Starthrower Foundation ~ Updates From Haiti

Cap-Haitien


Hello Everyone,

We had amazing winds last night and today it's overcast. Given the weather conditions, I am amazed that there is a signal at all. This is my third attempt to send you this update.

(Editor's Note: I advised Sharon today that Hurricane Ernesto is centered to the south of Haiti. With much of Haiti deforested, heavy rains cause devastating flash floods.)

Re: Numbers in July :: We had 154 youth knock on our portail seeking help for paying for school. In August so far, we've had 197. Our active wait list shows 36 students waiting for high school and another 6 for trades/apprenticeships. I estimate Starthrower Foundation needs $11,000 US by the end of September in order to accommodate everyone for first trimest. We will not be able to help the other 255 students as we do not have enough time to visit each home to do an intake interview and request necessary support documents.

We have given birth to a new group of about 20 of our staff and students that meets every Tuesday and Thursday in our parking space to sing and improvise skits. Wouldn`t a Canadian tour for these youngsters be a great idea?

Thanks to Sue in England, we have some scientific calculators ready to be transported from Canada. We are just waiting for someone to bring them to us in Cap-Haitien. It may be December 1, when I return to Cap-Haitien. In the meantime the kids will have to do without. They are used to that.

(Editor's Note: Hurricane permitting, the calculators may arrive as soon as next week.)

We've found out why there's been no electricity for 2 months. On Friday, Jacques noticed rest of kartiye had it and we did not. He went in search of Bos Elekrisyen and miraculously found him. Bos came and checked everything and said that the house was fine (he tested everything with the generator). The problem is the line from EDH (pronounced A - Day - Ash, Electrique d' Ayiti). This means we will never have electricity as the wait list for their services is estimated at 2 years.

Rosenie arrived for work on Friday with cuts. She was bleeding and her skirt was ripped. She had fallen coming out of her ti kay (little house). Our visitors from last summer will remember that her house is built on a garbage dump, so tetanus is a worry. We cleaned and covered her wounds, and gave her meds for pain, as well as money for a tetanus shot. I will let you know if she was able to find one.

I am still very sick and to add insult to injury I now have a sore throat. Seems a virus has decided I am a good host. I am certain people wonder why I am sick so often. You have to understand that I am constantly walking in, and breathing in, raw sewage and garbage. Garbage fires are everywhere all the time -- old tires, old oil, rusted car parts etc. Everything is going into our bodies. At Lakay Fondasyon, we only burn leaves and paper products at the house but our neighbours continue burning everything.

Blessings, Sharon