STILL MARCHING ON!!! (photo credit Anthony Moultry)
We hope this message finds you blessed, and all of your loved ones safe in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. As you may know Haiti is reeling from impact of the Hurricane, as this latest disaster piled upon disaster killed 54 people, left more than 200,000 homeless, and devastated crops last week before going on to hit the U.S. With hundreds of thousands of people still living in tents and temporary camps after the earthquake in 2010, Haiti was hardest hit by the storm that compounded the housing crisis, and worsened the threats posed by cholera and food shortages nationwide.
We urge you to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Ayiti in this vulnerable time!
We are writing to update you about exciting next steps with our partnership in Cormier, as well as two situations confronting our partners that could all benefit tremendously from your support!!
1) Leah and Naima are preparing to return to Cormiers in February to help facilitate the planting of a 500-tree mixed fruit orchard by ten high school students from New York teamed up with a group of young people from the community. Reforestation is a long term pro-active solution that lessens the impact of hurricanes!
2) Ayiti Resurrect’s partners from Ujaama Works in Port-Au-Prince, who have volunteered their plant medicine and health services in both delegations, are in an incredibly difficult situation after Hurricane Isaac rendered their home unlivable. Hurricane Sandy has made matters worse.
3) Our dear friend and lead partner from Cormiers, Dimmy Sanon, was in a horrible motorcycle accident and is in need of support with medical expenses.
We have set up 3 donation links for each of these causes. Please read more about the circumstances around each plea below, and contribute as much as you are able. Your assistance makes a huge difference in the lives of some truly incredible individuals, families, and communities with limited access to the resources we often take for granted.
Thank you so much for your generosity and continued support in both these difficult and promising times!!!
With Tremendous Love,
Naima, Beatrice, & Angelique
Ayiti Resurrect Core Collective
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Thumbs Up for Trees!!! (photo credit Anthony Moultry)
REFORESTATION PROJECT!!
EXCITING NEWS! Ayiti Resurrect delegate, Leah Penniman, and Green Haiti partner, Ulky St. Ville, are taking leadership with with the Mango Growers Association (APMKL) to implement a reforestation project in February 2013. We are raising money and resources to plant a 500-tree diversified mango forest spanning the farms of several community members to provide shade, erosion control, water purification, pollution control and income to the community. The children from the local school in Cormiers are starting some of the seedlings in the nursery (others will be purchased) and the compost is being made in the community as an outgrowth of the workshops Leah, Mouriel and Wislerson lead during the January 2012 delegation. Ten of Leah’s students from Tech Valley High School are raising the funds, co-planning the initiative, and traveling to Haiti to help with the planting! Learn more and donate to this effort HERE.
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SUPPORT FOR DIMMY!
Our dear friend and lead partner, Dimmy Sanon, who has served as a primary liaison and community organizer around Ayiti Resurrect’s delegations was in a horrible motorcycle accident with a bus in which his brother, Duckens passed away. We mourn Duckens’ loss alongside his family and the entire community who remembers him as “a strong piece of the soul of Cormiers.” Dimmy made it successfully out of intensive care, but is still struggling with intense head and eye pain that has persisted for 11 months. He is hoping to get support in affording a head examination, which costs $400. Please be willing to contribute something toward this medical expense for somebody who has dedicated countless hours and immeasurable heart into serving his community through the Mango Grower’s Association & Ayiti Resurrect.
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Mdm. Wilner (in yellow shirt) with youth after leading a herbal medicine walk in last year's delegation. Photo: A. Moultry
SUPPORT FOR UJAAMA FAMILY!
After tropical storm Isaac hit, the roof collapsed on the house where Ayiti Resurrect partners Dr. Robert and Madame Wilner and her three children were living. Thankfully no one was hurt, but the hurricane compounded already difficult circumstances wrought by the earthquake, and they are struggling with needs for food, housing and school fees. The family is staying together, sleeping outside on a small porch succumb to insect bites, and no one is getting proper rest or nutrition. Dr. Robert leaves every day seeing patients, unfortunately many of them are unable to pay anything, so many times they all go without eating.
We are trying to help with an effort to raise enough money for this generous family that offers so much to the community they are part of, to buy food, rent another house and send the kids to school. The costs are as follows:
To rent another place: $2,000
School fees, books, uniforms for all 3 children: $1,500
Lunch & transportation expenses for school: $300
TOTAL: $3,800
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PLEASE NOTE: Our goal is to create sustainable support for the long term, and build relationships to combat the root of the issues. While we want to honor the request for emergency financial support, we are well aware that Dimmy will likely accrue more costs for treatment post examination, and economic hardship is an ongoing problem for Dr. Robert and Mdm. Winer’s family. For this reason we are also putting out the request for other forms of aid that people might have access or connection to! For example, ongoing direct care for Dimmy with a partnering doctor/physician or support for the holistic approaches that have helped his healing process, or access to affordable
housing in Port Au Prince, or scholarships to school. We welcome your offerings and ideas to support our allies in the most significant way possible. THANK YOU!