PLEASE continue to pray...

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for an update; an update of hope.

https://haitiotptdegrees.wordpress.com/2021/08/18/hope-again-in-the-students-mission-to-the-cold-wet-windy-dark-southern-peninsula/?fbclid=IwAR2vqs9_ZMSZXxmElHSdkOdvkRMPnmHFPLKzfXDEpW99-6hs5UKt_VCgd1o

Agricultural Student in Haiti needs final funding to finish his Graduation project

Jamescy Flereleau, now in his final year at the Christian University of North Haiti studying Agriculture, is coming up short financially to finish his "Senior Project". Currently, he needs US$200.00 to pay for a "Visa Passport" to be able to travel to and from the Dominican Republic to purchase the remaining supplies he needs, to complete his project. 

Are you able to help get him to his goal?

As you can see from his project photos below, he is SO CLOSE to completing his project. 

His educational costs have been fulfilled, the greenhouse is built, the plants are purchased, thanks all to those who have come beside him to see his dream come true to earn his college degree. Now, in his Senior Project, he has this last hurdle.

If you are touched by his accomplishments thus far and want to help him cross the finish line please contact me immediately by comment below, message me or email me.

Thank you for considering, and hopefully participating in his project!

                                                            

My heart is breaking for my beloved Haitian family and friends

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We continue to stand with Haiti and wish for peace at this time.

Konbit Sante stands with the people of Haiti at this time. We express our sympathy for the current situation and hope for the smooth recovery of the first lady’s health. In response to the recent events, Konbit Sante will continue to work steadily to determine the next steps to ensure the safety of our staff, partners, and collaborators. Our team, on the ground, continues to support the needs of the local Haitian people and will continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground. In the days to come, we will need your support and are thankful for your continued encouragement. Please join us and stand by us as we support the people of Haiti. If you’d like to support our ongoing work during this time, please take a moment to donate on our website. Additionally, if you have any questions or concerns please reach out to us. Thank you for your time and support. We remain grateful for it. Kembe Fem Ekip!

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Copyright (C) 2021 Konbit Sante Cap-Haitien Health Partnership. All rights reserved.

What Joy to hear Dr. Touissaint

Champion for Change: Paul Toussaint

“Medicine chose me,” stated Dr. Toussaint. What started as a way to please his mother, ended up developing into a love and passion; that is his passion for healthcare. Dr. Toussaint is the attending physician in the pediatric services unit at Justinien University Hospital (JUH) and is the medical director of Haitian Baptist Convention Hospital (HCBH). Dr. Toussaint graduated with his degree as a doctor of medicine from the State University of Haiti in 1992. Thereafter, he specialized in pediatrics. He then obtained a certificate in neonatal pediatrics from the University of the Antilles and Guyana located in Martinique. Back at home in Haiti, he settled in the North where he currently works. He has worked at JUH for the past 20 years and spends his time observing and working with patients, meeting parents and families, supervising the activities of different staff members, and conducting administrative work. His days are often long and busy, as there is always work to be done.

Dr. Toussaint has accomplished many amazing things during his career. Most notably he has played a vital role in the growth and development of HCBH. He wrote, “My greatest pride is being able to watch HCBH grow and know that the families of staff members lead healthy lives thanks to this hospital.” The hospital employs 287 staff members and their families depend on that salary as well. Konbit Sante has been lucky enough to be able to be a part of Dr. Toussaint’s career and journey thus far. Dr. Toussaint stated, “I find encouragement in working with a methodical approach. Konbit Sante helped me to improve and made me understand that my work is appreciated and useful.” When asked why he works in Haiti, he responded, “Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is politically unstable. But it’s my country. And I understand many children die because of lack of healthcare. It is the responsibility of each Haitian to work for the happiness of the country and to try to give joy and hope to the children of Haiti.” The smile and the joy on the faces of children is something Dr. Toussaint remembers always. Sometimes, when he thought he was unknown, doctors or overly grateful moms, several years later, thanked him for caring for their children. According to him, that feeling is very gratifying and encourages him to continue his work tenaciously. He concluded as follows, “Working as a pediatrician in Haiti is choosing to be useful. Don’t forget children die in this country because they are often not the first priority of decision makers. Let us KONBIT to bring hope, smile, health, and education to the children. Haiti will thus rise from the ashes to make progress.”

