Reflections from Cap

3 a.m. and finally there is some calm.  Gunfire has ceased - outside my window the occasional mango drops, somewhere a dog barks, roosters crow, a child cries.

When I left Canada Nov. 15th I fully expected to be home in Cap-Haitien the next day.  When manifestasyon yo (protests) closed the airport for 5 days, precipitating a minor personal financial crisis in Provo, the universe put Lesline of Air Turks and Caicos and Cathy and Ian, Inglewood, On. in my life. Thank you - your compassion, humour, generosity and friendship are treasures I will store.

Once here the reality of life - a Monday trip to the bank meant a wait of 2 1/2 hours in line.  At one point I counted 184 people in front of me, just to pass the time. I forgot to bring my book.  Money transfer sent to Léogâne, currency exchanged, on to try to find supplies for the centre here and for the office in Sen Rafayel.  Everything from note books to propane is scarce.  Prices reflect the limited supply.

Our refrigerator died , twice, was revived by 2 different technicians.  The water chateau on the roof started to leak - a 500 gallon leak. The brakes went on the truck and it took us 2 days to find new parts. Our propane tank (cooking) came up empty.  The inverter proved to be a hungry beast.  Initially operating on 4 batteries (albeit ineffectively) we purchased 6 only to be told by Danius that we needed 8 to operate the house.  Our precious bank acct. dropped perilously low but the house can function now without EDH (Haiti's hydro company).  The handle on the faucet outside broke off, no replacement to be found.

Meantime Auguste and I were busy looking after students who continue to need medical attention, school supplies and dental work.  Carmene and Joceline (below) sterilized bottles and filled them with dry ingredients for 'sewomoral' (sugar and salt to be added with water when needed) to treat 'kolera' (cholera).  Jack's wife Angeline was the first to use our homemade product to fight cholera. She is much improved this week although still weak.  We spoke briefly by phone yesterday.

Wednesday, Dec. 1st, we travelled to Sen Rafayel to deliver potable water, the dry serum ingredients to fight cholera, staff pay envelopes, Kesner's sewing machine (picture below) and to make home visits long overdue. 

We witnessed 7 funerals in the 4 hour visit.  The boss who made the coffin for Consienne's father in September has died of Cholera, so his apprentices are now in business for themselves.  Our landlord's wife and children have died.  A dozen students have left bills for medical services rendered, each one exorbitant. The Red Cross (Kwa Wouj) is sending text messages to all phone holders, directing those with cholera symptoms to go to the nearest treatment centre.  For those in Sen Rafayel the nearest centre is 3 hours down the mountain over what passes for a road but is really a mountain track too narrow in places for vehicles.  What should be a compassionate, humanitarian response has become big business in our little village.

More unpleasant surprises - College Vincent Oge (one of the village's oldest schools) and College Roi Henri Christophe (one of the newest) have closed.  Declining enrollment (declining numbers of those able to pay) means teachers do not get paid.  The directors of the schools used our first trimester payments for teacher's salaries so there is no remittance coming.  We now have to find schools willing and able to take on Fabiola, Mary-Rose, Severe, Thony, Illiomene, Benouse, Evaldine and Mika.  I say 'able' as 5 are in the pilot program 'nouvo secondaire' the government started and very few schools were selected to participate.  This also means we pay again for the first trimester in order for our students to have the opportunity to write Christmas exams.

And the hours fly by - a meeting with Consienne to pass on her sponsor's stipend and Christmas gift, pay staff, distribute hand soap, phone cards, explain how to use  the natural supplement Allimax,  and finally lunch to-gether.

As we prepare to head out for home visits a convoy of marked UN vehicles heads past on the way out of town.  We had played tag with them coming up the mountain.  As they whiz past, I begin to take pictures and call to Auguste to bring the video recorder.  Djohn begins to count the vehicles (kontwole).  He starts in mid-parade and gets to 37.  We are told by those in the know that the visit had been to verify that the polling station and ballots cast had been destroyed by fire.  Two questions came to mind - how much precious fuel did those vehicles use getting up and down the mountain and why did the powers that be not send life-saving 'sewomoral' (to fight cholera) in each vehicle?

