It is not uncommon to face challenges in our work in Haiti. Those challenges vary in size, scope, and impact. On one side of the scale, someone may arrive late to a meeting, throwing off an entire day’s work, but this happens in America too. A more major challenge may result due to severe weather or concerns over security. America has faced these challenges too, especially in recent weeks.
Our challenge in Haiti this week: a diesel fuel shortage throughout the entire country. As you can imagine, not having fuel makes it pretty difficult to travel to the different communities we serve; everything from a routine check in check-in with families enrolled in our programs to delivering supplies has been complicated. We have had to determine where we absolutely need to combine deliveries of life-sustaining items like formula.
Many of the areas where our families live are more than an hour drive from Haitian Families First’s headquarters in Port-au-Prince. One of the main towns we commute to is Saint Marc, which is almost 60 miles from the capital. The main road was paved recently, which makes the drive fairly smooth and safe, but it is still quite a drive. Traffic in the city is similar to that of any major city, and Jamie sometimes spends two-and-a-half to three hours commuting each way.
It is not always easy to understand what doing work in a third world country looks like. From fuel shortages, to inconsistent and unreliable electricity (generally electricity is given for just a few hours per day), one thing we have learned in our years of work in Haiti is to roll with the punches and take every day in stride. There’s no sense in complaining about the circumstances, we just work diligently to adapt. This week, Jamie is prioritizing, perhaps doing less, and hoping that no serious emergencies arise that prove life threatening for those in our care.
Having recently experienced significant economic challenges in establishing our Pittsburgh headquarters, the Haitian Families First organization wants to acknowledge the amazing contributions that so many of you have made toward our work in Haiti this year. We are grateful to you. We strive to do more with every dollar you give us and always work to honor the trust and faith you’ve put in us to help others. We are especially grateful this holiday season for the love of our family.
From our family to yours we wish you peace today and throughout the coming year.
Ever wonder what kind of an impact a few of your dollars could have on the lives of people living in Haiti? Well here are just a few example.
$15 = A Can of Infant Formula
This matters because… there are babies in our care in Haiti who need basic nourishment to survive! We encourage mothers who are physically able to breast feed to do so, but for those who are unable – or for infants whose mothers have died in child birth – we provide powdered formula.
$4-$10 = A Check-Up Doctor Visit
This matters because… a very basic illness can escalate to a serious one if it’s not treated quickly. This is especially true in Haiti because the system of care is not as advanced and treatment isn’t as widespread. A families’ inability to pay for a basic check-up at the first signs of sickness can lead to loss of life.
$0.50 = A tap-tap Ride to the Hospital
This matters because… though a tap-tap ride is a relatively low cost (but becomes more expensive as the distance traveled increases), many times it is just not in the budget for our families, and could keep someone from getting to the place where they can receive the medical care they need.
$9 = A Week of Tutoring
This matters because… most of the parents and caregivers of children in our education program did not have the opportunity to go to school themselves. We provide tutoring for kids who cannot receive homework help at home.
$26 = A Month Supply of pre-natal Vitamins
This matters because… healthy pregnancies encourage healthy newborns. Women who come to us before giving birth are supplied with pre-natal vitamins to ensure that their baby develops well and is born as healthy as possible.
$13 = 1 Bag of IV Fluids
This matters because… dehydration leads to greater illness. When a person is dehydrated, it can often take 2 or more bags of IV fluids for them to reach normal hydration levels during their hospital stay.
These are just a few examples of how just a few of your dollars save lives in Haiti. Are you surprised by what your American dollars can buy in Haiti? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Rose Andre grew up with a single mother. A little over a year ago, she found herself in a terrible situation with no idea what to do. Rose Andre became pregnant to a much older man. She was just 15 years old. She was in school, but stopped going when she became pregnant.
She was ashamed and embarrassed. And she had no idea what she was going to do once the baby arrived. How would she support him? She lived with her mother who struggled to make ends meet. She knew her mom would not be able to help cover the costs that go along with taking care of a newborn.
Rose Andre, though she didn’t intend to get pregnant, knew that she loved the baby inside of her, and wanted to be able to care for him when he was born. But she had no options and came to terms with the fact that she would have to give him up for adoption. She didn’t know what else to do.
She was referred to HFF by a woman from our program. Rose Andre thought that her meeting with us was to determine the logistics of giving her baby away once he was born. When we spoke to her we explained that that was not our intention, but rather we wanted to talk with her about her options for keeping and parenting her baby.
Rose Andre was so filled with happiness to know that she would keep her baby. We determined that HFF would provide assistance with her school tuition, supplemental formula once the baby arrived for the hours she would be unable to breast feed while at school, and that we would help arrange for child care with one of the other woman in our programs. 
Today, 16 year old Rose Andre is in school, in the 6th grade. Her baby boy, Kewens, is just over 4 months. He is happy, healthy, safe, at home with his loving mother. He will grow up knowing that his mother loved him enough to seek whatever option she could to ensure him the best life, and because of the assistance HFF is able to provide, his best life is at home in Montrouis, Haiti with his mom.