Notes from Haiti: #7

Driving through the streets of Port Au Prince en route to the airport there are so memories gained in such a short time, so many impactful experiences. Haiti is a hard place. The sidewalks are lined with people selling their wares, cooking food, hawking medicine, cosmetics, car parts, anything imaginable. Here is a place where the dichotomy between rich and poor is as stark as anywhere on earth. There are well stocked grocery stores, beautiful hotels, private school and nice neighborhoods in Haiti. They are all well-guarded to ensure the safety and comfort of those on the inside. Not far away, many more are living with barely enough to subsist. Families are living without shelter going without food for days at a time. Parents are left to wonder what they should do with their children.

One story will suffice. One woman that I visited with reported that she had six children.  I only saw four and asked her where the other two were. She responded that they were being taken care of wealthier people and that they were going to school. Over dinner I mentioned how nice it was of these people to do this to a person with Fonkoze. The person smiled at me and then said that it is very common for people of means to take children into their homes and then put them to work sending these young people to lower level schools. What would I do as a parent in that situation? Keep my child home while we struggle or at least make sure that they are in school? I don't have a good answer for the question. What I do know for certain is that if the mother continues her training through Fonkoze, knowing that the day will come in the not too distant future when she will be able to educate her own children.

All that said, I am leaving Haiti inspired and hopeful. If you want to see the power of the human spirit, Haiti is a remarkable place to visit. I see the NGO's at work staffed by remarkably talented and caring people. The dedication of all of the people of Fonkoze, from Father Joseph, to Nick (who accompanied us everywhere, often in the back of the pick-up truck), all the way to our driver to Bernic were truly inspirational. As Steve Werlin told me: "Unlike most things in life I have immediate gratification every day. I see the good we are doing and the changes that are impacting people's lives in real time."  

Let me conclude my blog on Haiti by telling you about a one more person. Her name is Linda Bouchard. Linda is Haitian born and has been blessed with a number of opportunities in life. She attended university in the United States. She and her husband have made a beautiful life together with their children and grandchild. She is one of the privileged of Haiti, yet she works tirelessly for Fonkoze. Linda exudes an enthusiasm for her work and a love for her people that are unparalleled. She tells us that she could not live there if she was not giving back and helping others. Emma and I felt blessed in getting to know her. She is an excellent ambassador for Fonkoze.

Like most of you, I have spent time this week reflecting about the death of Elie Wiesel.  I would like to believe that our visit to Haiti and the work that we did and will continue to do honor his memory in a small way. During my days in Haiti I often reflected on Wiesel's words:

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, but indifference between life and death."

I leave you with words of Elie Wiesel and the hope that some will take the time to look at the Fonkoze web site and support this very worthy organization. Your donations will help to create more classes, more business, more changed lives for Haiti's poorest. Consider it an act to counter the world's indifference to this very poor country.  

The attached video captured one of the most powerful moments of the trip. We were in a remote area of the plateau watching a business meeting where the members of the group learn business skills and work together for greater success. There was singing and prayer throughout the meeting. Since I could not speak with them directly I thought that I could teach them a song. They learned "shalom haverim". Here are the results and a bit of the spirit of the Haitian people. 

Notes from Haiti #6

After nearly a week in Haiti it is fascinating to consider how your perspective changes.  When we landed last Wednesday the cacophony of different noises and the crush of people on the streets was startling. It now feels like the norm. Driving by a river and seeing people washing their clothes, their bodies or their motorcycles is expected. Seeing women carrying impossibly large containers on their heads and walking along the road is no longer a object of wonderment.  

What of poverty? Do your perspectives change there as well?

Here again the answer is yes. For the past few days I have been following the CLM team of Fonkoze. CLM stands for Chemen Lavi Miyo which means "pathway to a better life". It is a program for the poorest of the poor in Haiti. The program, which lasts for 18 months, is designed to take people from extreme poverty and puts them on the road to a more secure life. People who graduate from this program have a roof over their heads and a source of income. The people who CLM chooses from are living on less than a dollar per day. The United Nations definition of extreme poverty is people living with less than $1.90 a day. When people graduate from the CLM program they are earning more than 2 dollars a day.  They have learned life skills, banking skills, and most receive animals as a grant to get their business going. They are also required to save money along the way. This is a program that originated in Bangladesh and was imported to Haiti. According to the program's director, Gauthier Dieudonne, when the people came from India to help get the program started they said that they had never seen poverty like what they were seeing in Haiti. After spending the past few days observing the CLM program in action I cannot imagine people existing with less.

My guide into the world of CLM has been Dr. Steven Werlin, the regional director of the program. Steve is a remarkable man who serves as a Professor of Philosophy at Shimer College. He came to Haiti a few years ago and has been working with Fonkoze ever since.  I observed his easy manner with the people that he meets and the way way people respond to him. Steve is fluent in creole, but he communicates something much deeper: they understand that this man truly cares for them. Steve is a kind and caring person. A mensch of the first order.  

