Students for Haiti, a group organized out of the University of Delaware, is raising money to rebuild the St. Boniface Hospital clinic in Villa, which was destroyed in 2010's earthquake. Through aggressive fundraising and the passionate leadership of Matt Watters, the group's president, Students for Haiti has so far raised $60,000 toward the clinic. On March 27 the group traveled to Haiti to see first hand the community they're raising money to help. Follow their blog below.
Tuesday, March 29th, 2011
Brianna McMahon
Today we got to go to Villa to see the site for the hospital. The ride up there was spectacular. The views were amazing and the terrain was so rocky that I found it hard to believe that our vehicle was going to make it. But, amazingly, it did and we arrived at Villa. First, we went to see the irreparable damage to the previous structure. Seeing the damage with my own eyes allowed me to see the importance of constructing a new building. We also toured the tents that are currently being used in place of the hospital. They were small, dark, hot and ill-equipped for many of the daily tasks that the hospital staff encounters. They do not have running water in the tents, nor do they have temperature regulation for important lab processes.
After speaking with a large group of community health workers and the staff of the hospital, it became clear how much this area needs a functional hospital building.
All of the information that I learned today has changed my view on public health and international medicine. In theory, I understood the need for the people of a country to be involved in their own care; however, I never realized the necessity of it. Today my eyes were opened to the importance of having Haitians care for Haitians. Not only do they understand their people, their culture and their country, but they are also able to communicate more effectively and to make patients feel at ease. Therefore, for the most effective medicine, Haitians must be the deliverers.
Finally, the best part of the day was the time spent in the Villa community. The people were extremely friendly. By the end of our time with them, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. We met families and lots of children and we even bought beautiful straw hats from an elderly woman in the community. The children were hysterical. We were an extremely novel occurrence for them. Wherever our group went, the children followed. It was wonderful to see all of their enthusiasm and their bright smiling faces. Seeing them reiterated why I am part of this project. I want to see the people of Haiti have the opportunity to live their lives healthy, in hopes that one day they would be able to help fellow Haitians in a similar way.
Case Gregory
Today was one of the most interesting and refreshing days of my life. We visited Villa, a small town about two-hours drive from St. Boniface. The earthquake, which happened over a year ago, did not completely destroy Villa's clinic,but it produced giant cracks, covering many of the walls and parts of the ceiling and floor. Therefore, the clinic was too unstable and unsafe to function, and since the earthquake, amazingly, doctors, nurses and other staff members have continued their work in a makeshift clinic, consisting only of a few small tents. We discussed the ramifications of the earthquake with the clinic's staff and learned that healthcare in the area has been impacted in a major way. Unlike when the staff was working in the original clinic, the elements now greatly affect their ability to function in the tents: The sun heats the tents to almost unbearable temperatures and both the sun and wind have a heavy influence especially on laboratory work. Additionally, the old clinic had direct access towater which is vital for before, during and after surgical procedures, however, the makeshift clinic does not.
Finally, the tent clinic typically sees about forty to fift ypatients per day whereas the old clinic would see roughly sixty to seventy patients per day. This decrease stems from an ungrounded loss of faith in the makeshift clinic among the people, who would prefer to make the long trip to Fond-des-Blancs instead of simply going to the clinic nearby. The patients do not realize that staff can still effectively perform in the tents many of the same procedures they did in the old clinic. The quality of the treatment would inevitably improve if the clinic was rebuilt and the staff were given a decent environment to work, and the clinic would draw in more patients. We also met with the community council and discussed the process of rebuilding the clinic, informing them about Students For Haiti and listening to what they
really needed in the community. It was an incredible moment, people from two verydifferent places sharing a mutual enthusiasm for a common goal. We could see theirgratefulness in their eyes, and I think they could see the excitement in ours at the opportunity to be here and help.
Coincidentally, a little boy was injured right around thetime we arrived in Villa in the ambulance, so luckily they did not even have to call an ambulance for him because it was already there. So the ambulance that we arrived in took the boy to St. Boniface, which gave us plenty of time to get to know the locals before the driver returned to pick us up. The locals were extremely friendly and a little boy named Friz took a particular interest in us. He talked to Victoria, pointing out the red complexion of her cheeks and laughing at her broken Creole responses. We asked politely to take pictures, but after Liron showed Friz how to use her camera our problems were solved: He took plenty of pictures himself, laughing and snapping pictures of unsuspecting people around town, or sometimes gesturing for them to pose. A kind old lady came up to us with a stack of hats, saying she wanted to show us her profession. I bought a hat formy mom, and before long our group had bought up all her hats. I was amazed by the general atmosphere among the people of the town. Their lives undoubtedly were not easy, but there was an undeniable happiness and sense of community all around me. I promised myself that I would come back here one day to see the clinic rebuilt.
