Friday, March 25, 2011

St. Joseph's Home - Construction Progress

The first time I was in Haiti was in May 2010. It was 4 months after the earthquake. It had been 4 months since St. Joseph's School for Boys had been ravaged and Bill the director had fallen from the 7th story to the ground below, saved from being crushed by the rubble only by the strength of a sturdy tree that held it back.

May 2010- St. Joe's demo'ed down to the 3rd story & the tree that saved Bill's life

At that time 4 stories of the building, had already been demolished, by hand, by workers with pickaxes and hammers. They were working on the 3rd story demolition and plans for the new St. Joseph's were in the process of being developed, in the same location, just sturdier and not built so high.

When I returned in August 2010 with our first group of volunteers, the demo was finished and the foundation was in the process of being dug out. Our volunteers jumped right into the swing of things, hauling buckets full of earth from an ever deeper hole in the ground, passing each up through a chain of helping hands, all working together towards the same goal.

August 2010 - Digging out the pit

In November 2010 I returned again with my husband and the hole was deeper still, at the final stages of digging. Chris jumped in to the work and added to the progress.

November 2010 - Final stages of digging the foundation

November 2010 - View into the pit (Bill's tree on the left)

It's the end of March 2011 and we are back. The foundation has been dug and rebar sticks straight out of the ground in patterns that are beautiful, if only in their significance as a future opportunity for so many children.

March 2011 View from the Pit

March 2011 View into the pit - rebar foundation!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Port-au-Prince - a crash course

Post-earthquake Haitian Art

If you have never been in the developing world, and even if you have, Port-au-Prince can be an intense experience. Bright and early Monday morning we set out on a tour of the city with our trusty driver Rony and Jacqui - a seasoned tour guide, who knows the ins and out and history of the country like the back of her hand.

Tap-tap - public transport

Just driving through Port-au-Prince is exciting, there is so much going on. People are out and about, going to work, school or selling anything you can dream of, generally from a basket on their heads.

A market scene

We stopped to see the famous Haitian "gingerbread" houses - houses constructed out of wood in the 18th and 19th centuries, many of which withstood the earthquake.

Haitian Gingerbread House

We also had a chance to see the many gorgeous statues of Haitian heroes and leaders. Unfortunately, most of the plazas they stand in have been covered in tent cities where people still live more than a year after the earthquake.

We also were able to see the extent of the earthquake damage in the cathedral and presidential palace before going to catch a bite to eat at the famous Oloffson Hotel.

Cathedral

Presidential Palace

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Arrival in Port-au-Prince!

The volunteers arrived on safely to Haiti on Sunday. Everyone was happy that we had prepared them for the intense airport experience - bustling, hot and with porters (over) eagerly attempting to help them with their bags. We could see the relief on everyone's face once they saw us outside the gates holding the Elevate Destinations sign! We got to St. Joseph's quickly since on election day private vehicles that are not airport bound, or on official business are not allowed out. To me this first drive into Port-au-Prince is a portal into another world that leaves you speechless with its sights, sounds, smells. Below is a quick video of a drive through Port-au-Prince's Grand Rue for a glimpse of what our volunteers see on their first drive through Port-au-Prince.

The volunteers were received at the entrance of St. Joseph's with a glass of cool water, as is customary at the home. This welcome is one that all visitors and newcomer's receive.

After an orientation and a tour we sat down to a group dinner, complete with rice, beans and a delicious creole sauce. Everyone is excited to be here and excited for what surprises Haiti will bring!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Back in Haiti!

Hi All! We are back in Haiti with another group of volunteers! Everyone is getting in today and we are preparing for a great and productive few weeks in Port-au-Prince and Jacmel. Stay tuned for updates!

Andrea

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

My husband accompanied me to Haiti on November 17. While I was busy in meetings and on my laptop, he volunteered with the group of construction workers that are charged with rebuilding St. Joseph's Home for Boys in Port-au-Prince and got a firsthand look at the work that our volunteers assist with on the ground when they come to Haiti.

