Greetings from Health for Haiti! School is once again in session at SUNY Broome and in Grande Saline. We are happy to see students and staff get back to work in Binghamton and in Haiti. We are also glad that everyone is taking steps to protect their health so we can all stay safe while learning.
In Grande Saline, students and teachers are wearing masks when they are in a group, practicing social distancing, and washing their hands frequently.
All of those lessons our SUNY Broome Health for Haiti students and staff delivered over the years about health hygiene, microscopy, germs, and microbes are surprisingly vital now in light of the global pandemic. And the Health for Haiti hand-washing station that was designed by the Health for Haiti engineering team and built by staff in Haiti is getting a lot of use.
The community recently planted rice in the school garden. A successful crop will be a tremendous addition to the school lunch program. Food insecurity and malnutrition continue to pose a serious threat to the health and well-being of families in Grande Saline, and this community garden is an important part of helping to feed local children.
Even though it is unlikely that we will be able to visit Haiti any time soon, we are proud to see that the foundation we built over the past years is supporting forward progress in Grande Saline. Given our limted resources, the community recently identified school/education, clean water, nutrition/garden, and computer/digital literacy classes as the priorties they want to focus on in the coming year. We are doing all we can to continue to partner with our friends in Haiti and support the great work that is going on there.
Usually around this time we are posting invitations to attend our fall fundraisers. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our 2020 Health for Haiti pancake breakfast and bowling event and it is not looking like it will be possible to offer a January 2021 class. This is very sad news for our program. We know it is a difficult time for everyone but we hope that those who are able to make a donation will share what they can to help support our ongoing efforts in Haiti. You can find out how to help by clicking on the “Support Health for Haiti” button above.
Your support benefits our friends in Grande Saline and our future SUNY Broome Health for Haiti students – who we hope to welcome to the team as soon as it is safe to travel. We recently received a letter from a former Health for Haiti student who thanked us for memories that would last a lifetime and for the opportunity “to do the most important work on the planet.” Thank you for being a part of Health for Haiti’s efforts to empower these amazing and promising students, both here and in Haiti.
SUNY Broome Health for Haiti 