We deliver Kesner's sewing machine (thank you David in New Brunswick) then on to visits.  First Elines.  Mother has been dead for 10 years, father is partially paralyzed from an accident and stroke.  The house is full of huge holes and provides no shelter.  It was also damaged in the earthquake. (pictures below).  They have a piece of land but no funds to build on it.  Not one of the students we visit has access to a latrine or running water.

Elines is in his 5th year of high school and wants to study medicine and become a doctor.

(Daniel  here - Elines is one of our students in the "Starthrowers in Action" group sponsorship program and he only needs another $25 a month to be fully sponsored.

Any Starthrowers out there willing to help him? )

To another house where sisters Fabiola, Adminada and Rose-Evenia live with their mother and dying grandmother (98 years old).  We support these 3.  Mother has some motor impairment from a stroke.  Other siblings are in Cap-Haitien with an aunt.  Like the ti-kay (small house) of Elines, the walls are cracked and fill of holes, the 'tol' roof (corrugated metal) leaks like a sieve.  They also have a piece of land but no 'moyen ekonomik' (financial means) to build on it.

Fabiola in front of their house

Main room. Bed for her mother. Fabiola and her sisters sleep on the floor.

  

Our final visit to Illiomene (student staff).  She is alone in the world - parents deceased, no siblings.  The family with whom she has been staying has asked her to leave, as the owners have died of cholera and their children are being cared for by an aunt who has her hands full and needs the floor space Illiomene takes up when she sleeps.  Illiomene is of most concern.

Sleep is elusive in Haiti - so many ups and downs in a day.  The violence of Wednesday (Dec. 8th) underscores the need to stay the course - access to education is vital.  Some good news - Althega was successful getting into the medical technology program at Ecole Polytechnique du Cap-Haitien.  He began classes Monday. Post-secondary institutions are operating through the chaos.   Like Micheline, he needs a French Medical Dictionary and a complete Glucometer Kit.  Anyone who can help with these please contact me for shipping details.

There are many to thank as usual.  I'm always concerned about leaving someone out - if I do, please don't be offended. The universe knows .

Thank you Jackie, Benjamin and Diane, Cindy W., Cindy S., Betty Lou and each of the amazing sponsors who have come forward to support these courageous young people.  Until the next...

Beni-w

Kembe pa lage

Sharon

Update 1- As of Friday, Dec 10th, 2pm.  Street manifestations have started again (in the rain).  Burning tires and gunshots.  Staff won't be able to go home if it continues.
Update 2- Fabiola and Illiomene are in the hospital in SenRafayel, both being treated for Cholera.

Cap-Haitien Unrest

Hello everyone - Daniel here - due to little electricity, Sharon was only able to send these two quick updates this morning.  I know she is working on a long blog that I hope to receive this week.

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Electricity just back - internet arrived last night after a week of frustration and long distance phone calls to re-activate our account.  But it's here - just need electricity for awhile.

Jack, Auguste and Carmene have all checked in by telephone this morning. Jack's call took about 8 minutes to go through. There are no public vehicles working and the streets (from staff reports) have erupted in protest to the naming of Jud Celestin as 2nd place contender for the presidency in front of favorite Martelly.

Barricades of tires are burning, there is gunfire, rocks and bottles indiscriminately flying about. The surprise is the geographical reach - Auguste lives out of town in Haut-de-Cap and he can't get out of his katye (neighborhood). Jack is in Laboul, downtown behind the Hotel Roi Christophe and Carmene is near Madeline on the way out of town to Milot, Sen Rafayel etc...

Radio reports of election results placed Celestin (Preval's hand picked successor) third which calmed the anger until this morning when the order was rearranged and Martelly dropped to third.

At some point in time those in power will learn that democrary is going to win out here - maybe not in my life time but the poor will have their day. They know and have always known what this country needs and it is not politics as usual.

...

Hydro back - in 12 years I have never heard such a clamor - it sounds as though every person able is participating in this manifestasyon-an (protest) although I know that is not the case. Our staff value their lives and families as do many.