Steve took me to remote areas. We walk on narrow paths and come to a clearing and find a family living there. We are walking with their Fonkoze sponsor. This is the person who will be meeting the client once a week and guide them through the 18 month program. The sponsor travels on a small motorcycle on bumpy dirt roads to get to these hard to reach places. We meet the client whose name is Jean (yellow dress in picture). She has been in the CLM for a few weeks. She must sign her name when she receives her stipend but Jean does not know how to write. She has been using her thumbprint up until now. The sponsor teaches her how to write her name while her husband and children look on. Part of the money is put into savings. They are asked why they have not built an outdoor toilet yet?  Jean explains that they don't own the land and the owner does not want them digging a hole. The sponsor strategize with her as to how to go forward. Nothing can go forward until they have the ability to fulfill the requirements of Fonkoze. It is a challenging meeting but the sponsor guides Jean in a serious and loving way and Jean responds positively.

We visit other clients in equally remote areas. Among others we visit Elina (she is wearing a red dress in the picture) who is pregnant. The sponsor asks her if she has gone to the hospital to check on her condition. She has done what was asked of her and he has her show him the medicine and makes sure that Elina knows how to take it. She shows us her animals and the sponsor checks to see if they are well cared for. In each case the sponsor reviews a health issue. Last week the lesson was on worms, and this week the issue is vitamin a. The sponsor goes through a checklist  of what the client should be aware of as they go forward.  No one has ever taken the time to teach these people the things that most of us take for granted. Elina has been abandoned by much of her family since she became pregnant and the father abandoned her. If it was not for Fonkoze and an aunt nearby one wonders where this woman would be. 

Finally we meet Marie Andre (wearing a white dress in the picture) who is a graduate of the program. When she started the CLM she was living with her parents and her young child.  Now she has her own home and a business buying a selling animals. Her child is in school and she can afford tutoring her as well. It is remarkable to see what she has accomplished in a short time thanks to the CLM program. Moreover, her manner is confident compared to the others we have met. She has not only changed her life but she has been transformed as a person. 

The fact is that the people that I went to visit today are not even visible to Haitians. They are the poorest of the poor. What Fonkoze has shown is what can be done when you have a strong program and remarkably dedicated people going out into the field and spending time with each person: serving as a mentor, a guide, and a a friend. These people are on a journey that will take them out of extreme poverty and giving them a future. The beauty of the program is that nothing is given to them without something being asked in return. When Fonkoze helps them with the rebuilding of the house, the family is responsible for supplying some of the material. They are required to save their money. Before they receive animals, they must build a pen for them. In short, they are not being treated as poor people, but as capable members of society. In short, they are now visible. Since 2015, 1,400 families have been part of the CLM program and their graduation rate is 99%.

I have been well aware of Maimonides' ladder of Zedaka: Charity for many years. I could not count the number of times I have taught it to others. However, I needed to come to Haiti to fully understand the highest level of charity: giving a person the tools to take themselves out of poverty. I feel blessed and privileged to have the opportunity to witness something truly remarkable and to have my perspectives forever adjusted for the better.

Notes from Haiti #5

Today Emma began her volunteer work at an orphanage in the Central Plateau. The idea of working in an orphanage came from Emma when we first planned the trip in Chicago. It emanates from her deep love and joy in working with younger children.

The orphanage is new. Linda, the head of the facility, exudes and strength and a warmth. She tells us the orphanage holds about 40 children. There is a meaningful percentage of children with physical challenges. All are well dressed and well fed. We also learned that a number of children are placed in orphanages by parents who do not believe that they can care for their own children. Linda went on to say that every day there are parents who bring their children to the gate begging for the orphanage to take them. The facility is at capacity. But rather than send the parent away, they work with the parents to help them take care of their own children. It may mean giving them formula, or some form of sustenance for the year. Taking the time to teach them about hygiene and how to better care for their children. In this way, they help keep parents with their children.

We dropped Emma off and I went accompanied a staff member of Fonkoze for the day. I can tell you for a fact that at the age of 16 there is no way that I would have allowed myself to be left for the day in an orphanage in the middle of Haiti with children who almost all spoke another language! But Emma went with her bags of school supplies that she had brought with her and did not look back as we left. When we picked up at the end of the day she was happy and fulfilled. She admitted that some of things that she saw were difficult for her. But there she was with a group of children following her around looking happy and fulfilled. Emma is an impressive young woman who absorbs everything, and remains open to full experience of Haiti. Pretty special!

