Monday, September 5, 2011

Matènwa - Haiti's Home Gardens - Final report

Date: July 11, 2011

Final report for the Proposal to facilitate water access for Matènwa, Haiti’s Home Gardens

On site we called this project, “Gardens For 10 Families”. It was a project we felt we needed to do considering how much we have been encouraging families to make home vegetable gardens.

Matènwa has about 100 families. We started with 10 families that were committed to making this project a success. Each family received 2 water drums, 2 gutters with installation, kandelam plants for live fencing of a 10 square meter space, and wire fencing to keep out goats and chickens until the live fencing grows to a secure height and width.

All gardens are already in place. This project has required the gardeners to meet each week, allowing them the time to sit and talk together to deepen each other’s knowledge. For example, they share their understanding of how to conserve water by reusing dishwater and bathing water.

This project has permitted them to reduce the amount of money used to buy vegetables in the market. The realization of these gardens has ignited a desire in others to be part of this movement. We hope all 100 will eventually have home vegetable gardens, because almost all families cannot afford to eat properly. The community recognizes that working together on these gardens will diminish malnutrition in Matènwa.

Ten families of our students in LKMPD were chosen. We began a dialogue with them to hear how they felt about the project and if they were ready to fully engage in it. We laid out our goals, objectives, and timeline. We then brainstormed together what it would take as a team to assure success.

OUR STRATEGY
is to empower our parents rather than make them dependent on us. We help them gain confidence in their own capacities, their strength, their personal experiences and volunteerism.

Many times people in need appear to those helping them as people who don’t think about what is best for them. The person or organization that is helping doesn’t give the people the chance to express themselves. They do not allow them to put their own ideas into the project. They are treated as if hungry people, people in need, are not full human beings. They are talked at, not with.

LKMPD believes in self-determination as the road to dignity and success.

The 10 family leaders that received assistance from Pacific Rim Voices are:

Celila Ariyis
Loretha Derilus
Carole Dorisca
Nini Florvilis
Wilson Geffrard
Zaza Geffrard
Madam Lesame Joseph
Louinise Pierre Louis
Maude Sainvil
Walter Succés





LIVE FENCING

Zaza’s Kandelam live fencing.

People cannot make successful vegetable gardens if they cannot secure them from animals. Kandelam is an excellent plant to fence out all kinds of animals, such as chickens, goats, and cows. Here families are setting up their live fences.






 













See the goats! When there is a drought some children let their goats escape as a strategy for their survival. The goats will eat what they can find, wandering into people’s gardens until they are caught and tethered.

Carole’s family has put in their live fencing. After planting they have covered the sprouting cabbage with branches of leaves to protect them from the burning sun.


WATER DRUMS AND GUTTERS




People were very happy to get water drums and gutters on their homes. When the rains finally do come the water comes off their roofs with such force and in high quantities that it often washes away gardens and top soil.









Holland Riviere cut the metal roofing to fashion the gutters, made the wooden gutter supports and then installed them.











The photos below are of four of our 10 families the received gutters and drums: Celila, Luinise, Carole, and Nini. Drums could not be found for sale on Lagonav in such quantity so we had to go all the way to Port Au Prince to buy them. This added to our timeline and cost.






VEGETABLE BEDS


Families helped each other to make their vegetable beds.

First they measured them and staked them. Then they prepared them by digging out the rocky limestone beds beds and putting in donkey poop they had collected in the fields and other compostable material.






After that they covered this layer with topsoil dirt that they had sifted to get all the rocks out.


Here the women are working together to measure and make rows to plant their carrot seeds.











WIRE FENCING

It took longer than expected to get wire fencing because we had to go all the way to Port Au Prince to buy it. Our port town of Ansagale did not have it in stock.

Families were happy to receive it. They put it up as soon as it arrived. Now their gardens are secure.

Once the kandelam grows into a full-fledged fence, they can move this fencing to enlarge their vegetable garden or use it to protect newly planted fruit trees from hungry goats.









