Health in Haiti

Health in Haiti

There are resources available in Haiti. A variety of public and private clinics hospitals etc are available. But you still have to pay. Often not a great deal but pay something and for many this is hardly an option. One child I knew as Jefta was 1 ½ years old when I first met her. She was very sick and I helped get her to a local nurse who had established an amazing clinic in the hills above Aquin. She was able to diagnose what was happening and we walked to alocal hospital the next day for treatment. I paid for some drugs etc. Probably no more than $10. But this family was very poor and did not have access, I am probably responsible for Jefta living today. She is thriving and entering the 10th grade. A beautiful young child. Paul Farmers work in the Central Plateau is a wonderful model for creating a Health system that work. They train and support Haitians learning to be the providers. They just completed the first modern hospital in Haiti. An amazing story.

Jefta right lower corner

My worst days in Haiti

My worst day in Haiti

As a Peace Corps Volunteer before we go to the site we are assigned we have a 4 day site visit. This is our first on our own experience trying out our Kreyol and exploring the life we are living for the next 2 years. My original host was unable to house me and I was taken in by Madam Fred who had 10 children and no husband present. (that is another story). In any case she let me sleep in her bed while she and the kids slept on the floor in the next room. It had no mosquito netting and a ton of mosquitoes. The latrine was nasty. But in a matter of 4 days I bonded with these kids and saw first hand the reality of poverty. She had very little financial support and was trying to make ends meet just to get food. Despite all the “physical hardship” I was deeply disturbed by the plight of this family. Wondering how they would survive. Describing my experience in our debrief I cried. Knowing that “people” live in abject circumstances is one thing. Knowing people living that and recognizing my inability to change it was the hardest thing for me to face. And that was a lesson daily in Haiti.

The most dangerous thing I did in Haiti.

People think of Haiti, and the uninitiated often think of hardships and danger. But when I think back, I have to say that the most dangerous thing I did was while I was there was ride public transportation. Buses are crowded, and the highway is filled with all kinds of vehicles. People walk, bicycle, ride donkeys, and drive a variety of vehicles.

From my front porch, I had a view of Rte 1 - the main road in the South department. At any moment it would have some vehicle, person carrying water or produce etc. You would see a bus filled beyond capacity blasting down the road horn honking. In the two years I spent there with the Peace Corps, 7 people died on that road. One group of 5 were killed when a tree fell on their pickup. I would even every so often see a burned bus by the road.

My first ride in Haitian public transportation was terrifying. But just like with anything, you go into denial. You stop thinking about it and you just endure. Until eventually, it becomes "normal".

But it remains, by far, the most dangerous thing I ever did in Haiti.

surprising results

In 2011 I visited many of the students in EFH and was able to add a couple more.  I had no idea that such a small amount ($200 per family) could reap such astounding results.  Not only had most of the students continued in school.  Several had graduated and moved on to professional trainings.  This success inspired me to start EFH with the intention of adding more as the funding came available.  Our commitment is to stay with funding each child in the program until they have finished their education.  Adding more children depends upon having an increasing amount of donations.  Your donation just like mine can have an impact far beyond your imagination.

Education for Haiti Launches an Indiegogo Fundraiser

September 8th,

Today we unveil our Indiegogo campaign. This first blog post is going to be a mite short, as we have been working a lot of overtime to get this campaign up and running, and now it's time to rest.

For a little bit, anyway.

Anyway, our aim is to raise $10,000 to pay the tuition fees for 27 Haitian children, so that they can continue to attend school. Haiti doesn't have many public schools, so the only means most Haitian children have of going to school is through private schools. Private schools means paying tuition money. And unfortunately, that means many Haitian children don't even get to finish grade school, since their families just can't afford it.

However, for 27 Haitian children, we are changing that. We hope to be able to support these children not just through grade school and high school, but on up through Professional Trainings.

Because there is nothing more priceless than an education.