Help Mountain Community Prep for Disasters

Bonswa GlobalGiving Community!

We hope this report finds you well as we reflect on the first half of 2023 and provide an update on our Emergency Response Initiative. Here are the key developments:

Cholera Prevention Efforts in Haiti:

In our previous report, we shared the concerning reemergence of cholera in Haiti. Since our last report, we’ve learned of the tragic loss of three lives in the communities we work with in Petit-Goâve. It is important to reiterate, this disease is preventable. In response, our Partner Communities Peasant Associations have taken proactive measures to safeguard their communities in the mountainside and in town. By conducting informative training sessions, community members have been educated on crucial safety and health practices to prevent the transmission of cholera, like boiling water and handwashing. Additionally, the Mountainside Peasant Association has strategically installed handwashing bucket stations equipped with spigots throughout the communities. Furthermore, they have created a public service announcement (PSA) broadcasting cholera prevention information that is regularly broadcasted on the radio and through megaphones from vehicles, reaching not only their own community but also the surrounding isolated areas. These comprehensive initiatives are vital in curbing the spread of cholera, which remains a significant concern in Petit-Goâve. We will closely monitor the number of cases and evaluate the impact of the handwashing stations on community health and safety. 

Hurricane Season Preparedness:

As previously mentioned, the hurricane season in Haïti spans from June to November each year. Unfortunately, the region experienced its first torrential rainfall of the season at the beginning of June, causing significant damage in our Mountainside Partner Community. Roads were rendered impassable, homes were destroyed, and valuable resources were lost. Regrettably, there are reports of missing people. Proper infrastructure and resources would have prevented this situation and emphasizes the urgency of maintaining our Emergency Response Initiative and our ongoing efforts to build sustainable infrastructure in partnership with our Partner Communities. Thanks to the continued generosity of our donors, we were able to swiftly allocate the requested funds from the Mountainside Partner Community's Peasant Association leadership. This allowed them to initiate sanitation clean-up efforts on the roads, ensuring safe passage for students commuting to and from school and enabling community members to travel safely up and down the mountain to access local markets. These continued clean-up efforts and the reinforcement of infrastructure are crucial for daily life to resume. It is also vital to prepare for the rest of hurricane season. Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) predicted the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be at least 12 to 17 named storms and five to nine hurricanes this year. It is imperative for us to remain vigilant.

Progress in Building Resilient Infrastructure:

We are pleased to report that the infrastructure projects aimed at making the community more resilient to hurricanes and earthquakes are yielding positive results. Notably, the retaining wall constructed behind the school to protect it from severe rainfall has proven effective. Despite some minor water infiltration, the school building remained undamaged, allowing classes to proceed without interruption. This outcome demonstrates the value of our collective efforts to create disaster-resistant structures within the community.

We remain committed to the safety and well-being of the communities we serve, and we extend our gratitude to our generous donors for their continued support. We will provide further updates on the progress of our Emergency Response Initiative as well as the long-term sustainability efforts in our Partner Communities. Thank you for your unwavering dedication to creating a safer and more resilient future.

Bonswa GlobalGiving Community! Happy New Year! We hope that your 2023 is off to a great start. As we shared in our last report, Haïti experienced many upheavals during 2022. Amongst the many crises occurring, the country experienced a re-emergence of cholera along with ongoing food insecurity due to the political unrest currently in the country. With your unwavering support, we were able to send funds down to our two Peasant Associations leading our Partner Communities to purchase care packages and hygiene kits for 150 families within the communities for their cholera prevention program in December 2022. 

As stated from the Mayo Clinic, “Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water. Cholera causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. Left untreated, cholera can be fatal within hours, even in previously healthy people. Modern sewage and water treatment have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialized countries. But cholera still exists in Africa, Southeast Asia and Haïti. The risk of a cholera epidemic is highest when poverty, war or natural disasters force people to live in crowded conditions without adequate sanitation. Cholera is easily treated. Death from severe dehydration can be prevented with a simple and inexpensive rehydration solution.”

With your support, the Peasant Associations created care packages that included rice, sugar, Clorox bleach, detergent, washing soap, water, water tabs, and cooking oil, to name a few items. The Peasant Associations also held several training sessions to educate community members on good safety and health practices during the latest resurgence of cholera, to ensure community members know how to prevent contracting the waterborne disease. Although this was a great accomplishment, the need to reach many more families is great. Continuous support of this Emergency Preparedness initiative will allow our Peasant Associations to support even more families, as both Covid and cholera continue to remain prevalent. Let us also not forget that hurricane season, which takes place every year, is quickly approaching. We would like to support their preparation to be prepared as much as possible to ensure little to no damage impacts their communities. Thank you for your continued support! Until next time, be well and stay safe.