Walter’s fenced garden


People worked together to put up the wire fencing.






Loretha’s garden of tomatoes, lettuce, corn, eggplant, beets, carrots, and spinach.

The gardens seem to be growing even faster now that they are fenced in and it is raining regularly enough to keep the ground moist and the barrels full for regular watering.






LUISINE SPEAKS ABOUT THE PROJECT

I have already benefited from my garden. We have eaten from it and sold from it. I live close to the water pump so even though the rains were not coming I walked to the pump and carried buckets of water to my home each day. When I got the drums I could store the water there.

This is how I was able to get my garden to flourish. It is tiring to pump the water and then to have to carry it [on your head] uphill to your house. I will go help some of the other families in their gardens so they can also be successful. If one of us in the group doesn’t succeed then we all lose out.

The proposed timeline of the project was as follows:

Week one: May 17, 2011
1. Pacific Rim Voices will send 5,210.00 US dollars into the Friends of Matènwa checking account at Cambridge Savings Bank, PO BOX 380206, Cambridge, MA. 02238-9906 Tel: 888 418 5626. Router number: 211371120: Account number: 56487057 2

Week Two: MAY 23, 2011

1. Project director Abner Sauveur will meet with Matènwa staff to determine who will be the first 10 families to receive this gift. The list will be generated according to how self motivated students and/or adults have been over the past couple of years to implement what has been taught on the practice of vegetable gardening.
2. Send money via FONKOZE bank into the Lèkòl Kominote Matènwa Pou Devlopman account on Lagonav. Entered on May 23 rd
3. Meet with the families. Describe the project. Invite them to join. Explain why they have been chosen. Talk about time line expectations and the ability to repeat this grant for others if they succeed. Decide on who will be putting up the fencing at each home and who will be planting the live fencing.

Week Three: May 30, 2011
1. Take pictures of these families’ homes and present vegetable garden plots.
2. Meet with individual families to measure their roofs determining the length needed for their home.
3. Measure and mark where they will fence a part of their land for a home vegetable garden.

Week Four: June 6th, 2011
1. Get the measurements to the guttermaker, give a down payement to make the gutters.
2. Buy fencing materials, buy 20 barrels, garden tools and seed.
3. Destribute these materials to the families. ( Take pictures)
4. Begin fencing.

Week Five: June 13, 2011
1. Continue putting up wire fencing.
2. Start planting live fencing.
3. Take pictures.
4. Produce BEFORE Photo report pages with captions of the ten homes.

Week Six: June 20,2011

1. Bring gutters up from the town of Ansagale.
2. Put up gutters.
3. Finish planting live fencing.
4. Take pictures of gutters and fencing.

Week Seven: June 27, 2011

1. Finish putting up gutters and fencing.
2. Begin planting.
3. Take pictures.
4. Produce AFTER photo report pages with captions

Week Eight: July 4, 2011

1. Produce BEFORE AND AFTER photo report with captions.
2. Finish Financial report.
3. Email for review to Friends of Matènwa (Chris Low)

Week Nine: July 11, 2011

1. Email to Pacific Rim Voices.


SUMMARY

All 10 families are content with the progress they have made so far on their gardens.

They are confident that their gardens will bear lots of good food, helping their households in several ways. They will be able to eat healthier meals, which will make them stronger and reduce hospital bills. They will be able to sell vegetables in order to pay for school fees and other needs. They will be eating organic produce. They will have more access to water not only for their garden, but for washing, reducing the number of hours spent fetching water. More water access means ability to clean one’s body, ones, dishes and one’s clothes.

The timeline was respected except for the delay in getting drums, gutters, and fencing. These items were still received and utilized within the two month project period so we feel that we still managed to respect our timeline despite the unforeseen obstacles.

