HAITI JOURNAL: Haitian Constitution (1 of 2) - uVuSouthFlorida Video

On Monday, May 9th, 2011 the National Assembly of Haiti approved 188 bills including the bill authorizing double citizenship for Haitians living abroad. But when the laws were published on Friday, May 13th, they had changed. How did this happen and what will become of the bills that were passed on the 9th?

Dear family and friends,

                   

Me, Sonson and Junior at Shalom Village this past March

I know it’s been a while since my last update regarding the work I am doing with children living in shelters and institutional homes in the Republic of Haiti. To be honest, I’ve been a little discouraged, overwhelmed, and lonely. It’s okay, I was told this is normal for people who spend hours and hours taking care of others and moving away from their social support and comfort zone.# However, I realized that my emotions come and go but the vision that I have for Haiti will not expire. I am determined to keep going because I know that I am called to my people in Haiti, specifically children. I’m writing to let you know how I’ve been and how you can support the work that I’m doing. Yes, I will ask you for money, just letting you know now just in case you don’t feel like reading the rest of my heart. (If that’s you click here to donate or send a check to 205 W Tulpehocken St Philadelphia, Pa 19144 :-)

As most of you know, I am currently in Philadelphia, PA doing what I call on the job training (graduate school) at Eastern University. I’m pursuing a degree in Urban Studies with a concentration in Arts and Transformation. My current proposed thesis research is art-based approaches to combating malnutrition in rural communities. You can read  the article I wrote entitled “Life of a Child in Haiti”.

My assistantship with BuildaBridge International started in January after I settled into a third new city and god-forsaken climate! ( I survived my first winter).  I am now THE Haiti Arts Relief and Development Coordinator, check out our strategic plan. BuildaBridge is primarily a volunteer organization.  I’m very fortunate to find an organization like BuildaBridge to provide me with the outlet to not just share my vision for Haiti but implement it. Drs. Corbitt and Nix-Early, the founders, have been very supportive in providing me with the tools to build something that is sustainable. In March, I went on my first survey trip to meet with potential alliances and I was able to meet with UNICEF. I presented the vision and they seemed to really like it, so we’ll see where that goes. I was also able to go back to Shalom Village Orphanage with a group of friends who joined me later on the trip and man the kids have gotten bigger!  I’m so happy now in this new position, I not only get to impact the children at Shalom but children throughout Haiti living in shelters and institutional homes. It’s like God couldn’t of created a better path for me. Check out the article I wrote about “Finding Your Path”.

This new position is not a salaried one, not yet anyway. I’m still applying for grants, planning fundraisers and seeking support. This is where you come in. I know some of you have been consistently donating towards Shalom Village which is awesome and I’m very thankful that you continue to do this. I am also asking for you to support the vision that I have to help children throughout Haiti. BuildaBridge International has years of experience in working in communities of poverty and crisis and also has the capacity for administration which allows me to focus totally on Haiti. I plan to go back to Haiti on June 16th, 2011 to stay for the entire summer to coordinate an arts camp at an elementary school, provide assistance at Shalom Village, and meet with more potential alliances. I need to raise $20,000 for the project this year. Your contribution is tax-deductible (and BuildaBridge has an accountant to take care of your statements for you :-).  You’ll need to make the check out to BuildaBridge and write “Haiti Project” in the ‘for’ line in order to receive income tax donate credit.

Become a part of this vision, together we can make it happen!

• Advocates $ 25 monthly
• Ambassadors $ 100 monthly
• Friends $ 500
• Patrons $ 1000 or more

If you are still reading and will support our Haiti Project:

Click here to donate or send a check to 205 W Tulpehocken St Philadelphia, Pa 19144.  You’ll need to make the check out to BuildaBridge and write “Haiti Project” in the ‘for’ line in order to receive income tax donate credit.

Do you remember where you were at 4:53 pm on Tuesday, January 12, 2010? Perhaps you were getting ready to clock out of your 9-5, or sitting in rush hour traffic, or picking up the kids from their after-school program? Do you recall? For most Haitians living in the states and abroad, January 12th will be a day they will never forget.
Just one year ago, the Republic of Haiti was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake where more than 300,000 people died and least 3 million have been injured and have lost their homes according to USAID. Not only that, with continuous aftershocks, floods from Hurricane Tomas , the spread of Cholera, and unsettled political disputes, the Haitian population is left in a state of fear, despair, hopelessness, confusion, and psychological trauma.

This week, many organizations and individuals are commemorating those who've lost their lives due to the catastrophe. Some are celebrating the bonds and uniformity of those who answered the call to solidarity, while others are revisiting their commitments to the relief and development efforts in Haiti.

Even though progress has been slow, the US government provided $1.1 billion in 2010 for relief efforts in Haiti. In November, USAID reported the completion of 9,739 transitional shelters (t-shelters), sufficient to house nearly 48,700 individuals. While working closely with other agencies, safe drinking water, food, household items, sanitation facilities, and health services were also made available to those affected.

However, life in the transitional shelters, otherwise known as camps, has not been ideal. The camps are crowded with children and their families, clean water and sanitation is scarce, and the health care services are hardly sufficient.The most affected people in Haiti right now are the children. Many have been orphaned or separated from their families. According to UNICEF, one of the long term development partners in Haiti, stated that more than 750,000 children have been directly affected. One of the concerns is the extreme fragility in children living in crisis, poverty, and trauma. Many of them are vulnerable due to the lack of education, health care, and most of all genuine nurture.

