¶ … trudged down the steep airplane steps, I glanced at the flight attendants who were smiling farewell. I shielded my face from the scorching sunlight with my hat as I exited the plane, steeling myself for what lay ahead. The air outside was thick with oppressive heat. The physical journey had been arduous but I knew it was nothing compared to the emotional trials I would face in Haiti, where I was volunteering my time as a teacher at a local school.
As I rode on the bus to my destination, I could not help but take note of the differences between Haiti and my native New York. Haiti was still covered in debris from the 2010 earthquake. There were hardly any cars visible and the roads were unpaved. The streets were almost empty. It was so different from the hectic, technologically-driven pace to which I was accustomed.
Through the glass, I saw young parents with a small child sitting on the ground. Beside them, there was a pile of canvases spread on the ground. The family waved at us in a silent, emotional plea to stop and buy their paintings. A small greyhound tottered nearby, its face hollow and ribcage prominent. The greyhound playfully nudged the child sitting next to the artists and the child laughed. Other children in the background were playing with scattered debris, using refuse to play hopscotch.
I was reminded of my favorite childhood series, The Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne. It was a series about two siblings who traveled through time to different places. I felt I had traveled not only in space but back in time to a different world where luxuries I took for granted like food, clean water, sanitation,...
There were almost no signs of modern technology: It was hard to even find payphones, much less a decent cellphone signal. Where I resided, there were no fast food restaurants or grocery stores. Water was a luxury, as were reliable public utilities.
I felt nervous about teaching at the school. I was worried about overcoming the language and cultural barriers and questioned the receptiveness of the students to the presence of a foreign teacher. I was nervous but my enthusiasm and positivity overcame any awkwardness. My students' encouraging nods and laughter helped me gain more confidence to stand before the classroom and embark upon my lesson plan. They would smile as I spoke and my words were translated into Creole with the assistance of a translator.
I played soccer with the students after the formal end of the school day out in a barren field. Despite the heat, we all laughed during the game. It was much different from how I would spend a day with my friends in the city going shopping or watching movies. Yet these children did not mind. Just playing in the presence of the other students and finding a respite from their cares was enough.
As part of my duties as a teacher, I would also distribute sandwiches to the students at lunchtime. I always noted the gratefulness in their eyes. For some, this was the most substantial meal they would have all day. Even though I couldn't understand their words, I could understand the sincerity in their actions and expressions. I was supposed to teach them during my trip but the Haitian citizens taught me more about positivity and hope even in the face of…
I. Executive summary Santé Nou—is a Travel Care Voucher and affordable healthcare plan that offers family members in Haiti access to primary health care. This comprehensive marketing strategic plan should provide a roadmap for the pre-pilot phase with its customer-focused objectives. While many organizations have difficulty communicating and connecting with Haitian consumers both in Haiti and in the United States with Haitian Americans, experience and understanding for this specific target population
Health Plan for Haiti Haiti has a population of approximately ten million people. According to the 2009 WHO statistics, the gross national income per capita was $1.220. The life expectancy at birth in terms of years for females and males is 64/61 respectively. In 1000 births (children under five years), 76 children have s probability of dying. In a population of 1000 people, 223 females and 258 males have a probability
The epicenter was over 80 miles away from any kind of population centers. The total number of casualties was 700 deaths and more than 2 million people were made homeless. The economic impact would be far less, as the damage was isolated mainly to collapsed buildings in various cities around the country. The recovery from these events was less severe. Part of the reason for this, is because Chile
In this sense, the mission's objective were "to verify respect for human rights as laid down in the Haitian Constitution and in the international instruments to which Haiti is a party, in particular, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Mission would devote special attention to the observance of the rights to life, to the integrity and security of the
S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are part of the reason as to why the disease prevention efforts in Haiti are very successful. Despite this level of success, the Haitian disease prevention efforts are faced with several challenges. The challenges include shortage of human resource, widespread poverty as well as very limited infrastructure. The Haitians successful disease treatment and prevention programs such as the Partners in Health model (community-based
Wishing to Pursue Graduate Study Dr. Paul Farmer of Partners in Health was asked in an interview if he knew at a young age what he wanted to do or if it was an idea that evolved over time. He replied: "You can…grow into what you want to do…grow into your aspirations." I took that to mean that personal experiences can open our eyes to possibilities and that small successes