From The Field - Hope For Haiti
Thank You Note
Eglantina Zingg, Bibi Nunez, October 26th 2011
Tiffany R. Keuhner
President and CEO
Hope for Haiti
Peace is more than just the absence of violence. It means realizing that if we work together our lives could be different.
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Scranton Physical Therapists Train, Care, and Repair
Jennifer Lang, Program Manager, September 26th 2011
This past week, the Haiti team was joined by a group of 7 Physical Therapists affiliated with the University of Scranton. Comprised of professors, former students, alumni, and colleagues, the team included varying specialties such as Pediatrics, Orthotics, and Wound Care which were all utilized to address the varied needs of the population in Southern Haiti.
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This past week, the Haiti team was joined by a group of 7 Physical Therapists affiliated with the University of Scranton. Comprised of professors, former students, alumni, and colleagues, the team included varying specialties such as Pediatrics, Orthotics, and Wound Care which were all utilized to address the varied needs of the population in Southern Haiti.
 Therapist Barbara leading Foyer residents in "Senior-cise" Program |
 Foyer residents stretching to the beat |
 Jen stretching out a young patient at Ile a Vache Orphanage |
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Hope for Haiti Community Health Workers, a Driving Force in their Communities
Jessica Jean-Francois, Program Manager, September 9th 2011
This month, Hope for Haiti Community Health Workers (CHWs) have been holding numerous meetings in the communities they serve. These meetings are to spread useful information about illness prevention methods to their neighbors and their families. Hope for Haiti CHWs, who generally work in 12 of our partner schools, are spending the summer helping community members evade the chronic illnesses plaguing their communities. They have chosen 4 themes that best fit their community’s needs and are holding informational sessions that inform participants of the signs, treatment and prevention methods for these common illnesses.
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This month, Hope for Haiti Community Health Workers (CHWs) have been holding numerous meetings in the communities they serve. These meetings are to spread useful information about illness prevention methods to their neighbors and their families. Hope for Haiti CHWs, who generally work in 12 of our partner schools, are spending the summer helping community members evade the chronic illnesses plaguing their communities. They have chosen 4 themes that best fit their community’s needs and are holding informational sessions that inform participants of the signs, treatment and prevention methods for these common illnesses.
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Successful PPI Training Enables Needs Assessment in Two Rural Communities
Jennifer Lang, Program Manager, September 7th 2011
Hope for Haiti is proud to announce a new program as part of our Community Development Initiatives. Two of Hope for Haiti's long-term partnership communities, Ravine Sable and Tête Source of the South's rural Aquin Department, will benefit from a new push towards sustainability in holistic development.
Building upon Hope for Haiti's established partnerships in Education and Public Health, the Sustainable Communities program kicked off with a formal needs assessment. A community meeting led by the school directors at each site used a democratic process to identify qualitative needs, including increased access to healthcare, flood prevention, and better roads. The next step to address the identified needs is a quantitative assessment, through a household survey on the Progress Out of Poverty Index (PPI).
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Hope for Haiti is proud to announce a new program as part of our Community Development Initiatives. Two of Hope for Haiti's long-term partnership communities, Ravine Sable and Tête Source of the South's rural Aquin Department, will benefit from a new push towards sustainability in holistic development.
Building upon Hope for Haiti's established partnerships in Education and Public Health, the Sustainable Communities program kicked off with a formal needs assessment. A community meeting led by the school directors at each site used a democratic process to identify qualitative needs, including increased access to healthcare, flood prevention, and better roads. The next step to address the identified needs is a quantitative assessment, through a household survey on the Progress Out of Poverty Index (PPI).
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Five-year old recovers from malnutrition and malaria
Jennifer Lang, Program Assistant, August 24, 2011
Five-year old Jean-Will came to Hope for Haiti's long-term partner Missionaries of Charity less than 2 weeks ago. His mother, Francique, had no remaining outlets for her child's rapidly depleting health. Unable to pay for services at the public General Hospital, she turned to the Sisters after Jean-Will stopped eating entirely. He was admitted for malnutrition when Sister Guadeloupé noticed his head swelling, his fever spiking in the morning and evening, and his failing balance and eyesight.