That is why, to date, the US government has established the Operation Protect Children initiative which focuses on the development of child friendly spaces. This plan is in line with BuildaBridge's mission to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. So we too are revisiting our commitment to the children in Haiti. With over 10 years of serving children and families in transitional homes throughout the United States and abroad, BuildaBridge International understands the importance of healing through the arts amongst those who've been traumatized. In the past year, we worked in an orphanage creating a safe place for kids to play, and in a school developing an after-school arts program. You can view these by clicking on the links.

By providing children an outlet to express themselves through art, music, dance, drama, and creative writing, they actually tap into a realm of escape, and healing.

This year, as part of our Haiti Arts Relief and Development initiative, we will continue our arts relief efforts with Practical Compassion in Pont Sonde, Haiti as well as building relationships with local and international organizations that are directly associated with Haiti.

So, do you remember where you were on that disastrous day? Let's continue to keep the people of Haiti on our minds and in our hearts. We all have a responsibility to put our hands and resources together for the greater good of this world. To get involved with BuildaBridge's next trip to Haiti contact Maeva Renaud.

To support the Haiti Arts Relief and Development initiative financially, donate online or send your contributions to BuildaBridge International 205 W Tulpehocken Street Philadelphia, PA 19144. Enter Haiti Arts Relief.

The Haiti Arts Relief and Development (HARD) initiative is an arts intervention and restoration development program that focuses on children in communities of poverty and crisis. This initiative will come to fruition through strong alliances with individuals and organizations that are involved in the reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in the Republic of Haiti since the January 12, 2010 earthquake that destroyed the capital and surrounding cities and the Cholera disease epidemic that spread throughout the country.

Our main objectives are to create safe places, provide healing and education for children living in transitional environments (shelters and residential care institutions), and train local artists and community workers in creative arts methods of education, healing, and the environment. We believe in holistic transformation. As part of the restorative development, the initiative offers training to Haitian artist, teachers, health care workers and residential care centers staff in arts-assisted learning, classroom management and curriculum writing, therapeutic art skills and psychological first aid.

These past couple of weeks have been crazy, in a good way. Making some progress as far as working with organizations in Haiti. Next week, I'll be going to Cap Haitien, where a facility was donated to house children that have been affected, lost their parents, or parents aren't able to provide. We were able to secure staff on the ground to take care of the children, 24 of them will be coming to the facility which we are now calling 'Shalom Village' (Peace Village). 4 Kids are from Port-au-Prince, 4 from La Gonaive, and the rest from Cap Haitien. Their age range are 3-9 years old. I'm flying out on thursday and coming back on Monday. I was going to bring food down there but unfortunately its REALLY EXPENSIVE!!!! So it would be best to purchase food on the ground in Haiti. We will be flying in to Santiago, DR and driving into Haiti


I'm asking you all to help support the kids that we'll be taking care of by making a monetary donation online at http://www.changeiscomingcampaign.com/ or by mail at 320 S. Flamingo Road #298 Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 ( Make checks payable to Arts of Color Worship Arts Institute, Inc)



We need $700.00 to purchase food to last for the month.



This is going to be one of my main projects this year (to help the village become self sufficient) I maybe moving down to Haiti for a while (God willing) but nevertheless I'll be keep you updated on what's going on down there and how you can help.



P.S. Please make a donation to the website so we can purchase food for the kids.



Much thanks in advance!

Maeva

Hi Everyone,




A week ago today, I was able to travel to Port-au-Prince, Haiti and bring medical supplies, food, and tents to those in need. Words cannot truly describe my experience there but I must say that I was highly disappointed, frustrated, annoyed, and angry. When I got to my family members who were laying down on card board boxes underneath a make shift tent out of sticks and sheets, they told me that I was the first one to come to their aid.



Imagine if I had not gone, if I had not been able to raise the funds to charter a plane and bring down supplies myself to Haiti. Would my family had gotten any help? God only knows.



As I spoke to other people in the community and in Champs De Mars, I was told that they haven't been receiving any aid. I interviewed several officers in the US Army regarding the aid and they shared with me different points of views.

1. They are waiting on instructions from higher command

2. They are speaking to the people to find out their needs

3. They havent come up a structure to distribute the aid effectivelly yet



This really pissed me off, maybe I don't understand what the heck they are waiting for, but I can't just wait until "whom ever is in charge" to devise a plan to distribute. Too many people have already died. Too many people are hungry, too many people are thirsty. We have to act now!



I'm planning on going back again myself to bring more supplies and food to the people that I met. A majority of the people I met on Champs De Mars gave me their contact information and we created our own plan on how to distribute to the people who aren't connected to a major NGO. I also connected with a church, whose lot is filled with victims under makeshift tents. They definitely need food, water, and medical supplies. Something that tore me a part was watching the kids playing with sticks and rocks. One little girl named Maria asked me to bring her back a coloring book.



I'm a little weak right now, going to try to rest this weekend. But next week, I'll be back full force and keep you all posted.



Blessings,

Maeva Renaud
View My Photo Album

PS. Special thanks to Kijik Multimedia, Hollywood Unites For Haiti, Phatt Traxx Productions, and all the individuals who made donations towards this trip! Couldnt have done it without you!

After some struggle we were finally able to get people in Haiti. Our group spent one night in Cap Haitian and are now Port au Prince. More updates are to come and stories about the experience.

We would like to thank everyone who allowed this trip to occur through their contributions.This is only the beginning of the work we have to do as a united force.


Nzingah Oniwosan
Sankofa's Child, Inc