Category Archives: Haiti

Community Support, Education, General interest, Haiti

Haiti Children & Youth Project: spring 2022

Dear friends,
As spring arrives, with flowers blooming and warmer weather, we trust and hope that you are all healthy and well. EmojiEmojiEmoji
 This first 2022 update on the Haiti Children & Youth project summarizes the latest news and introduces two new programs.

Voix d’Espoir Communautaire, Voice of Community HopeEvery two years our partner non-government organization (NGO) in Haiti is required to renew their NGO designation. With the expansion of the project to two communities, Lavalee and also Jacmel, when renewing NGO status this year the Haitian leaders decided to change the name of the NGO to “Voix d’Espoir Communautaire” (VECOM) instead of the previous name “Source d’Espoir Communautaire” (SECOM). VECOM is now the umbrella NGO for all Haiti Children & Youth Project activities and SECOM refers to project activities only in Lavalee.

2022 Youth Retreat (see photos below)  Two Youth Retreats were held simultaneously at the end of February this year, one in Lavalee and one in Jacmel. The planning of these two events was exciting as this was the first Youth Retreat in Jacmel and, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the last Youth Retreat in Lavalee took place early 2020.

In Lavalee 35 teens and young adults attended the retreat, in Jacmel 33 participated. About eighty percent of the attendees in Jacmel are orphans. Both programs involved singing, drama, health education, and nutritious meals/snacks. The program in Jacmel also offered a cooking lesson and watching movies.

Youth in Jacmel and Lavalee were grateful for what they learned at the retreat and for the few days of social recreation together. Some of the youth in Jacmel expressed how thankful and happy they were to be able to attend a great program during the annual five day Haitian Carnival. They commented that the Youth Retreat provides a “safer” environment than the one they would be exposed to if they went to Carnival which is colorful and fun but also involves alcohol, drugs, sexual activities. The youth in Lavalee were very glad that the Youth Retreat could finally resume again after it was postponed for two years. They expressed their appreciation for all the work the project is doing in their community.

Soccer Camp  After having to postpone the annual Soccer Camp for two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, planning has begun for the next Soccer Camp in Lavalee and for the first Soccer Camp in Jacmel this August 2022. Jean is hoping to be in Haiti for both camps and for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project received another large donation of soccer uniforms from the Vancouver United Football Club as well as some soccer uniforms from the Cliff Avenue United Football Club in Burnaby, about 1000 soccer jerseys in total. The uniforms from Cliff Avenue Football Club were collected for two years during the pandemic by a thoughtful friend. Jean is in the process of finding a viable option to transport the uniforms to Haiti.

Education Support  During both Soccer Camps this summer the project will again distribute school supplies and school bursaries to orphans and other low income students.

Jacmel Program UpdateWith recent political insecurity and rising inflation in Haiti, food is even more expensive which makes it very difficult for parents and guardians to feed their families. Our leaders noticed that the children and youth who attend the Jacmel program are hungry most of the time so are unable to focus well on their studies. Starting at the end of April this year, with generous financial support from a new donor, the project has been able to provide a small meal or nutritious snack when students come to the project office to study and hang out before or after their classes. Project volunteers prepare bread and peanut butter, pasta, or potatoes/cassava/plantain with fish sauce along with fruit, vegetables, or juice. The leaders report that since this food program began a few weeks ago it is already evident that the kids and teens are better able to concentrate on their school work.

Medical Assistance  In Haiti individuals have to pay directly for any medical services or treatment they require, there is no medical insurance and there is publicly funded medical care. Most of the orphans and other people in the communities where we work cannot afford to see a doctor even when they are sick.
In March this year the project started a medical assistance fund with small donations from two regular donors, a total of $190 Canadian. This fund has already helped four orphans and two elderly widows. One orphan was suffering pain in his abdomen. He able to see a doctor and have a few medical tests to receive a diagnosis then purchase the prescribed medication which has effectively resolved his pain. Another orphan had a motorcycle accident on his way to school and was able to be examined by a doctor right away. These two youth expressed their gratitude for this new program because without the assistance it provided they would not have been able to receive any medical treatment. A third orphan, a 5 year old boy, has asthma. The project was able to help this child’s caregiver purchase the medication, inhalers, that the child needs for his asthma symptoms to be well managed.

