Update on Haiti and COVID-19 - Good things are happening! (Update from Konbit Sante)

UPDATE: CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE IN HAITI Konbit Sante gathers supplies for shipping container while health workers educate communities The ULS health clinic in Bande du Nord holds a community education forum on preventive and treatment measures for COVID-19. Note how the meeting is being held outside, and that participants are observing 1-meter social distancing. Dear Friends, Returning to the U.S. last week on one of the final flights from Haiti before they were halted for the indefinite future really brought home to me once again how supporting and protecting each other as a global family is in our “enlightened self-interest.” An epidemic of the type we are all facing can only be successfully eradicated collectively. Members of our Maine staff are working from home, and meetings by our Board of Directors, advisers, and others are being held remotely, all in the interest of disrupting and slowing the transmission of COVID-19 in the states. In Haiti, our staff and partners are working tirelessly to inform and encourage people in their communities to slow transmission and to prepare for treating the cases that will require hospitalization. As difficult as those things are proving to be in the U.S., there are even greater challenges in Haiti, where the virus is just getting a foothold (as of today, there are 16 confirmed cases in Haiti, up from 2 confirmed cases reported on March 20). I am moved by the spirit of “konbit”—working together for a common purpose—by which our team and partners are approaching the tasks at hand. Josaime Clotilde St Jean, RN, our community health program manager, has been training and equipping the community health workers (called agents de santé in Haiti) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to spread important information and advice about how to stay safe using local communication strategies. In Haiti, that means things such as hiring a “mobile”—a pickup truck with large speakers in the bed that moves slowly through neighborhoods projecting a taped message—or walking around neighborhoods with megaphones and handing out pamphlets in Creole. To extend our reach, Miss St Jean is also coordinating with our longtime partner health facilities (Haitian Baptist Convention Hospital, Fort St. Michel health center, ULS) as well as with the staff at C2C (Care to Communities), which supports several health centers in Northern Haiti. Of course, it is a challenge for people to “shelter in place” when the only way many of them can feed their children is to go to the crowded market to sell their few wares every day, or to “wash their hands frequently” when water and soap are not readily accessible. "Social distancing" is difficult for someone who must live with 6 or more others in a single room. We can look for ways to promote social cohesion at the same time as promoting physical distancing. People can and do invent new ways to greet each other while avoiding shaking hands and kissing on the cheek (which is the customary greeting) and ventilate homes as best they can. We can distribute soap and disinfectant for cleaning hands and surfaces. People have already learned to drink treated water whenever possible. And they can learn the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 as well as when and how to seek care. One of our biggest concerns is finding ways to support the workers who are tasked with providing care at our partner facilities. To that end, we are preparing an emergency shipping container to send what we can so that they have the most basic tools and protections to do their work. We are grateful to the Dalton Foundation, a Haitian-American surgeon from New York City, and others who are sending very important materials that are needed now by our partners and will be included in this container. We are also grateful to pilots from Archangel Airborne who have volunteered to fly materials into Haiti if needed. As this unfolds, those of us based in the U.S. will continue to do our part to support our neighbors and communities in this time, and to support our global neighbors and communities that we have come to know so well in Haiti. We can—and will—do both. Please be safe. Look out for each other. And please join us in helping others respond in their own communities as well. Peace, Nate Nickerson Executive Director   Solar installation complete at ULS The solar panel array at the ULS health clinic We are continuing to help the ULS health center in Bande du Nord make improvements that will help it become more self-sufficient. Installation of a solar panel array is now complete enough to provide most of the energy needs of the center, making it less reliant on a gas-powered generator. The clinic is not connected to the Cap-Haitien power grid, and a nationwide fuel shortage during the past year frequently increased the price of gasoline, so a more efficient, clean, and sustainable source of power was critical to the clinic’s ability to provide care. The solar array was installed by the non-profit organization Justice and Mercy Energy Systems (JAMES) and funded by a matching funds campaign spearheaded by one of our supporters, Dr. Laalitha Surapaneni of the University of Minnesota Medical Center, who is continuing to solicit donations to complete the project. The health center’s director, Dr. Maudelin Mesadieu, reports that the clinic has not had to use the generator since the solar array became operational. In other ULS news, progress is being made on a new retaining wall to replace one that was destroyed by a torrential thunderstorm in December. The clinic is located on the side of a mountain, and the wall is essential to prevent storm runoff from threatening people living below. The replacement wall will have deeper and wider footings to help ensure it will not fail again under extreme conditions. FSM receives 3-wheeler for supply distribution We were recently able to help the Fort St. Michel health center purchase a 3-wheeled motorcycle with unexpected funds dedicated to support FSM. The motorcycle can now be used to transport supplies and perform other errands that FSM was utilizing its ambulance to perform. This will free up the ambulance for more emergency-based use, which will be essential for COVID-19 response. Donate

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Congratulations Hebert Johnson!

