The orphanage -- count 59

One of the most emotionally mixed days in Haiti last year was the day we visited the orphanage on La Gonave. We met 59 little ones; the girls sat on one long bench together, while the boys wiggled and squirmed on the other. The girls sat together, gently braiding hair, talking and giggling. The boys shoved each other, pushed each other and called out for more and more pictures to be taken. One little girl stood out from the others --Betsiina. She was to be adopted soon by a Canadian/Haitian couple. The other kids knew it. She was teased and told that her new family would hit her. She didn't want to go.

Many of the children, I'm told, have biological parents who live in the town adjacent from the orphanage. In some cases, the parents just can't provide for the children and so they are sent to the orphanage. In Betsiina's case, she was being sexually abused by her older brother while her mother was out looking for work during the day. And so she was sent to the orphanage where, her mother hoped, she could be better protected. It seemed that many of these children have no supervision during the day, no one to look after them except for older siblings. I kept wondering, does Haiti need orphanages for its children, or just free quality day care?

Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Coconuts

While in Haiti last June, we got a chance to travel to Petit Goave to visit the missionary compound. It’s a green space, over looking the ocean. Sail boats bob up and down, the water is clear and clean. All is calm. Coconut trees provide some shade. As I’m walking, a group of kids join us. One girl has a pretty torn party dress on and she loves to have her picture taken. Some have been swimming in the ocean. They tell me that they like to swim and ask me to join them. I laugh and tell them that I don’t have my swim suit. They ask me if I know how to swim. I laugh and ask them if they know how. They tell me that they know how to swim and that they like to swim.

I ask them what happened when the earth shook. They shook their arms in the air and they told me that it was so strong. I asked if it was really strong. They all shook their heads together and said “Yes, really strong, really strong”. I asked them about the noise? What did it sound like? They said “it was loud, really loud” They said “it was like zzzzzzz.” I said where were you? He pointed next to the house where he was. He said his mother hurt her foot, but that he didn’t get hurt, he is okay. He shows me his arms and his legs. Just then a coconut drops from the tree and slams to the ground from about 30 feet up. I had forgotten about those coconuts.

I asked them “what did you do after the earthquake.” He showed me the ground where he had to sleep. He said he had to sleep outside in the open. It’s too dangerous to sleep under the coconut trees where the coconuts can fall on you. He said the problem was that the sun would boil them in the morning, and it was too hot.

He told me his story several times. I asked the others too about it, trying to get them to talk about that scary time, trying to get them to help me understand. The second boy tells me that they had to run away from the ocean so that it wouldn’t come get them. I realize that he is talking about the Tsunami warning. They had three problems – coconuts, earthquakes and tsunamis.

I take their picture and I show it to them. They laugh. I ask them if they go to school and they tell me yes. They start to tell me what things are in English and then they translate the words into Kreyol for me – they are teaching me. They walk me to the car and I ask them if they are going swimming again. They say they will get fish to eat.
We drive away in our car to head back to Port-au-Prince. I think to myself - I only had to worry about falling coconuts today.

Haitians helping Haiti -- Mangos + Social Programs

Last June, directly after the earthquake in Haiti, I met with Jean Maurice Buteau. Some call him the Mango man. He buys and sells Mangos directly from farmers all throughout the Haitian country side and is one of the largest Haitian exporters. His mango producers are from small orchards, are grown without pesticides and are simply amazing.

But, as much as I love mangos, this is not why I'm writing this blogpost...

We hear much about the good that others in the world are doing for Haiti. We hear about big donor organizations, we hear about non-profits, not-for-profits, aid organizations, governments, celebrities, etc. I have and do applaud this work, but there are more applause to go around.

What I'm most interested in these days is post-disaster reconstruction by those on the ground and those from the ground. In other words, who are the in-country, in-state, in-town heros who can teach us about what works on the ground in a post-disaster situation?