Earthquake ReliefThis past February and March 2022 the project distributed the remainder of the Emergency Relief funds in Les Cayes and completed follow up with all the recipients of this aide. The project was able to help re-establish a total of 321 families in the city of Les Cayes after the devastating 7.2 earthquake in the southeast of Haiti last August 2021.

We are extremely grateful for your interest in the Haiti Children & Youth project.  

Sincerely,

Jean & Terri Lubin
Rose Charities ‘Haiti Children & Youth Project’

Links for online donation:

Rose Charities CanadaDonate to Projects in Central America and the Caribbean | Rose Charities Canada

Youth retreat activites including cooking, debating, sports and generally having a great time !
Emergency Response, General interest, Haiti

Haiti earthquake 2021: The relief work continues..

Rose Charities Haiti Children and Youth Project’s extensive local grassroots contact in the area has ensured a penetration of response rapidly to street level. Wherever possible local materials and purchasable items are being acquired which not only assist with those who have lost homes and assets but also helps to support and recover the local economy.

Assistance continues to be focussed on the Les Cayes region which was one of the worst to be affected by the quake and subsequent storm damage. Local team members move around the area recording the needs of individual families and groups and feeding the information back to the organizers who assist with materials, food or even cash.

Often in these situation, while supplies and materials may be available there are a great number of small needs which prevent their usage. Such simple items as cooking oil or cooking apparatus itself can make a huge difference. Tarpaulins, tool (for livelihood) replacement, some money to pay for medications (cash is always carefully monitored and followed up, but remains a hugely important assistance vehicle, often overlooked in such situations).

Rose Charities has a 20 year plus history of disaster relief in all parts of the world . Always it is noticed that with all natural disasters, while the focus of the media soon moves away other world issues, the deprivation and suffering continue for months into years. It is one of the principles of Rose Charities to remain helping for as long as resources area available and/or needs remain. This has been achieved time and time again. Indeed it was the terrible Haiti Earth Quake of 2010 and subsequent cholera outbreak which established Rose Charities program(s) in Haiti in the first place and from which Haitian Founder Jean Lubin and his wife Terri, run their incredible Rose Children and Youth program now within the earthquake zone.

Donations very gratefully received and go (as described above) directly to the needy in the affected zone, with almost zero (and mostly local so into local economy) admin costs.

Emergency Response, General interest, Haiti, Rose News

Haiti Earthquake August 2021 Rose relief Efforts

At 8.29am on Saturday 14th August mainly south-western Haiti was hit by a 7.2 Richter scale magnitude earthquake. The Rose Haiti Children and Youth Program in the Lavalee-Jacmel area was less affected (some buildings/homes damaged but not collapsed and no deaths) and there has been considerable damage in the areas significantly shaken by the quake / in several areas on the south-west arm of the country. To date 7000 injured and around 1500 deaths. To compound problems a tropical storm (Cyclone Grace residual) has struck the area bringing still more hardship to the homeless and carrying the risk of flash floods with the large quantities of rain it is bringing.

As per usual, Rose Charities takes every measure to assist in areas where it already has involvement utilizing local staff and resources to minimize the logistics and high cost of flying in special personnel and materials. Its long term (since the 2010 Haiti Earthquake) presence means that the staff have a huge, nation-wide network of grassroots contacts who know exactly what and where aid is needed and are able to deliver it. This a model which has worked with incredible cost-effectiveness to provide real, ground-level one-on- one assistance to many parts of the world.

Jean and Terri Lubin, founders of Haiti Children and Youth and two of the most experienced, active and dedicated members of the Rose Charities Canada team are currently implementing aid efforts. Jean is Haitian and Terri has spent many years in the area.

The main damage, while not affecting Haiti Children and Youth, is nevertheless very close to the region where it operates (equally South, only further West). The team is well placed to provide assistance.

Donations to Rose Charities Haiti Earthquake relief are greatly appreciated and may be made here https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/rose-charities

Photo: Rose Charities