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Five-year old Jean-Will came to Hope for Haiti's long-term partner Missionaries of Charity less than 2 weeks ago. His mother, Francique, had no remaining outlets for her child's rapidly depleting health. Unable to pay for services at the public General Hospital, she turned to the Sisters after Jean-Will stopped eating entirely. He was admitted for malnutrition when Sister Guadeloupé noticed his head swelling, his fever spiking in the morning and evening, and his failing balance and eyesight.
 Francique and her two children after their taxi ride to the Hope for Haiti office |
 Jean-Will takes cover from the rain |
 Jean-Will with mother Francique at MoC |
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With many hands, the weight of providing a quality education to Haiti's children is a little lighter
Paula Prince, Program Assistant, July 21st 2011
On Wednesday July 20th, Hope for Haiti held its first meeting with nearly all 40 Directors of Hope for Haiti's numerous partner schools. The ability to assemble all of these partners in a single location was a remarkable feat. This reunion allowed schools from all over the Southern Peninsula, ranging from the lush forests of Baradères, to the slums of La Savane in Les Cayes, and the crystal blue coasts of Morency, to come together and share stories of struggles and successes.
The dedication of the school directors to their mission of educating all children and the appreciation of their relationship with Hope for Haiti were apparent in the long distances that our program partners traveled to attend the meeting. Seven local directors and one regional director made the five-hour car ride down treacherous bumpy roads from the regions of Gris Gris and Cote-de-Fer just to partake.
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On Wednesday July 20th, Hope for Haiti held its first meeting with nearly all 40 Directors of Hope for Haiti's numerous partner schools. The ability to assemble all of these partners in a single location was a remarkable feat. This reunion allowed schools from all over the Southern Peninsula, ranging from the lush forests of Baradères, to the slums of La Savane in Les Cayes, and the crystal blue coasts of Morency, to come together and share stories of struggles and successes.
The dedication of the school directors to their mission of educating all children and the appreciation of their relationship with Hope for Haiti were apparent in the long distances that our program partners traveled to attend the meeting. Seven local directors and one regional director made the five-hour car ride down treacherous bumpy roads from the regions of Gris Gris and Cote-de-Fer just to partake.
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'All work and no play makes Jacques a dull boy' - the familiar proverb holds true in rural Haiti
Jennifer Lang, Program Assistant, July 18th 2011
This year's group of 24 Community Health Workers recently received some well-deserved rest and praise to recognize their completion of 6 months of Hope for Haiti's Public Health Pilot Program. The Community Health Workers (CHWs) all traveled from various regions of Haiti's south for a two-day training in Les Cayes and a celebratory beach day in Port Salut.
Both the training and the retreat provided opportunities for reflection, feedback, team bonding, and learning. Day 1 commenced by sharing stories of successes and challenges in enacting content from previous training sessions. Samuel Terasma, a Community Health Worker from Cherettes-a rural mountain community and recent partner of Hope for Haiti, spoke of the sacrifice required to be successful. "Travelling up into the mountains to reach those students whom I could not normally see is hard work. I have to travel from my house, to the hub of Cherettes, up the mountains, and back again all in one day. Rains and heat have made it difficult, but I continue because I know my goal is worthwhile." As an exemplary of the program, Samuel visited four schools in May and June and presented over 9 hours of curriculum.
<< MORE >>
This year's group of 24 Community Health Workers recently received some well-deserved rest and praise to recognize their completion of 6 months of Hope for Haiti's Public Health Pilot Program. The Community Health Workers (CHWs) all traveled from various regions of Haiti's south for a two-day training in Les Cayes and a celebratory beach day in Port Salut.
Both the training and the retreat provided opportunities for reflection, feedback, team bonding, and learning. Day 1 commenced by sharing stories of successes and challenges in enacting content from previous training sessions. Samuel Terasma, a Community Health Worker from Cherettes-a rural mountain community and recent partner of Hope for Haiti, spoke of the sacrifice required to be successful. "Travelling up into the mountains to reach those students whom I could not normally see is hard work. I have to travel from my house, to the hub of Cherettes, up the mountains, and back again all in one day. Rains and heat have made it difficult, but I continue because I know my goal is worthwhile." As an exemplary of the program, Samuel visited four schools in May and June and presented over 9 hours of curriculum.