The project manager was very focused on working with the 10 families. He sent pictures periodically via email instead of doing a mid term report. Not having the knowledge of how to resave downloaded photos in a size that can be easily entered into a word document he was unable to send full reports via internet.

In mid-July,Chris Low compiled the project director’s photos and information, as well as visited the families’ gardens to take additional photos and informal interviews.


BUDGET SUMMARY

There were a few adjustments to the budget.

The price of drums, fencing, and gutters, and their transportation costs were more than expected. We managed to stay within budget by cutting costs through getting donated seed, having the families pay for or cut their own tree poles for the wire fencing, and some donated labor to put up the gutters.

We had to go with a cheaper type of gutter because the sturdier ones we wanted were quoted at 90,000g or 2250 US. This was 968 dollars more than we had budgeted.

We also realized that the amount of fencing we asked for was half of what was needed. We also did not budget the transportation cost of getting the agriculture books. They came from Jacmel.

We feel that having the training that they offer with these books would be beneficial. They will come train us for The organization brought them to Port Au Prince for us, but then we had to get them to Matènwa and did so by asking a volunteer to bring them at their expense.

Travel from PAP to Matènwa requires an hour and a half bus ride, a two-hour boat ride, and another hour and a half taxi ride on unpaved roads. The exchange rate was 40 gourdes to 1 US dollar so that helped us get a little more for our money.

We are looking forward to your questions and comments. We hope that we can renew this grant using the proposed Phase Two Project Budget of 5549.95 US dollars. We are thrilled at the results of this project. We hope that you are too.

We will send you additional pictures as the gardens grow. The rains have started to come so these families are feeling a lot of hope and satisfaction from their hard work and your willingness to provide the monetary resources it takes to make successful vegetable gardens.

At some point we would like to get the Djakout Peyizan training so we can better utilize this binder of 22 booklets on agricultural techniques. The have sent us a proposal that will cost 2400 US dollars to train 22 people over a 3 day period. I can send you their proposal upon your request.

In behalf of the families of Matènwa,

Chris W. Low

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Haiti Visit - July 10-17, 2011 - Summary Notes


RID John Smarge
PRIVP Eric Adamson
PRID Robert Stuart
PRID Barry Rassin









View photos on YouTube at
(1) Days 1 & 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVBZnyX9TyI
(2) Day 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QNOjoCg9o8
(3) Day 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goXWC8cJtwQ
(4) Day 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLlKm-hKczc


SUNDAY, JULY 10

Arrive in Port au Prince (PAP) at 3:05 p.m. on AA #803

Barry had to redo the form as it was so badly done; so we almost missed our next flight. One case of signs was not on the plane with us so had to come back to the airport next day to pick them up.

Amos and Guy met us, and delivered us to the National Airport to Tortug’air. Tickets were paid for by Robert Leger. Barry reimbursed Robert, but his check had to be replaced because they could not read it at the bank. Barry really has to learn how to write…

Check-in to Hotel Le Manguier with 4 rooms - confirmed. Breakfast included. "Friend" took order. Choices were eggs, omelet or spaghetti. I chose eggs but got omelet - as we all did.

In Les Cayes, we met with the club leaders at Robert & Rosa’s house. They keep a gear in the yard (what a reminder of Rotary), have a nice mango tree, and we had a wonderful Haitian dinner. We went back to the Hotel, but - as power was out during the night - there was no hot water.


MONDAY, JULY 11
Robert and Rosa Leger drove us all through the South of Haiti.

8:00 am - Tour of the projects in Les Cayes

DAF #1 – Ecole St. Famille - Completed but needs the outside wall fixed. We met with the nun who runs the school, and she showed us around. Another school is right next door. Lycee Guerrier is just down the block, which we saw next.

DAF #17 – Ecole Normal des Cayes - They gave us a song and dance, literally. Great project. We met with the nun in charge. They also gave us a plaque to Rotary International.

DAF #45 – Lycee Phillippe Guerrier - Many Rotary projects over the years with the computer lab as ours. Basketball court had an excellent Rotary wheel on it.

