unique in its development and is spoken by more people. 

Read on here.......

Find the press release right here:  http://www.benzinga.com/press-releases/b111319/emergency-drives-thousands-to-learn-haitian-creole

".....Transparent Language Inc. announced today the release of free versions of their Haitian Creole language software based on the British Red Cross Emergency phrase list. The language learning company has added the 62 common medical questions and statements from the British Red Cross to its Haitian Creole Byki software. In the hope that these software programs will enable thousands of people to better mobilize and respond to the emergency, Transparent Language has made them all available for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Web Browser, all at no charge.
“Relief workers need to be able to communicate with locals” says Michael Quinlan, CEO of Transparent Language. “Byki, combined with the British Red Cross Emergency language list, serves a pressing need among relief workers and illustrates how ordinary people can quickly gain the skills to make an impact.”
This is the most recent step in Transparent Language’s effort to help bridge the language barriers in Haiti. Last week marked their release of a free iPhone app which has been featured in the iTunes App Store’s “What’s Hot” section. Over 21,000 users have already downloaded this FREE app.
Haitian Creole Learning Resources Now Available
Byki Express for Windows & Mac Computers
The entire Byki collection of over 1,500 critical Haitian Creole words and phrases, normally available only in the paid Byki Deluxe Edition, is now available in the Byki Express Edition, which is available at no charge in Windows and Macintosh versions. To download the free enhanced Byki Express software for Haitian Creole, visit Byki.com, choose Haitian Creole from the list of available languages and follow the onscreen instructions. Since the disaster struck, hundreds of people have downloaded the Haitian Creole Byki Express.
Byki Haitian Creole for iPhone
Byki Haitian Creole for iPhone is now available for download at no charge from the iTunes App Store to any iPhone or iPod touch owner. Byki Haitian Creole for iPhone offers users a fast and effective way to learn over 1,500 Haitian Creole words and phrases, including the British Red Cross lists, which are essential for everyday communication. Byki for iPhone’s searchable Phrasebook feature should be of particular value to any iPhone or iPod touch users deploying in the relief effort. It allows users to search in English or in Haitian Creole to quickly find meanings for words and phrases.
Feedback from relief workers supports the real need for language capabilities. As iTunes App Store users have commented:
“I work at a hospital where Haitian quake victims are being flown in for medical attention…this is a huge help.”
“First I want to thank you for making this app free. I downloaded it right before I left for Haiti. I used the app to study while I circled the airport for 3 hours waiting to land and while I was on the ground I used it as a quick reference many times while providing care to earthquake victims. This app is simple and to the point…this app truly made a difference.”
“This app is awesome. I’ve just started using it and I can’t believe how well I’m picking it up! Genius language application!”
Byki Online for Haitian Creole
For online learning, relief workers can access Byki Online for Haitian Creole. Users can learn anytime, anywhere there is an internet connection without installing anything on the computer.
Expanded Haitian Creole Materials for US Military personnel
In a related initiative, Transparent Language has provided Haitian Creole software and learning materials to its Department of Defense customer organizations, and has provided open access for certain resources to all other U.S. Government personnel for the duration of the emergency. DoD personnel can access the Haitian Creole learning materials through Navy Knowledge Online and a number of similar military resource portals.
About the Byki System
Byki, formerly “Before You Know It,” is a 3-Step, rapid language-learning system employing spaced interval repetition. Experts agree that the key to language learning, especially at a beginning level, is to first build a strong lexical foundation – a ready supply of words and phrases locked into one’s working memory. Byki is the fastest, most direct path to that goal. Byki takes users through three simple learning steps to memorize words and phrases in a new language, including their meanings, representation, and proper pronunciation, in the shortest possible time. Millions of people around the world already use Byki, which currently comes in more than 70 languages. Download a free version of Byki.
About Transparent Language, Inc.
Transparent Language is a leading provider of best-practice language-learning software for consumers, educational institutions, government agencies, and businesses. Since 1991, Transparent Language has helped millions of individuals learn new languages quickly, easily, and effectively. Transparent Language’s products are also used in more than 12,000 civilian and government educational institutions, including major universities and government facilities, such as the Defense Language Institute and Foreign Service Institute. Call 800-567-9619 or visit www.transparent.com for more information...."

http://www.benzinga.com/press-releases/b111319/emergency-drives-thousands-to-learn-haitian-creole

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Google Adds Haitian Creole Translate in Addition to Pledge of $1million to Haiit,

Google is doing its best to help Haiti by releasing Creole Translate to its maps.  Get more at http://www.google.com/translate

You can decide to turn on or off Instant translation.


Sunday, January 17, 2010