Monday, March 28th, 2011
Victoria Winslow
Woke up bright and early this morning to the sound of a crowing rooster. We ate a quick breakfast and met with Marley, a translator and Haitian English teacher, at 8 a.m. for our group Creole lesson. Creole is a beautiful language, and does not seem grammatically difficult, but I nevertheless found it challenging to remember words and phrases since I kept thinking and pronouncing in Spanish. I am determined to practice and learn more, however, and spoke to Haitians and Americans in Creole throughout the day.
Next we met with Jean Denis Lys, the director of community development at St. Boniface. He not only provided our group with a wealth of information about the hospital, but also about future plans to construct a school. He copied a blueprint of the school and even gave us a copy of the proposed curriculum. It was exciting to see what the money generated by fundraising can do for the people of this rural community.
After our meetings, we took a tour of the St. Boniface Hospital led by Dr. Inobert Pierre and Dr. Miliane Clermont, the director and deputy director of St. Boniface Hospital. I saw an operating room, the pharmacy, the maternity ward, the emergency room and a dental office among other areas. I felt sad when I saw patients who were suffering -- especially the amputees who lost limbs as a result of the devastating earthquake. These amputees are more limited than those living in the U.S. due to a greater lack of accessibility. To see people in such a compromised state was both moving and motivating -- I am more determined than ever to raise money to reconstruct hospitals that meet the needs of patients like these.
We took a second tour of Fond-des-Blancs with Marley after a delicious, home-cooked Haitian lunch. We saw a schoolhouse, a bakery and a market. I said "bon swa" (good afternoon) to just about everyone I saw. The people of Fond-des-Blancs are all so friendly -- everyone acknowledges each others' presence, which is something that people in the U.S. do not always do in my experience.
Dan Raye
It's strange to see the reality of a place that I've read so much about, talked about daily, and made the focus of my efforts. Seeing things down on the ground is entirely different, to put human faces behind the stories and the statistics. It's confusing, to say the least. I have always felt so passionate about the plight of the Haitian people and have had strong beliefs about what should be done to help them. Not to say that these views have been changed by a single day here, but how these things play out in real life brings a new element to it that I haven't fully grasped yet. Perhaps it's coming face to face with these things that I thought I understood and realizing that I don't know a thing.
The majority of today was spent on our tour and in information sessions about St. Boniface's operations and facilities. It's a small hospital in size, but not in ability, and certainly not in terms of community need. The people running it, Dr. Pierre, Dr. Millian, Jean Denis, Betsy, Priya, Ellen, Nancy and many more, are truly incredible people with not only great vision for the future, but great ability for the present. It must be difficult to balance vision with reality without either getting disconnected with the present or becoming too connected, focusing only on proximate issues. But, the growth of the hospital and the progressive nature of their programs seems to indicate that they're doing a great job.
Our three talks today dealt with development and education, hospital operation and community health. What makes St. Boniface unique among organizations of its type is its intense and intimate connection with the community it serves. It is an organization run largely by Haitians, for Haitians. It seeks to address the specific needs of Fond-des-Blancs and the other communities it serves, rather than operating on a more generalized pattern of "aid." They are truly in the business of rebuilding healthy, sustainable communities.
Later that day we went on a hike. As I stood on the summit, admiring the beautiful Haitian landscape, I considered all these things and what part we may play in all of this. We must work to create a place where people are able to meet their basic needs -- and not just the bare minimums. They must first have enough food to thrive and equitable and affordable access to healthcare. Everything else in society is so intricately woven into health. Health first, and everything else will follow.
Saturday, March 27th, 2011
Victoria Winslow
When I stepped off the plane in Port-au-Prince, I was greeted by music, sun and blue skies.
Although I expected destruction in Port-au-Prince, I was still shocked to see rubble and garbage littering the streets that we drove through. The Presidential Palace, once a symbol of patriotism, was in shambles, and men, women and children were living under tarps in the square nearby. The living conditions of so many were absolutely deplorable. I couldn't believe that images that I had seen on the daily news were coming to life before my very eyes.
I saw more poverty on the country roads leading to Fond-des-Blancs, but I also saw the beautiful Haitian countryside and was able to appreciate it. I tried to focus on the good things that I saw, rather than the bad. I saw beautiful mountains and exotic foliage. I saw lakes and streams, cattle and children playing. The countryside seemed peaceful and I suddenly felt relaxed, so relaxed that I nearly fell asleep in the crowded ambulance on the way to St. Boniface Hospital.
When we arrived at the St. Boniface Hospital, I was thrilled. We stretched our legs and were shown around. We were introduced to Ellen, Priya and Betsy, three dedicated St. Boniface staff members, all with incredible stories to share of their time spend working in Haiti. I felt welcome and at home right away, and after walking through town and being informed of our week's itinerary, I am excited for what tomorrow will bring.
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