DAF #91 – Ecole Primaire de Simon - Demolition begun. We drove into the area between the buildings, and took pictures of the 32 demolition workers - some workers did not like this. They were working hard in the hot sun and knocking the building down by hand. We then drive toward PAP stopping in:

Aquin - DAF #74 – National School of Fraternite of Vieux-Bourg d’Aquin- Need to change to scope of the project to include another building. They will find out about Chile and the local government, and have a new budget by next week. They had an abandoned water cistern, but they have replaced it.

We met with parents, mostly men, as women were trying to earn a living for the family. They were very concerned that their school would not get done. RID John assured them that we would support the new expansion of the project. They will provide us more details on the government issues.

Miragoane – Chalon Medical Clinic, 97 National Road #2, Chalon Miragoan Jude Mathurin - John's friend with a project to expand the Clinic in need of $1.5M. Nice clinic with two or three exam rooms that Jude wants to expand to a full clinic with Lab etc. They have land in the back and will continue to make it happen. John's Rotary club/district had given him scholarships in the past.

Leogane - DAF #100 – Building deep water wells - One site already has water. We met with the Association and the other site seems okay. Need Engineer to confirm. Malcolm is ready to ship. Barry sent note to Alison, but MG already sent money to Haiti. There is now an on-going discussion on the best way to use the wells.

DAF #5 - Visited Catherine Flon in Carrefour. Looks like the building is gone, and lots of temporary classrooms are set up in various locations up and down the street. We walked around the street looking at the locations and the original school, but could not find it, as it must have been knocked down.

We arrived in PAP that night.

Hotel La Plaza – This reservation was confirmed in the name of Pastor Caleb Lucien. A/C blew hot air, so we were extremely hot with no sleep. We were so happy for the cold shower. Caleb and Amos met us for breakfast.


TUESDAY, JULY 12
We left PAP for Mirebalais at 8:00 a.m. Caleb Lucien and Kyss to drive. We first visited a matching grant between Mirebalais and Wisconsin - water filters - and met with those individuals getting the filters. Not a DAF project.

DAF #21 – Renovating 7 schools - We visited the one school for which we provided $8,300 for the supplies. Essentially okay. Five of the other schools are not started. No more money will be forthcoming until proof is provided.

DAF # 20 - Visited one set of toilets for their other project. Toilet was okay. We saw about 15 ground covers for other toilets. Kyss will go back to visit all the toilets.

DAF #19 - Did not see the third project with the 80 tankers as too far away. We have two old pictures, but concerned about any others. Kyss promised to visit them all and Mario promised to send bank statements and receipts.

We have concerns and have asked for the documentation, bank, receipts, etc. Kyss to visit to make sure they are all being done. Toilet was well made but how many are there?

We then visited Hinch.

DAF #8 Providing a vehicle for midwives - We met the midwives. They use the vehicle as an ambulance as well as the need arises. They do feel it has made a big difference in maternal and child mortality. We went to their house where it is kept.

DAF #67 – Providing supplies to children in six schools - We did not see much, but they say they were mostly done. They need to send us documentation to release any more funds. Need to show the six schools.

DAF #94 – Building 3 Footbridges - We saw the one footbridge in Ti Pelegre, which seems to be well built and serves a great purpose to cross a river. It is helping the sick, the pregnant, and the students going to school. It was a walk down from the car ,as the road was too difficult for the car to get to the bridge. There were folks bathing in the water beneath the bridge.

We went to Kyss and Nicole’s house for a late lunch, then it took us two hours to drive 19 miles to Pignon.

The road is unbelievable, and wet from the night before, with much slip-sliding up and down a terrible road. So, it took us two hours to drive there. We almost got stuck where a truck was stuck in the mud. There was no way past, but Caleb got us through.

The government is working on new roads, and the hope is that they will start in that area some time next year.