Here's a quick look at what Jean Maurice is doing:
1. Exploring ways to increase crop production and farmer profits in Haiti
2. Supporting a high school in Fond Jean Noel since the mid-1990s, including installing solar panels, computers and internet access. In addition, training programs by a Haitian IT company were provided.
3. Supporting local neighborhood sports teams in order to give kids access to after school activities.

http://www.mango-haiti.com/social.htm

These programs help Jean Maurice's company thrive because he needs to hire skilled workers, he needs to work with farmers who can produce high quality mangos and because we need more Haitian soccer players in the world.

Speaking Engagement

On Tuesday evening, I headed off to speak with local business and education leaders in Haiti. My father's friend, Edouard Lafontant set up the speaking engagement.

I was picked up at 2pm at my hotel in Petionville and we drove toward the road leading to Montaigne Noir, the road I used to take home everyday. It was as I remembered, narrow streets and high walls surrounding the homes. We drove up a steep driveway to a home situated on a hill. The bright orange colors of the patio jumped at me. I was a bit nervous. What would I tell them that they already didn't know?

The topic was rebuilding Haiti with Haitian eyes. By that I mean, trying to understand and point toward a vision, a Haitian vision, of Haiti that builds on her assets vs. focusing on the overwhelming needs. In other words, what does Haiti have to offer to the world. What might be her competitive edge, what are her strengths, and what already works in Haiti that we might be able to harness and build upon? Once we have a clear sense, a clear vision of Haiti and what we want her to be, I suggested we might be better able to lead the charge in that direction. We might be able to better determine what will work in Haiti and what won't.

After the talk, Edouard Lafontant spoke about the importance of leadership, what it means and how to build it. How it's important to build capacity in the leaders by instilling in him the idea that great leaders lead others to greatness in such a way that they don't know that they have been led.

The discussion after the talk was insightful, lively and engaging. We discussed how to do everything at the same time, we discussed some frustrations and we thought about what works in Haiti and what doesn't. We also talked about how MIT might contribute.

At the end of the talk, I felt charged and refreshed. I felt the doors begin to open, especially the doors to a group of strong women who attended the discussion. Lots to do.

Reunion with Anne Marie -- raw writing

Anne Marie

She was standing at the corner, she looked at me. We locked eyes. It was she. The emotions came, the crying almost wailing and I couldn’t stop them. She was alive, she had her arms, she had her legs, her smile, and we embraced, I kissed her and the love flowed, I couldn’t stop it. So many days wondering and wondering, if she were alive and there she was, there she was. She says she lives in a house and she is safe. Then she tells me her daughter, Jeanette, lives in the tent across the street. There's more, but I can't translate it into words right now. Maybe later...

Off to Jeanette's tent. Anne Marie takes my arm, Joy, my best friend, follows and we walk. We cross the street, not an easy feet. We cross the small street and we are headed to Jeanette’s place – a tent across the street. I’m nervous, what will I see, what will I hear, will it be dangerous, will it be clean, will I get a disease?

The walk way is mud and there are women sitting. I say hello to all. Three boys follow me and they say “I love you.” I turned to them and I looked them in the eyes. I said “I love you too,” and I meant it. They stopped following us.

The tent was clean and neat. A rug on the ground – a luxury. Two single beds with clean sheets. I’m invited to sit down. I’m invited to talk. I’m invited to their private world. We talk about my family. All of the children, uncles, aunts and children of children. I ask about the private relms of my family. Why don’t some people not like others? Why, why, why? She answers me as best she can. I just expect her to know what I want to know, and to know how to explain it all as fast as possible. It is impossible. We talk and talk. A women washes near by. I cry and they hand me a towel and it is white and pristine. It is cleaner than what I might find in the finest hotel. The white towel, the mud outside, the clean tent, sheets and rug. Why didn’t I take off my shoes before walking on their rug…

Later that night I wake up in my bed at 1am. I can't sleep. Jeanette lives in a tent no more than 50 feet from my hotel room. We used to sleep in the same house, now I'm the only one in a house.