These are not rain clouds over the house, but smoke from burning tires

The dogs are standing watch at the gate - all dogs are barking except ours. They just watch. Joceline arrived as she just lives above us in St. Philomene and does not need to go down to the street. Her children turned back except the oldest. He said he has to write his exam today.

The cacaphony is truly unnerving.

Be safe - more later

Sharon

Update from Sharon: Smoke dissapating - gun fire increasing and closer . Student (Alex) just arrived as closer here than to go home. He had been at a course which required him to leave home at 5 am - before the protest started. Now we are 3 at the house.

Jack just phoned to say they are safe -so glad he made it back home.

 

Haiti in the time of Cholera

Tomorrow we head up Sen Rafayel.  We have 2 active cases of cholera that we know of - Illiomene (student staff) and Suzanne.

Vaudre has recovered and we are going to pay his hospital bill to get him released. Thank you to everyone who donated money to help us fight the Cholera crisis and also to get Vaudre out of the hospital.

Alex was in today - his aunt died this morning in Sen Rafayel and he needs travel money.  We just can't do it with so many dying of Cholera.

Paudeline (mother predeceased) lost her grandmother and father to Cholera on the weekend.  Last week Talien's grandmother and brother died (parents already deceased).

And Carline has Typhoid, Rosema Malaria, Edwina undiagnosed.

Our university students in Santiago, Dominican Republic (Jhennie - Business Administration, Elorge and Marlene - Pre Med ) have already been apprised of the reality of border crossing.  If they come home for Christmas they will not be allowed back in the Dominican Republic.  We will arrange fund transfers.  This eliminates their ability to work and make much needed money for living expenses as they are not allowed to work in the DR.

Thanks Cindy in Pennsylvania for the 2 boxes which arrived yesterday.  Carmene is baking cookies from the mix you sent as I write.

Intermittent electricity at the house - Boss working there now as our refrigerator has been leaking small rivers.  Danius (2nd year Business Admin) came out Friday and serviced our truck. What talented students we have.

Sunday was a lock down day due to elections - frequent gunfire and very angry crowds outside our portay - bottles and rocks being thrown. The voting location in Sen Rafayel as well as all ballots cast were burned.

We still await official results.  Anger still simmers.

More later,
Sharon

Daniel here - Sharon has a lot more informations she would like to share but could only send out this little update from a cybercafe in Cap-Haitien.

Cholera, Internet, Donations

Hello everyone, this is Daniel, the french Canadian "web guy".  Sharon phoned me this morning from Cap-Haitien and because she has no access to Internet, told me this message over the phone.(Typos and bad sentence structures all mine).

Things are not well over there.  Cholera is spreading fast, all the kids are scared of catching it.  Some carry bleach with them to wash their hands, some have put bleach in their nose to prevent the germs from going in.  Misinformation is everywhere.
Because of the manifestations, schools in Cap-Haitien are still close and Sharon suspects that's going to be the case until after the elections this week.

Starthrower Foundation has no Internet access anymore and Sharon was able to go into town to "Hotel du Roi Chistophe" for their wireless service and other Internet cafe but not anymore.  On this note, if someone would be able to help with the Internet Provider monthly fees to unable Sharon to be back online, that would be greatly appreciated. (Update - found someone, thank you!)

Now to the big problem, cholera.

One of our student in Sen Rafayel, Vaudre, caught it and got treated at the Hospital.  No clinics in Sen Rafayel are accepting people with symptoms of Cholera, the only place they can go if they don't want to die is the hospital, but it cost money.  As I'm writing this, Vaudre is cured but the hospital won't release him until he pays the medical fees, which stands now at $170 US.  And that amount will grow everyday that he stays there.  If he doesn't pay, he will go to jail.  Students are telling Sharon that they would prefer to die from cholera than to go to that jail, which is notorious for human rights abuse...
That is the same hospital that refused to admit Consienne's blind father because he had no money. He died a few days after.