Bonswa GlobalGiving Community! How have you been? The C2C team hopes that 2022 has been treating you and your loved ones well and that everyone remains in good health and spirits. When we last connected with you, we were overjoyed to share that the 35 boxes of personal protective supplies we sent to our Partner Communities in Haïti arrived safely and that work continued on the ground, particularly with the construction of our Mountainside Partner Community’s school. However, we would be remiss if we did not address the current crisis in Haïti. Our beloved country is experiencing a very tumultuous time. The current situation is complex. To say that it is challenging is a profound understatement. People are facing:

• An almost total lockdown in the capital, Port-au-Prince, due to gang violence 
• Gasoline is nearly impossible to find in the country 
• Hospitals are either closed or rationing care
• Inflation continues to skyrocket
• No food imports into the country for over 13 days 
• Basic goods, like food and water, are prohibitively expensive for many, leaving people either hungry or reliant on remittances from family outside the country
• A resurgence of cholera

In C2C's 12 years on the ground, we’ve never seen a situation quite like this. Our Peasant Associations report that the protests are the people's response to the political chaos, insecurity and not being heard as they struggle with the overwhelmingly high cost of living. Currently, gas prices are $45 per gallon. Yes, you read that right: $45 per gallon. At the height of the gas prices here in the US, it was $5 per gallon. How would your life change if you had to pay $45 per gallon to live your life and take care of your family? We can only imagine…

While adapting and adjusting to COVID-19 as a part of daily life, which is here to stay, our Partner Communities, along with the rest of the country, are dealing with a resurgence of cholera. Not to mention the ever present threat of earthquakes and hurricanes, especially as we remain in hurricane season. Emergency preparedness for our Partner Communities in Haïti is crucial for our communities to be able to thrive and sustain man-made and natural disasters. Those 35 boxes of personal protective gear are going to not only help members of the communities take care of themselves and others against COVID-19, but also as they care for those who may contract cholera. Our Mountainside Partner Community is also working diligently on the road, breaking up the land and rock formations that normally make the terrain unsafe and nearly impossible to trek over with a car or motorcycle, to ensure that there is a safe way up and down the mountain in case a member needs to be rushed to the hospital, which is in Petit Goave Proper. 

Due to the current conditions on the ground, we have expanded the C2C Collaborative: COVID-19 Response into our Emergency Preparedness Response to encompass not only preparation for COVID-19, but cholera, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.  We know that we cannot unfortunately completely eradicate these problems, but we can help our Partner Communities be ready to tackle them.  

Emergency Preparedness will ensure that our Partner Communities can respond to, not only the current crises, but for ones in the foreseeable future. They will have the ability to:

• provide COVID-19 Response Packets 
• stock personal protective gear for pandemic responses
• distribute food kits/care packages 
• procure boots, shovels, etc. to maintain the road for safe passage during emergencies
• enable the community health committee to respond to minor medical issues

We are confident that creating these emergency preparedness and response protocols with our Partner Communities will ensure a sustainable future.

Hi GlobalGiving Community! Community2Community (C2C) hopes and prays that you are having a happy and healthy 2022. In March, we shared with you that, with the help of our partner HAC-Haiti, we sent down 35 boxes of personal protective supplies to help our communities remain safe against COVID-19 and during hurricane season (June to November). It must be said that it is always challenging to send items to Haïti, as there is always the obstacle of items remaining in customs for a long period of time. In this particular scenario, not only were we dealing with customs, but also the turbulent social environment, which made the path of delivering the items from Port au Prince to Petit Goave a strenuous and dangerous one. We are happy to report that the boxes reached our partner community in Petit Goave safely in June! Not only will these supplies be utilized for COVID-19 purposes, but it will also go towards the community’s emergency preparedness plans and kits to ensure the community is ready to take care of its people when necessary. However, work did not stop while our partner community was waiting to receive the personal protective equipment. Our Mountainside Partner Community continues to make progress on constructing the permanent school building that currently serves children K through 6th grade, with the hope of adding more grades in the near future. We look forward to sharing more about The Saul Louis Community School with you soon. Although we still have not made it on the ground in almost three years, the Peasant Associations continue to work. The C2C Executive Team also continues to meet, plan, repurpose and cast vision, with each other, our supporters, and with our partner community, to ensure that the work continues to produce results, which is leading our partner community to achieve self-sufficiency. As always thank you for your continued support and staying on this journey with us. We look forward to sharing more project updates and tangible results with you. Until next time, be well and stay safe! 

Happy 2022! We hope you are having a great start to the new year. When we last wrote to you, Haiti as a whole, was experiencing a challenging few months. However, our Mountainside Partner Community remained vigilant in continuing the work in their community. While we are working on raising funds to begin construction on the Health and Wellness Center, the community has been working on the construction of the permanent school, which once completed, will also be utilized as a space to hold the Continuous Care Initiative until the Health and Wellness Center can be built. The Saul Louis Community School serves children K through 7th grade and will be adding weekend vocational training for youth and adults. While progress continued on the permanent school structure on the ground, in New York, we were able to order more personal protective equipment (PPE) (isolation gowns, reusable cotton face masks, safety shields, safety goggles) that will ensure our Partner Communities’ safety as COVID-19 remains prevalent in Haiti. With the help of our partner HAC-Haiti, we sent 35 boxes of PPE to our Partner Communities in Petit Goave, Haiti. We are happy to report the boxes made it to Haiti and are currently in customs. We look forward to sharing more updates with you as we continue to plan out the 2022 year. Your giving keeps the work going. Until the next time, be well and stay safe!