This article has been reblogged directly from http://www.embryocreativegroup.com/blog

Working in Port Au Prince @ St. Joseph's. Picture by Andrea Atkinson

Haiti Blog #1: Life Lessons from the Bucket Brigade

Posted By: cantonowich | Date Posted: November 30, 2010, 4:37 PM

In late November 2010 I spent a week in Haiti's capital—volunteering on a rebuilding project at St. Joseph's orphanage. The following is the first in a series of blogs about the culture, values and traditions I experienced during my brief time in Port Au Prince.

"Yo, Blanc!"
Out of the tens of thousands of words uttered amongst this emboldened group of Haitian construction workers, these are the only two I can understand. Roughly translated, they mean "hey, white dude!"
For three days, I volunteered in a hot, dusty, deep ditch in an effort to help rebuild part of St. Joseph's new orphanage in Port Au Prince. I was part of a bucket brigade - carrying 30 pound buckets of dirt up three flights of makeshift stairs (essentially toppled boulders) and dumping it off in a large pile of earth. For the brigade, this ritual would continue ad nauseum for 8-9 hours a day in the blistering hot Haiti sun. Doing my best, I was able to put in about 2-3 hours of labor a day before I felt like my heart and head were ready to explode. These conditions are grueling, to say the least, but for me it offered a unique opportunity to understand and appreciate how people in this world earn an honest day's pay.
The workers have nary an ounce of fat on their frames. These guys are all built like NFL cornerbacks. And they can probably hit just as hard. On day one, I feel they are wary of my presence. I enter the brigade and pick up a bucket. I cautiously climb down the mountain of rubble to the bottom of the ditch to get my bucket filled. I climb up with the rest of the group to add to the ever-expanding dirt mound. "Yo, Blanc - here!" yells one of the shovelers - identifying where to dumb my bucket of dirt. I look around and see that I am the only white person in sight. It's a feeling I don't believe I've ever felt before - to truly be a minority of one based on skin tone. Since the language barriers are too much to climb, and given my limited knowledge of Creole, I decide that my best path for success is to shut my mouth, work hard and smile as much as possible.
This tactic seems to pay off, as day two when I enter the pit, a few guys say things to me in Creole and greet me with a fist bump. For the first time, I feel welcomed. It makes me want to work harder to prove myself to these guys. The trouble is, my body simply isn't built for 8 hours of hard labor in the sweltering sun. I make it my personal goal to get 10 buckets at a time (about 1/2 hr of work) - then stop for 5-10 minutes for water and to slow my heart rate down from a boil. During these 10 bucket stretches, I learn to distract myself effectively. I think about work to be done for Embryo. I think about friends and family. I think about sci-fi movies. I try to recount the names of old high school acquaintances - people I've forgotten about for years. I do just about anything to try to keep my mind off the fact that I'm carrying 30 pound buckets of dirt again and again and again up a 3-story boulder hill.
For the most part, this technique works. I go deep into thought, the workers sing or carry on conversations - anything at all to keep you brain occupied while your body goes through hell.
On the third day, the brigade is happy to see me. I get a greeting from almost all of the men - fist bumps abound. I feel like I've earned their respect - even though I've hardly done more than 50 buckets a day to their probably 250+ each. Nevertheless, the last day comes to a close and we say our final goodbyes. I talk to them through an interpreter about the idea of getting new shoes - since most of these men work in flip flops (hard to believe). They seem luke warm to the idea but I promise them I will reach out to American work boot manufactures to donate 20-25 pairs of boots by this January.
I learn many lessons from my experience with the bucket brigade. I learn what it means to dedicate mind and body to an seemingly insurmountable challenge. I learn what it takes to earn an honest day's pay in Port Au Prince. I learn that carrying 30 lb. buckets of earth on your head up and down a flight of stairs in the Haitian sun is the most extreme cardiovascular workout ever (it's inspired me to climb stairs in my gym carrying a medicine ball for my new workout). But more than anything, I learn that being a part of an effective, hard-working team is the best key to success.
If you'd like to support the effort to rebuild St. Joseph's, donate to Hearts with Haiti here - the money goes directly to rebuilding costs: http://www.heartswithhaiti.org/

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Photos & Reflections from Haiti - by Sarah Liberatore

Seven months after the 7.0 magnitude quake thousands are still living in tent cities, trying to move on, rebuild and I hope be able to use people like me for some labor. Enter Hearts With Haiti, an organization that has three schools throughout the country and was in the midst of expanding their school in Jacmel when the earthquake struck. The school where we will stay tonight in Port-au-Prince, St Joseph's, was also badly damaged and has a rebuilding project occurring at the same time. Our project: Complete the construction of a classroom and computer room for the school and orphanage in Jacmel. I couldn't ask for a better opportunity to celebrate my 28th birthday and spend the next two weeks. See you in Haiti.

