Have you ever wondered what the people who work for the non-profit organizations you donate to do all day?
While her sister, Ali, is in the U.S. attending to HFF business matters, Jamie McMutrie is spending today, Friday, January 13, 2012 like this:
5:00 a.m.: Wakes up and gets ready for the day. Every Friday is “hospital day,” when, in addition to checking in on the families HFF assists, Jamie also sees to the medical conditions of the children.
6:00 a.m.: Drives to the airport-area of Port-au-Prince where Berlancia and Simile, two infants whose mothers died in child birth and to whom we give formula, live with their families. Weighs both babies. If there are any signs of illness, Jamie takes the babies with her to be seen at a hospital later in the day. She leaves for a town about 45 minutes’ drive outside of Port-au-Prince called Cabaret.
7:30 a.m.: She arrives in Cabaret. HFF helps four families there by providing formula for infants whose mothers have died in child birth. Again, Jamie weighs the children and checks on their general condition. If any appear to need medical attention, Jamie takes them with her.
8:30 a.m.: Jamie picks up valued HFF employee Junia, who helps her with the children every Friday for “hospital day.”
9:00-10:30 a.m.: Jamie and Junia check on several children and families around Port-au-Prince, including Seth, Cliff, Bonifil, Orens, Gloria, Kervens, and the children of a mother named Chrisla. They distribute formula for the infants whose mothers have died. Each of the children mentioned above live in a different area of the city. Jamie and Junia assess the medical needs of each child and, if need be, take them to the hospital.
11:00 a.m.: Jamie and Junia arrive at the hospital with three of the children.
They also visit with the father of twin babies whose mother died giving birth to them. The twins, born prematurely, no longer need oxygen and are ready to go home with their father.
While at the hospital, Jamie and Junia will discuss with the staff if there are any other children who might need help, children who may have been abandoned there since last Friday, or have lost their mothers in child birth, or are in other kinds of crisis situations.
They also assist the beleaguered hospital staff in educating new mothers about the importance of breast feeding, about caring for premature infants, and other child-care related issues.
Late afternoon: After returning Junia and the children to their homes, Jamie will return to her own home and spend time with the three children for whom she and her staff are caring on a full-time basis.
7:00 p.m.: The children in care go to bed.
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