Aviva Paley sharing her time with the orphans of Haiti
While my experience here in Haiti has changed greatly since our visit last year, it is still equally rewarding. To my father’s chagrin, I have no interest in medicine, however, volunteering here at the hospital for the past two years has been a fantastic experience. It has taught me the value of community service and the incredible possibilities that can occur when people of many walks of life come together to make the lives of a number of individuals significantly better. Having no medical expertise whatsoever and volunteering in a hospital, I have to be resourceful and a jack of all trades in order to make myself helpful in whatever way I can. In these past few days I have been working to help the doctors in any means I am able, so that they can do their jobs more easily and efficiently, be it organizing supplies, photographing, or running errands. Additionally, Dr. Dietrich has called upon me to help him with a book he is writing to help raise funds for the hospital. This book, entitled “Together We Move: a Collection of Amazing First-Hand Accounts from Haiti Adventist Hospital”, is a visual journey of those who responded to a monumental need for medical aid and volunteer support after the earthquake disaster that shattered homes, lives, and bones. The purpose of this book is not only to tell this captivating story, but to establish and significantly grow the Haiti Indigent Patient Fund that will help Haiti Adventist Hospital cover the ongoing costs of helping those who have very little to give. I have contributed with several articles and pictures to be included in the book. They are looking for donations which will be reciprocated with a copy of the book. Visit http://www.haititogetherwemove.com for more information.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit two orphanages, at which I was able to give out small arts and crafts supplies and toys. The state of these orphanages was devastating to see, each housing an excess of children for what their limited resources could supply. While I revel at the opportunity to bring smiles, albeit brief, to these children’s faces, it is clear that the help they need is extensive, not only an influx of resources, but a sustained oversight to make sure these resources are reaching their desired destination. Help is just recently underway for both of these two orphanages, with non-for-profit organizations hoping to sponsor them and improve their situations with a sustainable approach. These improvements are slow and encumbered, however, by a lack of infrastructure necessary to create lasting change.
This morning I joined Joseph McIntosh, a volunteer who is in the process of creating food programs at schools which provide children with daily nutritional meals. The school asks each child for one Haitian dollar a day, the equivalent of eight US cents, which, in addition to people’s donation’s, allows the school to save money for other necessary supplies. By attaining a small fee from students each day they can hopefully become self sufficient and replenish their own funds for food. After visiting one of these schools where children were being served food, we went shopping to buy supplies for the upcoming week. With 80 US dollars we were able to buy enough food for 120 students for at least a week and a half. I find it outstanding how far money can go here, and put to the right use, how much it can do. At home my weekly grocery bill is over $80, and to think that here it feeds an entire school! Joseph distributes the food himself to the school, ensuring that the help and resources are going to where they are needed. This was certainly the best eighty dollars I’ve ever spent in my life. While so many all over the world give generous donations, it is often impossible to ensure that the money is reaching the right hands. So often here in Haiti, donation are made by other countries, and then corrupt government officials turn around and sell these goods instead of distributing them. This experience was so rewarding because I saw before my own eyes the direct effects of my donation. The many volunteers of all walks of life that I have met in my two visits to Haiti are fascinating individuals with incredible approaches to helping the people of Haiti in any way they can.
Aviva Paley
- 80 US dollars
- Feeds 120 students for at least a week and a half