The orphanage does have a place that is designated just for caring for malnourished children. This is where we learned the story of Bernardo. A Fonkoze representative came upon him when he was working with the poorest of the poor. A group of brothers living together we're trying to survive. The oldest brother is 20 years old and is the head of household of 4 other brothers. When he was 3, the worker came across Bernardo listless and malnourished. Fonkoze then took the child to the orphanage and for more than 6 months they nursed this child back to health. The orphanage offered to keep Bernardo but the oldest brother felt that it was his responsibility to keep the family together. Later in the day I had the chance to go to meet the brothers. Bernardo is still very small but energetic and happy. The challenges of life in Haiti abound.

If you are interested in learning more about the orphanage check out their website: http://hcas.ca/projects/haiti-childrens-home/ 

Notes from Haiti #4

Yesterday Emma and I had the opportunity to witness a Fonkoze leadership meeting. It took place in the hotel that we are staying at and so we were able to take part on Shabbat.

It was remarkable to watch women from all over the country attend as elected representatives of their communities to this gathering. While there were songs, prayers and testimonials the main the goal of the meeting was to elect new board of directors. People made speeches and a vote took place. The seriousness with which those in attendance took the their work and the pride they felt in the election were evident on their faces and in their voices. The meeting was a true inspiration for all who attended.

That which made the meeting so special was watching Father Joseph Philippe lead the meeting. He is the founder of Fonkoze which means "shoulder to shoulder" in Creole. Father Joseph is truly a hero in our time. He led the meeting with joy, strength and compassion. Father Joseph challenged all present to do more and at times to be patient. He explained that it was hard to get to some of their communities but they are determined to do so. When Father Joseph reminded the people that they "are not dogs but human beings", it was clear that he was speaking to people who had lived their lives stripped of their dignity due to poverty. This man has made it his life's mission to empower people and to better themselves. Father Joseph does not believe in handouts but in giving people the tools to climb the ladder of success. Whether it is through micro-loans, business education, the creation of banks to handle the funds, an orphanage or the founding of a university for those considered to be peasants in this the poorest of countries. Those whom he refers to as "the poorest of the poor".

It was our honor to sit with him during the meeting, feel his warmth and charisma and be inspired by his passion and vision. Attending the meeting yesterday morning makes the scandal with the Red Cross regarding the funds designated for Haitian relief all the more angering. Here is one man who is not willing to wait for the government or philanthropic agencies but is succeeding in changing thousands of lives. A film has been made about Father Joseph Philippe and will be released soon. To get a sense of the man watch this trailer. Our Rabbis teach: "In a place where there are no people of value, strive to be such a person". Father Joseph is such a person.

I do believe that an organization that collected a half billion dollars with the only truly verifiable benefit was the money that went to it's own coffers, should be held accountable.

Notes from Haiti #3

On Friday we traveled to another remote region of the Plateau. It would appear the Fonkoze only serves those in the most distant and hard to reach areas. We came to an area that had very small homes and came upon a home that was significantly larger. Out came a woman by Jeanette whose children came out to see us. The youngest was terrified of the "blondes", the Haitian terms for white people. He ran into the house crying. Jeanette is part of a new project of Fonkoze called "Boutik Sante". People like Jeanette are given the opportunity to sell over the counter pharmaceutical products to people in remote areas of Haiti. However, in order to qualify to be such a merchant they must be trained by health care professionals to be able to diagnose issues such as malnutrition in children, prescribe fever medications or give instruction to people about healthy diets or even basic hygiene. This allows her neighbors to forgo a long trip to get such items which may simply be impossible. In this way Fonkoze is helping to improve the health of the country. There are 266 Boutik Sante entrepreneurs in Haiti have served more than 80,000 people in 2015 alone. She spoke to us about how she herself had learned how to feed her children nutritious meals and what it has meant to those living around her. With her profits she and her husband were able to build a large home for her family and ensure that their children can attend school. I asked her what she would want the people in Chicago to know about Haiti and people like you. She said: "you already know the answer in your heart. You are here, you see the need, you have already built one home and a family no longer has stand under the hot son, or be exposed to the rain. You already know the answer in your heart. What is there for me to say.". Her answer was far wiser than my question.

From her home we walked about 100 yards and saw a cement home. A block really, with a door and a few Windows. These were one of the homes that were built by AJWS after the earthquake. The woman allowed us to come in. Two rooms, one with two sets of bunk beds and the other room with pots and pans and a few sticks of furniture, and a cooking area outside. Our guide Linda explained that Emma had raised money to build a home like this. The woman stared at Emma and then with tears in her eyes said: "I did not know you before but I would have thanked you a thousand times. But now that I met you I want you to know that I will never stop thanking you". We who have so much look at a woman like this and see only what she lacks. While she focuses on that which she now has what her life would have been like without this home. "Who is rich?", our Rabbis ask. "The one who is grateful for what they have", they answer. I wish that I could fully express the power and poignancy of that moment. What I can say with surety is that neither Emma or I will ever forget the quiet dignity of a women living in the far reaches of Haiti. Emma will always be grateful for the opportunity to make a difference that AJWS and Fokonze afforded her.