Hospitals in Haiti are not like here.  Vaudre doesn't have a bed.  Vaudre sleeps on the floor.  If he brought a piece or carpet with him, he's using that to sleep on.  Food or water are not provided.  A family member has to bring him food and water.  As far as I can tell, he's being help "hostage" until he pays (that's my angry reaction, not Sharon's).

In the news, wherever you see medical responses to the cholera outbreak, it's provided by NGO's like "Doctors without Borders".  In Cap-Haitien, "Doctors without Borders" have a free clinic in a school's gym.

There are no NGO's reaching Sen Rafayel.  We are worried about Vaudre and our students.  More will get sick and could die before this is all over.  Starthrower Foundation is the only NGO in Sen Rafayel and we don't have enough money to deal with this crisis.

Sharon is asking for your help.  She needs new funds right now for treatment of cholera for our students and their families.  We are asking all Starthrowers out there to donate what you can. 

The panic is very real.

BBC update on haiti

Daniel here - Sharon has asked me to post this news article from the BBC.

16 November 2010


UN agencies expected a significant increase in the number of cholera cases after a nationwide review.... Cholera is now present in all 10 of Haiti's provinces."


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UN peacekeepers kill demonstrator amid cholera protest

At least one man has been shot dead in clashes with UN peacekeepers in Haiti, amid a continuing cholera epidemic that has killed more than 900 people.

UN troops fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators throwing stones and blocking roads in Cap Haitien.

Some Haitians have accused peacekeepers from Nepal of introducing cholera to Haiti for the first time in a century.

The UN says it has found no evidence to justify the accusation, but the cholera strain matches a South Asian one.

A demonstrator was shot and killed by a United Nations peacekeeper during an exchange of gunfire in Quartier Morin, on the outskirts of Haiti's second largest city, Cap Haitien, the UN mission said.

"There was a demonstrator who had a weapon and fired at a soldier, and the soldier returned fire in legitimate self-defence," said Minustah (UN mission in Haiti) spokesman Vicenzo Pugliese.

Hundreds of protesters threw stones at UN peacekeepers, set up burning barricades and torched a police station in Cap Haitien.

Six UN peacekeepers were injured in the clashes, the UN said. At least 10 people were also injured.

As well as calling for UN peacekeepers to leave Haiti, demonstrators accused the government of "leaving the people to die", the AFP news agency reported.

Protesters also clashed with UN troops from Nepal in the central town of Hinche.

'National security'

There have also been protests against the location of cholera treatment centres, which some people fear will bring the disease into their neighbourhoods.

The UN humanitarian co-ordinator for Haiti, Nigel Fisher, said the demonstrations showed the cholera outbreak had gone beyond a health crisis to become "an issue of national security".

He added that UN agencies expected a significant increase in the number of cholera cases after a nationwide review.

"It is spreading and we have to try to contain the number of cases and we have to try to contain the number of deaths," Mr Fisher said.

Cholera is now present in all 10 of Haiti's provinces.

Aid agencies are battling to contain the disease in the capital Port-au-Prince, amid fears it will spread through camps housing 1.1 million earthquake survivors.

President Rene Preval addressed the nation on Sunday to implore people to use good hygiene to prevent infection.

But many Haitians lack access to clean water, soap and proper sanitation.

The UN has appealed for $164m (£101m) to tackle the epidemic over the next year.

A woman carries a relative suffering from cholera into a temporary hospital in Port-au-Prince The UN expects the cholera outbreak will get much worse

The worst affected area remains the central province of Artibonite, where at least 595 people have died.

In Port-au-Prince - which was badly damaged by the earthquake in January - 27 deaths have been recorded, most of them in the slum district of Cite Soleil.

Earlier this month, Hurricane Tomas brought heavy rains, which aid agencies say contributed to the spread of the disease, as rivers burst their banks.

Up to 200,000 Haitians could contract cholera, the United Nations says.

Cholera itself causes diarrhoea and vomiting, leading to severe dehydration. It can kill quickly, but is treated easily through rehydration and antibiotics.

Presidential and parliamentary elections are due to take place in two weeks, on 28 November.