Haiti is a country in trauma and suffering. More than two months after a 7.0-strength quake wreaked catastrophic destruction on the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, is still in a state of strife. International help has begun to pour into Haiti, but with the capital and most political infrastructure destroyed, the aid has proven to be not enough.

More than 1.5 million Haitians are homeless, and the full death toll — according to The New York Times, has reached 200,000.

As if that weren’t bad enough, a 6.1-magnitude aftershock rocked Haiti on Jan. 20, further rattling nerves.

As rescue work shifts to recovery work, it will take a monumental effort from the international community — and the shell-shocked Haitian people — to prevent the catastrophe from growing even worse.

Yet Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, can’t and shouldn’t be restored to what it was before the quake.

The catastrophic death toll was a result not so much of the earthquake’s strength but of Haiti’s history of corruption, its shoddy buildings and ultimately its poverty.

In the aftermath of previous disasters, rebuilding takes time, commitment and sustained funding — and in Haiti’s case, it is especially important and brings a unique opportunity to rebuild a nation.

What’s at stake goes beyond that nation’s shores and borders.

Unless the world helps prepare the poorest societies for future quakes and storms — through better buildings, better government infrastructure and sustained growth — the world will be chasing after worsening disasters for decades to come.

The devastating earthquake in Haiti and its aftermath brought out the generosity in the Laguna community.

Students in the Middle and Upper School Student Councils and clubs worked at a fevered pitch to raise awareness and funds to assist in relief efforts for both Direct Relief International and for the Red Cross.

Clubs such as Amnesty International, Interact Club, and Diversity Club organized several events in order to raise money for supplies to send directly to earthquake victims by donating to Direct Relief International (DRI) and to the Red Cross. The fund-raising goal set for Haitian efforts was $3,000.

Each year the Middle & Upper School Student Council sponsors a brownie-gram sale with proceeds going to a local charity. Brownie-grams were sold for $1.00 each packaged in a heart cellophane bag with a gift tag.

Council members baked the brownies, packaged the brownies and delivered them during lunch on Feb.11. This year’s proceeds of $350 (MS) and $313 (US) went to the American Red Cross for the people of Haiti.

Amnesty Club also organized a soap drive in which students were asked to donate bars of soap for Haitians.

Amnesty and Interact Club members brought their cash donations and soap, to Direct Relief International, located in Goleta where they were given a tour of the facility.

Ms. Alethea Paradis, Amnesty Club facilitator, describes the clubs’ efforts as, "highly crucial." "I think that sending supplies is going to be very beneficial to the Haitian people. By making this small step, I believe that we can encourage others to take the time to lend a helping hand."

On Mar. 9, Upper School students heard a first hand account of DRI’s efforts in Haiti from Santa Barbara Independent reporter Chris Meagher who spoke about DRI’s efforts in Haiti.

He described the health risks associated with the lack of clean water and the lack of medical supplies and hospitals.

Not only are relief efforts being carried out by Laguna clubs, junior Spencer Dusebout, cofounder of a teen-based philanthropic organization called Hands4Others (H4O) which raises funds to provide clean water globally has joined the Haitian efforts.

After the devastating quake in Haiti, he has turned his attention to helping earthquake victims by collecting supplies and raising money for Haiti.