Empowering Adult Handicapped Haitians

During the past three months our partners in the CAHSAV organization, the adult residents of St. Vincent’s, have borne up bravely in the middle of challenges.  The school where they live, St. Vincent’s Center for Children with Disabilities, is in Croix de Bouquets, a risky part of Port au Prince.  Croix de Bouquets is one of the territories in the sprawling city of Port au Prince that are held by rival gangs.

The effect of this is that travel for our partners outside of the walls of St. Vincent’s Center is very limited. It is not usually safe for our partners to go out to walk or ride a bus in the neighborhood.  We support a small salary for a motorcycle messenger, a young man who does the banking, goes shopping for toiletries and medications, and carries messages as needed.  This job requires good judgment, as the messenger needs to be alert for any kind of trouble in order to take evasive action. 

Another person who has become essential to CAHSAV is the part-time nurse.  Access to medical care at St. Vincent’s Center is better than it is for most citizens of Croix de Bouquets, because the Center offers outpatient medical care for rehabilitation to families of children with disabling conditions.  If there is need for urgent care for an adult resident, the director of St. Vincent’s, the Rev. Irnel Duveaux, is ready to facilitate a trip to the local hospital.  But for wellness, that is, preventive monitoring of health, it has helped to have a part-time nurse.  The nurse monitors the residents for chronic conditions that can drag down a person’s resistance to illness, such as anemia, parasites, or maintenance of adequate weight. She also keeps an eye on the supplemental nutrition that Friends of St. Vincent’s provides: for example, fresh vegetables, and some additional protein such as chicken or beef.

We also give money to keep the internet open for members of CAHSAV, the adults, and of course for the other residents and staff of St. Vincent's Center.

In the coming year, 2026, stay tuned for an opportunity to support something exciting: the completion of the construction of a new building to provide space for the office, social, and maker-workshop activities of the adult residents.  It was initiated by the director of St. Vincent’s School, the Rev. Irnel Duveaux, to honor the memory of the founder of CAHSAV, and bears his name: the Samuel Elizaire Pavilion. You will be hearing more about this project!

 Meet our new board members:

The Friends of St. Vincent’s board has two new members!

One is Diane D., a member of an Episcopal church in Florida, and a Companion of the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross, SCHC.  Diane visited St. Vincent’s Center several times, years ago, with Hope Lennartz, founder of Friends of St. Vincent’s.  On one memorable trip, she brought sewing machines to the campus and spent time working with the young people there who wanted to learn that trade.  Diane reports that she is happy to be back in contact again with the adults who have grown up at St. Vincent’s. 

The second is Rachel S., a member of another Episcopal church in Florida. Rachel served as a member of the Young Adult Service Corps, YASC, in Brazil for a year in 2016.  Rachel is an advocate for disability rights, and so she understands the need to follow the lead of our partners in Haiti, and to respect their path.  She is also creative with crafts and with tech: stay tuned!

Sonya Y. continues as president, bringing her experiences at St. Vincent’s in Haiti and her compassionate and imaginative approach to accompanying our friends in their work towards autonomy.  Sonya is a working artist in glass, watercolor, graphic design, and more.  She teaches classes and produces beautiful work. 

Janet O. continues as vice-president.  Janet has visited St. Vincent’s over the years, since 1997, and has also lived in Haiti as dean of a university program of rehab, educating Occupational and Physical Therapists in Haiti, FSRL-UNEPH.  She is currently dean-at-a-distance.  Happily, there is a new Haitian administration now for the university department of rehab, including two graduates of the program who are ready to lead the work of the university.  Janet will be retiring from the dean’s role before long.   

I hope this has been interesting, to hear about some of the people behind these reports!  We are aware of the privilege that we have in accompanying the members of CAHSAV, our partners at St. Vincent’s in Haiti.  It has been the joy of our lives.  We thank you, donors to Friends of St. V., for all the good made possible by your gifts.   

During the quarter ahead, we will continue to send contributions so that CAHSAV members can pay for their internet, for vocational training or high school, for the  services of a part-time nurse, and for “maker” activities in preparation for selling products at the festival at St. Vincent's on Dec. 3, the International Day of the Handicapped Person.  (That is the original name of this festival.)  They will also plan and carry out their annual meeting when they celebrate CAHSAV, on Dec. 31 and New Year’s Day, which is Haitian Independence Day.  

We’ll be contributing, as much as we are able, to completing the construction of the Samuel Elizaire Pavilion which will provide an office for CAHSAV, a gathering place for the children (who like to be with the older residents), and a workshop, an atelier, for the maker activities of CAHSAV members. Once again, stay tuned!  

Thank you for your faithfulness in this important work!  

Friends of St. Vincent’s

Links:

• Friends of St. Vincent's website