As you know, half of my family is from Haiti and I've been involved with a number of Haiti-related projects. Here's the scoop....

First, with a bunch of friends, we began raising money for an initiative that I started for Haiti with my best friend from Union School, a school that was located in Port-au Prince, Haiti. Our initiative is called Hearts and Hands to Haiti, sort of a bucket brigade, and there is a link online: http://www.causes.com/causes/433147?recruiter_id=13530475

To date, with the help of many of you, we have raised about $26,000 and have been able to land 2 tons of food and medical supplies. In addition, we sent a team of construction and medical workers to Haiti (they raised their own funds for the trip) to build a temporary health clinic and train medical staff. The clinic is located in Leogane, Haiti. We also were able to staff the clinic and arranged for a doctor to visit once each week. The work is not done, but at least we have started in a small way.

So what now?

The cameras are mostly gone and the devastation remains. On June 1st I'm headed to Haiti and I need some help...

As part of this trip, I plan to visit the clinic that our organization built and staffed and bring in more supplies. I also plan to visit an orphanage run by a non-profit that we are working with, a school that is the sister school to an elementary school here in Cambridge, and, as noted above, meet some of Haiti's business leaders.

Many of you have asked me to update on you this work and asked if there is anything that I need. The answer right now is Yes! Here's what I need:

1. Apparel/Toys for Kids: I would love to bring apparel/toys for kids - Shirts, hats, paper, pens, pencils, small toys. These kids need to play and have fun and I would love to give them a few things to distract them, if only for a moment. Again, mail donations to me at: Cherie Miot Abbanat, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 9-367, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02139.

2. Medical Supplies: I would like to fill a couple of duffle bags with supplies to bring to the clinic. If you would like to contribute to these efforts, you can donate things like flashlights, pain relievers, tarps, anything that you might find at a drug store, and I will bring it all in with me. You can mail or drop off donations to me at: Cherie Miot Abbanat, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 9-367, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02139. (I can write receipts for all donations from the non-profit 501(c)3 that we are working with on these efforts.

3. Ask Kids to Write Care Notes -- If you have kids ask them if they might be interested in writing notes and/or drawing pictures for Haitian kids -- Kids love kids and my kids want to do something for the kids in Haiti. (I've posted a few beautiful pictures that I will take with me.) I've asked my kids and their friends to write notes to kids in Haiti asking questions, expressing ideas, and relaying thoughts that they care -- a little letter writing campaign that I thought I would try out. As noted above, I plan to visit children in schools and in orphanages and in tent camps and would love to bring notes from kids here to kids there (we will translate these for the kids). Mail them to me (see address below) or scan and comment here and I will tell you where you can e-mail them.

4. Donations: If you prefer to write a check, sometimes this is easiest when people are busy, checks can be made out to "Shunem" (and write "Haiti" in the note section). Shunem is a 501(c)3 that has agreed to cover all of our overhead costs. You can also donate on-line at: http://www.causes.com/causes/433147?recruiter_id=13530475.

Thanks in advance for your help and support with these projects.

Also, if you want to remain in the loop in terms of this project, I will be blogging about the trip at: http://heartsandhands4haiti.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

Kenbe La!
Cherie

Hearts and Hands to Haiti (Shunem.org) -- On the Ground

One of our team members, John Vermilya, and his crew of 6 carpenters arrived last week in Haiti and have been working to build, build, build as much as then can. These are a group of men who have helped H&H2H raise money, find supplies and then went off to bring their Hearst and Hands to Haiti. Partnering with World Hope International, they got a clinic built in one week. Now the nurses can attend to patients in a clean environment instead of on a dirt floor. Also, John was able to find and connect with a doctor who will visit the new clinic once each week! I'm amazed at their effort, generosity and kindness.