We stayed with Caleb and Debbie, who have a nice house, and gave us dinner and then breakfast. A rooster started at around 3:00 a.m.


WEDNESDAY, JULY 13

We started at 8:30 a.m.

Visited Pignon

Evanel showed us around as many of the projects as possible. The distance between projects was greater than expected. One road was so narrow that we had to close the windows so the branches would not hit us.

Bob enjoyed being in the back of the truck; Eric also did some time back there. Barry was given the honor of most front seats which he deeply appreciated. He must have looked the most frail?

DAF #102 – Ecole Mont Sinai de LaCoste - Next to church
DAF #64 – Ecole Etoile du Matin - Painted next to damaged building
DAF #107 – College Mont Sion de la Victoire - Two-storey building
DAF #106 – Ecole Communautaire de Gaspard - Renovated one building and built a new one
DAF #103 – College Coeur Unis de Savane - New with a beautiful view
DAF #3 - St. Collettes - Pictures of the kids and chicken and soccer
DAF #31 – Savanette Primary School - roof?
DAF #108 – College Baptiste “Le Rocher” de Pignon
DAF #2 – Jaipur Limb - We saw all three buildings with photos with signs. One letter fell off. The signs did not come on the flight so had to go back to airport Tuesday morning to get them.


Guy took us to his home; we washed hands, then rinsed with chlorine water. Then he fed us. To avoid the dangers of local water, John stuck to Prestige, as did the others.

Eric took more risk with water and vegetables, especially tomatoes as they have skin? Time was running short, so that we could not make the distances to see the other five schools in that area.

We did not see the following projects:

-- DAF #30 – Frobel Primary School
-- DAF #65 – Ecole Evangelique Chretienne de St. Raphael
-- DAF #101 – Provide supplies to children in 13 schools
-- DAF #104 – Ecole Baptiste Bethesda de St. Raphael
-- DAF #105 – Ecole Bon Samaritin de Bail/Savanette

We did fly back to PAP to save time and avoid the roads at 2:30 p.m. Caleb Lucien’s driver was to drive from the airport, as he drove our bags to PAP. But we got lost looking for Karibe Hotel.

Visit Thomassique - DAF #16 – The Good Samaritan School - We did not visit this as it was too far. They have a problem that the school has spent over budget, and they are trying to resolve that with the school before they come back to us. It has not started as yet.

Ospri Descommes for DAF #113 – Barry met him at La Plaza on the first morning. Staying at the Karib Hotel 13-16.

Louisa Dow, Past Peace Fellow, came and met with us for a few hours and joined us for dinner. She has a new job with Habitat, financed by USAID, in the north to determine community capacity. She is clearly an intelligent and impressive peace fellow.


THURSDAY, JULY 14
Caleb's driver drove us, and then we met up with Gary in Verrettes. We were told that the drive would take 30 minutes, but it took 4 hours. Clearly our French/Creole needs improvement. In Verrettes, we had both Gary and a driver, so we had two cars which was always a pleasure. With one car, three in the back seat became close and friendly.

We were hoping to visit Sacre Coeur Hospital in Milot, Haiti? Dr. Harold Previl. However it was too far as it is in Cap Haitian on the North Coast.


DAF #95 –We visited Albert Schweitzer Hospital - Verrettes - Dawn Johnson showed us around and introduced us to the malnourished kids who will benefit from the nutrition program which is in a remote nutrition unit in the mountains. They are using the plumpy nut for nutrition.

We visited the ward for malnourished children. They use art to teach them about proper nutrition including breast feeding. They also have some tents set up for the Cholera patients. They are down from 300 patients at their max to 190 now. This hospital was the first to take them in. They are the patients who are resistant to treatment.








DAF #114 - 150 wells - St. Marc - We did not get there, but drove through on the coast and passed Club Indigo where the District Conference will be next year. We could see La Gonave as we drove along the beautiful coast.