Hebert Johnson ELIEN, a student at Sonlight Bible College in Port-de-Paix, Haiti, received the Certificate of Achievement from the Association des Pasteurs Evangeliques d'Haiti testifying that he faithfully completed his Partnership with Pastors International Course 1 - "The Message and The Messenger" in February 2020.

CONGRATULATIONS Johnson!

News from Port au Prince - St. Luke's Foundation...in response to their 1st 2 cases of COVID-19

Please click on the blog address to read the update. Please remember Haiti as you pray for all the others in the world who are affected. Thank you, and God bless you.


http://www.stlukehaiti.org/blog

Induction in the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society - Our Amazing Elms College MBA Students!

On February 23, 2020 our MBA Graduate School Students, Emmanuella Tonaime, Evelyne Cherenfant, and Marie-Claire Charles were presented for membership into the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society at Elms College, Chicopee, Massachusetts. 

The accomplishments of these three young women is beyond admirable. 

CONGRATULATIONS EMMANUELLA, EVELYNE & MARIE-CLAIRE

We are so very proud of you!

Sigma Beta Delta is a scholastic honor society that recognizes academic achievement among students in the fields of business, management, and administration. 

Today Is...

Celebrate Maine Nonprofit Day by giving to Konbit Sante          Today is the 17th annual Maine Association of Nonprofits' Maine Nonprofit Day, and we invite you to observe it with us by donating to Konbit Sante. For a limited time, every gift is being matched, regardless of your prior donation history. So whether you are a longtime benefactor, someone who hasn't given in the past year, or someone who is giving for the first time, any amount you donate to Konbit Sante will be matched dollar for dollar. We are extremely thankful to the benefactors who have agreed to match these funds for us.      For more information about MANPF and Maine Nonprofit Day, visit nonprofitmaine.org.

Exciting news for Konbit Sante...and how you can help partner with them to deliver good health care to North Haiti!

Maine TV news show

Konbit Sante Executive Director Nate Nickerson was recently interviewed on "The 207," a daily television show of NBC news affiliate WCSH broadcast in Maine and eastern New Hampshire.      Nate talked about the 10th anniversary of the 2010 earthquake, the work of Konbit Sante and its partners in Greater Cap-Haitien, and the ongoing challenges of providing health care in the country, which has experienced more than a year of political upheaval, protests, and widespread inflation. Despite the obstacles, Konbit Sante and its partners are dedicated to continuing their work.          "All the money in the world isn't going to save Haiti," Nate said. "... On the other hand, the paradox of it all is that a little bit that's really targeted, that's going to the right place, can save lives."      You can view the entire segment here.

New interim Assistant Director joins Konbit Sante's U.S. staff

Randall May

Konbit Sante has hired an interim Assistant Director to help oversee its U.S. operations.      Randall May, MSW, joined Konbit Sante on December 27, and is based out of our U.S. office in Falmouth, Maine. He previously served as Director of International Operations for the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), supporting global program implementation and overseeing country management, operations, and compliance. The overall goal of the program was to strengthen the management and delivery of HIV prevention and care services in partnership with health department leadership and community organizations in Caribbean, Central America, and sub-Saharan Africa. He also served as NASTAD Deputy Country Director in Ethiopia from 2008 to 2012.      Prior to joining NASTAD, Randall worked for 13 years as Director of Programs for the Frannie Peabody Center in Portland, Maine. He holds a Masters in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis.      "It was our great fortune that Randy’s skill set and availability coincided with our needs at this juncture, so I am thrilled to have him on board for the next six months," said Executive Director Nate Nickerson. "We welcome him to the Konbit family!"

Matching funds campaign extended

Our matching funds campaign, which was previously scheduled to end on December 31, has been extended into spring 2020, and will last until all the funds allocated by a few generous benefactors have been matched. If you are a new donor or did not give during the last fiscal year (Sept. 30, 2018—Oct. 1, 2019), every financial contribution you make will be matched dollar for dollar. Donate $10, $100, $1,000 or more—whatever the amount, it will be matched. Every little bit helps, no matter how small.          Please donate today by clicking the “DONATE NOW” button below, visiting our website at www.konbitsante.org/donate, or sending a check to: Konbit Sante, 362 US Route 1, Falmouth, ME 04105.

Donate Now

New metal art show on display

We have a new show/sale of handcrafted Haitian metal art on display at Clayton's Cafe & Bakery, 447 Route 1, Yarmouth, ME. As always, proceeds from the sale will go directly toward supporting our healthcare partners in Greater Cap-Haitien as they care for their communities. The show is up through February 7.