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Seven Young Women Successfully Complete Hope for Haiti's 4th Cooking Class
Paula Prince, Program Assistant, July 11th 2011
On Saturday July 9, 2011 the Hope for Haiti house was in a cooking frenzy. Seven young women prepared the final dishes that would serve as a test of the culinary expertise that theyve acquired over the past 19 weeks in Hope for Haiti's cooking school. As onions were chopped, batter was mixed, and eggs were cracked, the young women fried, baked and boiled into existence some of the many recipes that they have spent long hours memorizing. The young ladies, ranging in age from 15 to 26 years old, prepared a wonderful spread of dishes ranging from Rotisserie Chicken and Rice au Gratin to Christmas cake.
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On Saturday July 9, 2011 the Hope for Haiti house was in a cooking frenzy. Seven young women prepared the final dishes that would serve as a test of the culinary expertise that theyve acquired over the past 19 weeks in Hope for Haiti's cooking school. As onions were chopped, batter was mixed, and eggs were cracked, the young women fried, baked and boiled into existence some of the many recipes that they have spent long hours memorizing. The young ladies, ranging in age from 15 to 26 years old, prepared a wonderful spread of dishes ranging from Rotisserie Chicken and Rice au Gratin to Christmas cake.
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Baraderes Community Offers Lesson on the Power of Action
Jennifer Lang, Program Assistant, July 6th 2011
Baradéres is a rural farming community 30 miles outside of Hope for Haiti's operations base in Les Cayes. Still, visiting Baradères requires a 3-hour drive over mountain ranges and boulder slides. Despite this intense topography, the residents of Baradères remain committed to their community - walking hours to the nearest market, farming wheat over rocky slopes, and taking ownership over their health and education.
Even when other organizations have lost interest in this small community, Hope for Haiti has proudly continued its support for the past 11 years, supporting the Little Sisters of Saint Therese as they run a primary school, healthcare facility, and nutrition program. They aid new mothers in a maternity ward, providing both pre-natal and post-natal care. For those women who cannot make it down from the mountains to give birth, they support a network of local midwives with regular trainings and birthing kits assembled by Hope for Haiti volunteers.
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Baradéres is a rural farming community 30 miles outside of Hope for Haiti's operations base in Les Cayes. Still, visiting Baradères requires a 3-hour drive over mountain ranges and boulder slides. Despite this intense topography, the residents of Baradères remain committed to their community - walking hours to the nearest market, farming wheat over rocky slopes, and taking ownership over their health and education.
Even when other organizations have lost interest in this small community, Hope for Haiti has proudly continued its support for the past 11 years, supporting the Little Sisters of Saint Therese as they run a primary school, healthcare facility, and nutrition program. They aid new mothers in a maternity ward, providing both pre-natal and post-natal care. For those women who cannot make it down from the mountains to give birth, they support a network of local midwives with regular trainings and birthing kits assembled by Hope for Haiti volunteers.
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Hope for Haiti's visit to two Port-au-Prince school partners highlights the stark difference between rural and urban school resources
Jessica Jean-Francois, Program Assistant, July 1st 2011
This week, the Hope for Haiti team headed to Port-au-Prince for regular site visits to our partners in the city. We met with school Directors at Dominique Savio and Saint Francois de Sales Primary and Secondary schools and visited the children of the Missionaries of Charity in Delmas 31.
As a new program assistant with Hope for Haiti and someone who is learning more and more about the dynamics of Haiti, I was blown away by the experience and left reflecting on the comparison between Hope for Haiti's rural and urban partner schools.
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This week, the Hope for Haiti team headed to Port-au-Prince for regular site visits to our partners in the city. We met with school Directors at Dominique Savio and Saint Francois de Sales Primary and Secondary schools and visited the children of the Missionaries of Charity in Delmas 31.
As a new program assistant with Hope for Haiti and someone who is learning more and more about the dynamics of Haiti, I was blown away by the experience and left reflecting on the comparison between Hope for Haiti's rural and urban partner schools.
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