Petite Riviere de l’Artibonite

DAF #83 - Art – They are in a two-storey building. We saw the students painting, went upstairs and Barry bought two paintings done by students. They gave us each wooden fish. Barry managed to crack his head open on the beam going up the stairs.

DAF #84 – Household Microcredit Program - We were kissed by all as they showed their appreciation. They want more money, but they like the program. They pay 1.5 per cent to the bank to administer. It is administered by Copecra. They get about 5000 gourd or 6000 gourd, pay the sum back over four months, and then do it again. They each have a bank book to track the payments. There were only three men out of 60 participants.

DAF #85 - Computers and Internet Research – This program is in the local library which needs to have the roof fixed and security added. We had lunch with the VP in his house. They bought computers and other items and are ready to install. They still need to install the satellite dish so they can hook up to the internet. Computers are in his house for safe keeping.

DAF #79 – Hospital Charles Colimon is building a waiting area with a roof for mothers and children. They need to send receipts and statements. The roof structure was not new, but the covering will be. They are also in need of an ambulance which we will try to find for them.

Gary Marcelin drove us around. He could not juggle three cell phones as well as Caleb, but sure was enthusiastic and jolly on the phone. Thomas called five times while enroute to make sure we were on the way. They had been waiting since 10:00 a.m. and we got there around 2:00 p.m., but there were no complaints to us. Timing to get these vast distances was a constant challenge, even for the local Rotarians who made the arrangements.


FRIDAY, JULY 15
Alexandra Soli and Marghareta drove us to Sarazin and Teach Haiti.



DAF #62 - Sarazin – It was an hour's walk up the mountain where they had cooked corn for us. The kids sang to us. The kids are in summer school. They have to carry everything up the mountain. They pay 75 gourde to carry one bag of cement.

The photo Barry took of the person carrying the bag of cement cost $5. We each must have lost 5 pounds of water during the walk and had to go back to the hotel to change before we could continue. It was a magnificent view as we could see PAP over the roof of the school. The kitchen is a fire in the back yard under a USAID tent.

DAF #76 – Teach Haiti – This project is on the second floor, and they are making artistic souvenir items to sell. We bought supplies and an alternate source of energy. We also bought 8 necklaces of the necklaces they made out of cereal boxes. They are truly creative and beautiful. We saw batteries and converter as well as easels, wood, chairs and tables.

Raphael Izmery drove us around Petionville

Delmas - We met with the President and another Rotarian as they came into town to meet with us. President Rodolph promised to speed up their process. They showed us the final budgets and are ready to go.

DAF #69 – College Francais de Bareau Guitho - ready to start
DAF #70 – St. Augustin of Tapio School - ready to start
DAF #71 – St. Therese de L’enfant Jesus - ready to start
DAF #92 – Providing a community with Biosand Filters – We need to find out from HOM when they will get started. They are going to make sure they communicate with us better than in the past.
DAF #4 – Kenscoff Clinic – We did not see it, but George will send some more pictures. The pictures of the outside show it as finished, so we just need documentation of the completion.

We went to lunch at the Latin Quarter with Raphael. George Nicolas joined us and updated us on DAF #29 and the problems with containers. Barry met with Amos about the Rotary Club of Carrefour.

Brigitte Hudicourt and Chris Low met with us to show us two different projects. Brigitte showed us an impromptu school started by a 62-year-old to help the kids get an education. We would like to help them with that school, and Brigitte will send in a proposal.

Chris showed us the school in Matenwa on La Gonave. La Gonave has a population of 100,000 and has been ignored by Haiti. We want to use it as an example of converting an entire community, not just doing an occasional project.


SATURDAY, JULY 16
Caleb’s brother showed up and took our driver, as he had to go to Leogane, but he arranged for Gilbert to take us to the airport.

Leave hotel at 8:30 a.m.
Leave on AA #404 at 12:15 p.m.

Amazing fellowship and Rotary work.

