Dear Hope for Haiti Family,
Our team has been very busy delivering educational programming, training sessions, valuable gift-in-kind donations, and more with your support. As we kick off Haitian Heritage Month this May, we would like to express our deepest thanks for your support of Hope for Haiti.
Started in 2001 as an extension of Haitian Flag Day (on May 18), this month-long event celebrates Haitian history, culture, and pride. We’re proud to have 145 Haitian doctors, nurses, program leads, and other full-time Haitian team members who serve as key leaders and call Les Cayes home.
It’s with the help of their resilience and dedication that our organization continues its mission to improve the quality of life for the Haitian people, particularly women and children.
Read on for our latest program updates:
Celebrating Haitian Agriculture & Labor Day
May 1 was Agriculture and Labor Day (often called Ag Day) in Haiti, a national holiday celebrating the fruits of agriculture and labor. We’re proud to support interactive school gardens that teach students about improved agricultural techniques, reforestation, and nutrition; as well as small farm owners and community micro-orchards through our Economic Development program. This year’s theme was: Annou mete tèt nou ansanm pou nou devlope agrikilti ak pwoteje anviwónman nou. Translation: Let’s get together to develop agriculture and protect our environment.
In honor of Ag Day on Monday, our team planted a portion of the 3,000 tree seedlings that were recently gifted to Hope for Haiti to commemorate Sloane Stephens’ 30th birthday and support our important reforestation efforts in southern Haiti. 200 of the seedlings were also planted in Marre a Coiffe last week during our team’s Hike for Haiti. Follow us on social media to see more photos of Monday’s planting soon!
Hygiene Kit Distribution
Our Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) team collaborated with Fondation Tous Ensemble – Rehabilitation center(FONTEN) to provide handwashing training and distribute hygiene kits for parents and children with disabilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), simply washing our hands with soap is one of our most effective tools in fighting and stopping the spread of illnesses, making training sessions like this of the utmost importance.
World Malaria Day
Our team visited our partner community of Morency on April 25 to provide prevention lessons and distribute mosquito nets in recognition of World Malaria Day. Our team was able to secure 1,000 mosquito nets from MSPP (Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population) to provide during the training. Students also received hygiene kits, courtesy of our Gift In-Kind partner, cmmb.
World Immunization Week
April 24-30 is recognized globally as World Immunization Week, with the ultimate goal being to protect more people from diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. So far in 2023, our team has distributed close to 3,000 vaccines, including pediatric vaccinations for our youngest beneficiaries.
Technology & Foreign Aid
Hope for Haiti CEO Skyler Badenoch joined our partners Coinbase and Umoja Labs in Washington DC recently for a hands-on learning event. The purpose was to demonstrate how cryptocurrency and blockchain technology can be used to deliver foreign aid. Through our pilot program with Coinbase, Umoja, and the Celo Foundation, we provided 300 mothers in Haiti with digital cash assistance to help support their families this past year.
Save the Date: NYC Celebration
This fall, join us once again in New York City as we celebrate the impact your support has made through our programs and continue this important work.
This year’s event will be on Friday, October 27, in Brooklyn, NYC. More details will be coming soon! We hope to see you there.