View from St. Joseph's, Port-au-Prince

Presidential Palace, Port-au-Prince

Getting off the plane in Haiti is like a punch in the face of your senses. The heat, the noise, the smell, the seeming chaos, the rubble, tent cities everywhere. The Haitian five piece band banging out a welcome tune and the French Creole all combine to leave you feeling overwhelmed, nervous, out of place and excited.

I'm ecstatic to see both my suitcases arrive and after fighting my way to the van with Jackson, our one armed porter, seeing Andrea's wave and welcoming smile was a huge comfort.

We arrive at St. Josephs School off 91 Delmas and meet our eclectic crew. After we settle in for the night we have a delicious dinner of vegetable soup and fried plantains. Then we hear the amazing story of St. Joseph's from the founder Michael Geilenfeld and Director and former Restavek child, Bill, who entertained us with some of the best Djembe drumming I've ever heard.

Tomorrow, our crew heads south to Jacmel's Trinity House and the rest stay to help rebuild St. Joseph's.

View from the roof of Trinity House, Jacmel

Haitian Dinner of Poisson and Diri Djon Djon

Week one is complete and we are now well into week two. Access to the internet (and electricity) remains intermittent but I have come to see both as a blessing when available. We have taken to sleeping on the roof of the school where it is much cooler and waking up every morning we are greeted by the most incredible panoramic view of mountains and the sea.

Sunday, we hiked to Bassin Bleu waterfalls in the mountains and cooled off in the aquamarine pools. It was the perfect reward for an intense week.

The computer room construction project is well underway and the crew we are working with is incredible. Several are working barefoot and everything is done by hand with few tools and meager supplies, but the progress is amazing. Knowing our work is going to produce a computer room is a rewarding feeling at the end of each day even if we won't be here to see the finished product. Boss Niki, who heads up the construction crew, invited us to his 80th birthday at his house and we were treated to the most delicious meal and opportunity to meet his family.

When we're not working we are getting to know the twenty-eight boys here at Trinity House. Many are Restavek kids or orphans and their stories are incredible. Each has seen more in their young lifetime than I could ever imagine. St. Joseph's is an amazing place where they have been adopted until age twenty-one. They are now one big family and it is an amazing family to be welcome into. Last night, the boys put on a riveting dance performance for us. All their passion and pain and joy explodes when they are performing and doing what they love.

Yesterday, Melshi, the Director of Trinity House showed us how to cook a delicious traditional Haitian meal of poisson (fish) Diri Djon Djon (creole rice) and fried plantains. We began with a trip to the local market to pick up the ingredients which was an adventure. The market was a maze of tightly packed vendors hawking their goods and bartering back and forth. Some of the women in the market started singing and pretty soon everyone had joined in. It was a true feast for the senses. The food was amazing and I have a new appreciation for what goes into every meal here.

Outside Trinity House, about 40 families are living in tents on the soccer field. We ventured out and ended up being great entertainment for the kids serving as part amusement and part jungle gym. They brought out their carnival masks and gave us a quite a parade.

It's hard to believe we have only a few more days here. Time has passed so quickly. Haiti truly is a place of incredible contrasts. There is so much beauty here and so much hope.

If I can convey anything from my short time in Haiti it is that there is an unbelievable amount of hope and tenacity, right there along with the bad, that will overcome. Haiti has been knocked down, but it's no where near being out. Now more than ever the international community needs to support Haiti and deliver the pledged aid. Haitians need jobs. There is a large, skilled labor force that is unemployed while aid organizations pay to bring in foreign contractors, planners, etc. Projects like St. Joseph's and Trinity House are saving the lives of kids and preparing them for the future. There just aren't enough places like this...yet.