Final notes -
We greatly admired the amazing work of the local Rotarians in Haiti who are getting the job done in spite of some amazing barriers. We also thank all those who housed us, fed us, drove us and put up with us. No comments above should be construed as criticism, only as relating the experience to others who may never have shared such an experience.

Our admiration goes out to the incredible progress made by Rotary in Haiti. We know that Rotary will impact the education of over 23,000 children. The children and their future is why we do what we do.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS ROTARY’S WORK IN HAITI

AND SEEKS TO RAISE $1 MILLION FOR THE ROTARY HAITI EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUNDS PROJECTS


Nassau, Bahamas – For immediate release as of May 26, 2011

Rotary continues to help rebuild Haiti after the devastating Earthquake of January 2010 killed more than 300,000 people and left over one million displaced. To highlight Rotary’s work and to bring attention for a request for donations, a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) will be aired in 6 countries in District 7020. The countries will include

(1)The Bahamas
(2)The British Virgin Islands
(3)Cayman Islands
(4)US Virgin Islands
(5)St. Martin and
(6)Jamaica

The English television and the English, French and Creole radio announcements will be on the air starting the third week in May 2011.

The PSA can be viewed on YouTube or by typing into the search box on You Tube: “Rotary Haiti Earthquake Relief Funds Announcement.”

Proudly, The Bahamas Fund, The District Fund in Cayman, and the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund -- a donor-advised fund set up within the Rotary Foundation -- are all making great strides. Vital short- to medium-term projects are underway, relating to children. The projects focus on (1) getting thousands of kids back in school and (2) Rotary’s Jaipur Limb project to assist 4,000 amputees affected by the earthquake.

Sixty-nine donor projects have been approved with funding, 10 have been approved without funding, and 4 projects are completed.

Just a few of those projects include:

-- the building of approximately 50 schools
-- the erecting of 3 buildings for the Jaipur Limb project where the prostheses will be made
-- providing school supplies to thousands of kids
-- purchasing a generator for a kitchen that serves 8,000 meals a day
-- supplying aqua-pure tablets to help thousands prevent the deadly Cholera epidemic from spreading.

More information on these and other Donor Advised Fund projects can be found at haiti-task-force.blogspot.com.


Because of the generosity and hard work of Rotary and their communities, hundreds of thousands of lives in Haiti have benefited from the $5 million raised for these Funds. The 19 Rotary Clubs in Haiti, their fellow Rotarians in District 7020, and Rotary International extend a Thank You to all those who have assisted and who continue to give their support.

We are currently seeking to raise another $1 million, and Rotary needs your help. If you would like to contribute to the Haiti Hurricane Relief Funds, please contact one of the local Rotary Clubs or visit www.rotary.org/haiti.

CREDITS FOR THE PSA: This Rotary Public Relations Public Service Announcement (PSA) for Rotary’s Haiti Earthquake Relief Funds efforts was made possible by a public relations (PR) Grant from Rotary International along with contributions from District 7020, whose District Governor is Diana White (2010-2011).

Several Rotarians came together to make this PSA a reality - beginning with Delma Maduro, PR Chair for District 7020, and her committee who were successful in securing the Rotary International PR Grant.

-- Rotarian Burton Wallace of The Movi Group in Nassau, Bahamas produced the PSA for a minimal cost and
-- Assistant District Governor for The Bahamas, Charles Sealy II, lent his voice for the English version.
-- Rotarian Azaleta Ishmael-Newry, PR Chair for The Bahamas researched, wrote and coordinated the script and materials and acknowledges the assistance of PRID, Barry Rassin, for his valuable information.

Rotarians in Haiti, Past President Roger White, as well as Paul Aranha of The Bahamas, contributed photos.

The District 7020 PR Committee includes: Delma Maduro, British Virgin Islands; Azaleta Ishmael-Newry, Bahamas; AG Ruth Palmer, Jamaica; J.D. Mosley-Matchett, Cayman Islands; Lawrence Benjamin, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Rebecca Low and Maria Buncamper-Molanus, both of St. Maarten.