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Copyright (C) 2021 Konbit Sante Cap-Haitien Health Partnership. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are a valued supporter of Konbit Sante's work in Haiti. You may change your communication preferences at any time. Our mailing address is: Konbit Sante Cap-Haitien Health Partnership 362 U.S. Route 1 Falmouth, ME 04105

Evelyne and Emmanuella's commencement

 It has been such a blessing and privilege to serve these young women as they and Marie-Claire earned their MBA's at Elms College in Massachusetts. 

Marie-Claire has returned to Haiti, working as Country Coordinator for The Dalton Foundation.

Emmanuella and Evelyne continue in their internships until October 2021, in Ohio and Florida, respectively.

What joy to my heart! And I hope to yours, too!

All praise to our great God!

So exciting and so needed...

KONBIT SANTE RECEIVES GRANT FOR CRITICAL UPGRADES AT JUH Konbit Sante has been awarded a $160,000 grant by the U.S. Agency for International Development to make capital improvements to the pediatric services building at Justinien University Hospital!

Solar panels displayed on the roof of Justinien University Hospital

The multifaceted project will focus on infrastructure and maintenance upgrades aimed at improving health outcomes for young patients. The grant will be paired with about $25,000 worth of volunteer hours and in-kind donations to fund the project, which includes: Repurposing an existing rooftop solar panel array that currently supplies power to the municipal power grid to one that supplies power to the pediatric services facility through high-tech batteries Repairing the domestic water pumping system and restoring it to automated controls Equipping the hospital with a two-year supply of air filters for the building’s ventilation system Providing maintenance and operations training on the building systems to the facility’s staff “We are grateful for the funds from USAID to execute this project,” said Konbit Sante Executive Director Rupal Ramesh Shah. “The leadership staff as well as the pediatrics services staff at JUH are looking forward to the completion of this project so that they can continue to effectively manage patient care.”

Technical Manager, Hugh Tozer

The grant proposal was developed by former Konbit Sante executive director Nate Nickerson, who also worked with USAID to secure the funds. USAID is an independent agency of the United States federal government that leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people progress beyond assistance. Konbit Sante is partnering with the nonprofit organization JustEnergy (also known as Justice and Mercy Energy Services) on the solar power portion of the project. The two organizations previously partnered on projects that provided solar power to the Konbit Sante office and to Unité de Lutte pour la Santé (ULS) Health Center in Bande du Nord, Haiti. The repurposing of the solar panel system at JUH is especially important, as frequent power outages in the pediatric services facility has resulted in infant mortalities, said project manager Bob MacKinnon, who also serves on the Konbit Sante board of directors.

Project manager, Bob MacKinnon

“Since the construction of the pediatrics building in 2017, the municipal power supply has become increasingly unreliable,” MacKinnon said. “The interruption of power means that much of the life-saving and support equipment does not function when most needed. Consequentially, infant mortality has increased in the ward. “Converting the solar array to a back-up power supply system should provide these critical, lifesaving circuits with uninterruptable power in most situations, and the hospital should see a reduction in infant mortality rates.” MacKinnon has a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Southern Maine and a Maine-issued Class IV Water Operators’ License. He recently retired as superintendent of the Yarmouth (Maine) Water District after a 36-year career with the district. He has been a volunteer with Konbit Sante since 2009, and served as president of the board of directors for a couple of terms. Hugh Tozer is the technical manager for the project, and has been key in coordinating the design aspects and material specifications. Tozer is a water and wastewater engineer with Woodard & Curran in Portland, Maine, and has volunteered with Konbit Sante since 2003. He is a current member and past president of Konbit Sante’s board of directors. Both MacKinnon and Tozer have made numerous trips to Haiti in the past to provide professional expertise and to conduct repairs and improvements to Konbit Sante’s partner healthcare facilities. “This project has been a true Konbit, with people from USAID, Konbit Sante, JustEnergy, and JUH bringing their expertise to bear on everything from the development of the grant and plans, to designing and procuring the supplies, and ultimately to construction and startup,” Tozer said. “Thanks to all the hard work, the pediatrics service will have a better infrastructure that supports care for the children.”