Haiti - A historical timeline to 2011...very informative

By Joel Dreyfuss for The Root

1/16/10 3:29pm

Filed to: POLITICS

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1492: Dec. 5, Columbus lands on a large island he names Isla Española (Spanish Island), later changed to Hispaniola. It is inhabited by Taino and Arawak Indians.

1503: First Africans brought to Hispaniola for labor after pleas from a Spanish priest who wants to save the Indians from extinction.

1592: Spanish governor executes Queen Anacaona, the last Taino chief.

1659: First official settlement on Tortuga (off the coast of Haiti) by French buccaneers who hunt wild cattle and by pirates who attack ships sailing from South America to Europe.

1664: French West India Co. takes control of western third of the island and names it Saint-Domingue.

1670: First French settlement on the main island, named Cap Francois, later Cap-Français and now Cap-Haitien, the second largest city in Haiti. Settlers grow cacao, coffee, tobacco and indigo and begin importing slaves as labor.

1685: Louis XIV enacts the Code Noir, which regulates the treatment of slaves and sets obligations for owners. Corporal punishment is allowed, sanctioning brutal treatment.

1697: Spain formally cedes the western third of the island to France via the Treaty of Ryswick.

1749: Port-au-Prince is founded.

1758: Rebel leader Mackandal, born in Guinea, is captured and burned alive in Cap-Francois after seven years leading an insurrection.

1777: French officers lead a regiment of 750 free blacks from Saint-Domingue to help the fledgling U.S. fight British troops at Savannah, Ga. The unit includes several future leaders of Haiti.

1780: Saint-Domingue is France's richest colony, producing 40 percent of all sugar and 60 percent of all coffee consumed in Europe.

1789: When the French Revolution starts, the colony has 500,000 slaves, 32,000 whites and 25,000 people of color (mixed race), many of whom have inherited wealth and slaves from their white fathers.

1791: Aug. 22, slave revolt begins. Tradition says it starts with a voodoo ceremony led by Dutty Boukman. He is captured and executed, but revolt spreads and plantations are torched.

1794: Feb. 4, French Assembly abolishes slavery in all its colonies, ratifying what is already reality in Saint-Domingue. 

1801: Toussaint L'Ouverture defeats British and Spanish troops that invaded Santo Domingo and controls the entire island.

1806: Dessalines is assassinated and Haiti splits into two states, a northern state led by an emperor, Henri Christophe, and a southern republic led by president Alexandre Pétion.

1820: After the deaths of Pétion and Christophe, Jean-Pierre Boyer unifies Haiti into one nation and takes control of Santo Domingo as well.

1825: France's King Charles X recognizes Haiti's independence but demands 150 million francs in indemnity, backing his conditions with a fleet of warships.

1844: Dominican Republic declares its independence from Haiti.

1863: U.S. President Abraham Lincoln recognizes Haiti and allows trade for the first time.

1904: Haiti celebrates 100 years of independence.

1915: U.S. forces occupy Haiti; they will stay until 1934.

1930: First full democratic elections in Haiti; Stenio Vincent elected.

1937: Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo orders the expulsion of Haitians working in his country. Between 17,000 and 35,000 are killed.

1957: Francois Duvalier, a doctor, is elected president. "Papa Doc" establishes one of the most brutal dictatorships in Haitian history. His rule is enforced by a militia commonly known as Tonton Macoutes.

1971: Duvalier dies; his son takes power and is proclaimed president for life, like his father.

1974: The Haitian national soccer team participates in the World Cup.

1986: Unrest leads the military to oust "Baby Doc" and his kleptocratic clan.

1990: Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former Catholic priest, is elected with 67 percent of the vote.

1991: Aristide is ousted in a coup that many Haitians believe was financed by the business elite.

1994: Backed by a U.N. resolution, the Clinton administration restores Aristide to power.

1996: René Préval is elected president; he is seen as a stand-in for Aristide.

2000: Aristide elected president again after much-disputed parliamentary elections.

2004: Aristide leaves under pressure of an armed rebellion; he claims that the U.S. kidnapped him and shipped him out.

2006: Préval is elected again. A U.N. peacekeeping force in Haiti since 2003 grows to 9,000 troops.

2008: Unrest erupts as Haitians riot against high food prices.

2010: Jan. 12, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 devastates Port-au-Prince and damages much of Haiti.

2010: March 25, President Obama asks Congress for a $2.8 billion special appropriation to pay for rescue costs and to help rebuild Haiti.

2010: Nov. 28, Haiti holds general elections to select a new president, 10 senators and 99 lower-house deputies. The process is immediately challenged as fraudulent, setting off violence and widespread protests. 

2011: Jan. 12, one year after the earthquake, Haiti's future remains uncertain. Just a fraction of the promised aid has arrived, little reconstruction has begun and the next step in the political process remains unclear.