First photo - Shown at left are Rotarians in Haiti in early 2010 with the former PM of Haiti, Jean-Max Bellerive, His Excellency, Louis Harold Joseph, former Ambassador for Haiti to The Bahamas, PRID Barry Rassin, PDG Richard McCombe and Rotarian Claude Serena, head of the Haitian Task Force. Photo by Paul Aranha.



Second photo - Rotary Donor Advised Fund Project #24- Latrines. Carrefour/Mon Repos. Provided 10 bacteriologic Latrines for a “tent city” at a cost of $23,142.





Third photo - Rotary Donor Advised Fund Project #1: Ecole Ste. Famille, Les Cayes. Rebuilding Six Classrooms has commenced / 300 students to benefit. / Total Cost is $122,391.92 /

The DAF has committed $50,000; District 7020 has committed $20,000 ; SOS has committed $20,000 ; Rotary Club of Montego Bay, Jamaica, has committed $10,000 ; Local Rotarians have committed $2,000; Still needed - $20,391.91.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

DAF Updates at March, 2011


The latest project updates can be viewed by clicking on the link (#6) at the right side of this screen. All project files are posted individually in PDF format.

(The graphic here shows you the link to click.)


You can also click this link below:

Click here: DAF updates at March, 2011

At March 27, 117 projects have been considered.

* 117 Projects have been considered
* 62 have been approved with funding
* 7 have been approved that we are seeking funding for
* 10 have been approved without funding
* 5 were rejected
* 6 have been withdrawn
* 27 are pending further information
* 6 are complete

The DAF may have approved and agreed to funding but would still greatly appreciate partner clubs or districts assisting in any of the projects.

In that way our money can be spread further to help more people. Note on each page for each DAF there is a note on the bottom of the page that states if we are still in need of funds.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Haiti Earthquake Relief
Update at February 12, 2011

HAITI EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
DONOR ADVISED FUND (DAF)
Summary of Projects Funded by the DAF
Summary – February 12, 2011

-- 111 Projects have been considered
-- 60 have been approved with funding
-- 10 have been approved without funding
-- 5 were rejected
-- 6 have been withdrawn
-- 26 are pending further information
-- 4 are complete

For more information, click on the link below:

Update at February 12, 2011

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Haiti Earthquake Anniversary - January 12, 2011

One year anniversary

On the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, I would ask all Rotarians to take a moment today and remember the horrific incident and those who were affected through loss of life, limb or loss of a relative or friend.

Our Rotarian friends in Haiti were all thrown into a whirlwind of response with which they have done an outstanding job! They have helped others, even though they are also victims. They help their communities, even though their families also need help.

They were hit by the earthquake, then Cholera, then Hurricane Tomas, and now the election results. And yet they stay steady in working on helping others to handle all these difficulties. They make me proud to be a Rotarian!

Let us all take another moment to publicly say Thank You, Tip our Hat, Raise our Glass, Salute and generally recognize the substantive effort they are making to make our world a better place.

Thank you.

Barry Rassin, PRID
District 7020

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Update at January 7, 2011

HAITI EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
DONOR ADVISED FUND (DAF)


Summary of Projects Funded by the DAF
Summary – January 7, 2011

-- 111 Projects have been considered
-- 53 have been approved with funding
-- 10 have been approved without funding
-- 5 were rejected
-- 6 have been withdrawn
-- 37 are pending further information
-- 4 are complete


The DAF may have approved and agreed to funding but would still greatly appreciate partner clubs or districts assisting in any of the projects. In that way our money can be spread further to help more people.

See full report via the updated links (updated at January 7, 2011) at the right side of this blog (or click the links below):

(6) DAF Projects funded January 7, 2011

(7) DAF Locations at January 7, 2011