Copyright (C) 2021 Konbit Sante Cap-Haitien Health Partnership. All rights reserved.

Congratulations on your renewal, Konbit Sante! And more news...

Vital Haiti franchise renewed for another year Agreement allows Konbit Sante to import medical supplies and equipment duty-free for healthcare partners COVID-19 materials and other supplies are loaded onto a shipping container at Konbit Sante's Maine warehouse last spring. Konbit Sante has renewed its franchise with the Haiti government to continue importing goods duty-free to our partner facilities for another year.        We are pleased to announce that we recently renewed our franchise with the Haitian government for the 11th year. The franchise, which is renewed annually, permits Konbit Sante to legally import medical supplies and equipment duty-free to support the provision of quality health care by our partners and other facilities in the Grand North of Haiti.       The renewal process requires us to submit a detailed program plan, import list, and report every year to be reviewed and approved by the government of Haiti. We applaud our very capable staff in Cap-Haitien, who have guided us through the sometimes complicated process of meeting all our legal obligations in order to maintain good standing with the health and governmental authorities of the country.       The franchise has become an important part of our work. Already this year, we have consigned 14 containers (and have two pending). In addition to our usual annual container of donated medical supplies and equipment that is shipped from our Maine warehouse, we work with partners such as Direct Relief, The Dalton Foundation, Hope Health Action, Citizens of the World, Walkabout Foundation, Rise Against Hunger, Humanitarian Radiology Development Corps, HOPE International Development Agency, and others to meet the specific needs of our partners and their patients.     Over the years, we have brought essential medications, medical equipment, wheelchairs, emergency food rations, and general health facility supplies to our partners. Of course, this year there has been an emphasis on COVID-19-related equipment and supplies such as Personal Protective Equipment and oxygen concentrators, tanks, and analyzers.       However, the work does not stop with the delivery of supplies. Our staff continues to work closely with our facility partners to effectively use equipment, train and supervise those using the equipment, manage their depot of supplies and parts, regularly maintain and repair equipment, and assess the quality of care received by patients. Your continued support helps ensure that all of this occurs on a regular basis, which is turn helps increase the quality of healthcare services to our partners’ communities. We Walk with Haiti funds having direct impact on communities Photos from top: Konbit Sante Assistant Project Manager Saminetha Joseph displays some of the buckets used for handwashing stations; an agent de santé distributes COVID-19 prevention materials to the public; a worker sorts masks purchased by Konbit Sante from local seamstresses; an agent de santé administers a vaccine to a child at a community outreach post.        Money raised from June's We Walk with Haiti fundraising campaign is being put to good use by agents de santé (community health workers) and our healthcare partner facilities in North Haiti. Thanks to your generosity, they are able to continue distributing masks, maintain hand-washing stations, educate the public about COVID-19 prevention and detection, and provide healthcare outreach in a safe manner.    This is just one example of how funds raised from We Walk with Haiti are having an immediate impact on communities served by our partner facilities in Haiti. We will continue to keep you apprised of the many ways your donation is helping to improve health care and build a sustainable health system in Greater Cap-Haitien. Mesi anpil! (Many thanks!) Repairs complete on ULS retaining wall damaged by storm    Last December, a torrential rainstorm destroyed one of four exterior retaining walls at the ULS health center, one of our healthcare partner facilities in Greater Cap-Haitien. The clinic is located on the side of a mountain, where dry ravines can quickly turn into forceful rivers and cause extensive damage to the residential neighborhood located below. Therefore, it was imperative that the wall be rebuilt, and Konbit Sante provided funds and expertise to help ULS replace it.    The project was beset by construction delays, but we are happy to report that the wall reconstruction is now complete. The new wall has deeper and wider footings to help ensure it will not fail like the previous one. The photos below show the wall following the December storm and after repairs were completed. Donate

Copyright © 2020 Konbit Sante Cap-Haitien Health Partnership, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are a valued supporter of Konbit Sante's work in Haiti. You may change your communication preferences at any time. Our mailing address is: Konbit Sante Cap-Haitien Health Partnership 362 U.S. Route 1 Falmouth, ME 04105