News From Haiti
November 18, 2011 – The New Wing of the Academy for Peace and Justice
On Friday, November 18th, the beautiful new wing of classrooms at the Academy for Peace and Justice officially opened.
APJ founder Paul Haggis, his wife Deborah, APJ Country Director Bryn Mooser, the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s George Stromboulopoulos, and advisory board member Martha Rogers joined Father Rick and the St. Luc team to celebrate the opening.
October 2011 - APJ School Grand Opening
Port-au-Prince, Haiti — On the morning of October 10th, the sun was shining and the heat as the gates to the Academy for Peace and Justice reopened for school. Over 700 students streamed through the gates, smiling wide and anxious to get back to work. Bryn was on the ground taking it all in — here is his update from the first week back to school!
July 2011 - Graduation!
Earlier this summer, the 7th grade students at the Academy for Peace and Justice had their first graduation ceremony. It was the culmination of a great first year of school for all of the APJ students.
June 21, 2011 - School's out for summer!
Today marks the final day of the first full term at the Academy for Peace and Justice. School’s out for summer! For the past week, the students have been working hard to complete their final exams. It’s amazing to know that these Haitian students are on the same academic schedule as many children their age around the world—and final exams can be stressful anywhere you take them—so we wish our friends the best of luck!
May 2011 - More Construction
The month of May marked a time of significant progress for APJ. Our Haitian construction crew broke ground on the second block of classrooms at the Academy for Peace and Justice. The school looks better than we could ever have imagined just one short year ago. The next block of ten classrooms will provide space for all 8th grade students at the Academy. This construction not only paves the way for new facilities and valuable education, but it also contributes to the community’s dire need for new jobs.
March 15, 2011 - Academy For Peace and Justice Welcome Ceremony
On March 15, 2011, Artists for Peace and Justice founder Paul Haggis and friends celebrated a year of wonderful accomplishments at the Welcome Ceremony of the Academy for Peace and Justice. Our students, teachers and supporters stood together and planted trees to represent the re-growth of Haiti. A group of students gave a rousing dance performance, and Father Rick spoke about the impact of Artists for Peace and Justice over the past year.
January 29, 2011 - Staff Trip to Haiti
On the 29th of January, Board Member and Head of Medical Programs Dr. Reza Nabavian and Executive Director Tanyella Evans took a trip to Haiti to meet with Father Rick and his team and review the plans for phase 2 of the Academy for Peace and Justice. Tanyella reflects on the trip:
“Everyone says it, but Haiti really is a unique and special place, that opens your eyes and breaks into your heart.
As soon as we arrived we went to the cholera clinic that APJ had sponsored as soon as the cholera epidemic hit last year. It was incredible to see the progress that had been made as the structures around the clinic have gradually become more permanent and state-of-the-art equipment is improving patient care. The cholera clinic is providing dignity to those who are so ill – over 4,000 patients have been treated since October, 50% of whom would have died without the care provided.
December 5, 2010 - Cholera Epidemic - St. Philomena
Thanks to the presence of teams from Haiti, Italy, Germany and the USA to help at our cholera camp, I was able to sneak out of Haiti today for three days to visit my father. As I left, Wynn was drilling a catheter into the leg bone of a near dead child, as a last effort to help Giulia and Pietro give fluids to this small victim of cholera and malnutrition. Nebez walked to a corner of the room with head bowed, as it is very hard to watch all this suffering. Poverty is already a terrible reality, and cholera is a terrible disease. We are running out of corners to hide in.
We call our cholera tent center "St Philomena Hospital". We don't mention cholera so as not to stigmatize the people there. We forbid pictures to protect their dignity. Signs leading to it say "rehydration center". It's amazing how fast we put up this facility that is made of 16 huge tents with the capacity of 17 beds each. Imagine setting up a water system, laundry, logistics, beds, electricity, a charting system, a supply tent, a simple meal service so fast for a 130 bed field hospital…even with Christmas lights to brighten things up a bit. We have set up 130 beds so far, but as I mentioned the capacity so far is about 250 beds.
November 30, 2010 - Ten Months On
I have spent some time reflecting on where we are at today and wanted to share an update about all that has been accomplished in Haiti since the Earthquake.
APJ Secondary School
Of course the school is our pinnacle achievement with 35 teachers and staff and nearly 400 students. By now we are all familiar with the hurdles we jumped to open on time and what seemed impossible at times has become a reality. It is truly thrilling each day when I walk into the front gate and see the students laughing and learning at our APJ Secondary School.
Cholera Center
APJ has been proud to support the Cholera Center at St Damien's Hospital. Nearly 500 patients have been treated...
November 18, 2010 - Cholera Epidemic - St. Marc
It's been a long month in Haiti since Cholera first arrived in St Marc. What began as 14 cases on the banks of the Abricote River has turned into a nationwide disaster with over 20,000 reported cases and nearly 1,000 deaths, some fear this plague may be greater then the Earthquake of January 12th.
This past weekend APJ's Dr Reza Nabavian, Barbara Burchfield and Olivia Wilde came down to lend a hand. Bringing with them much needed medical supplies Dr. Reza went to work immediately in our Cholera Center. He worked tirelessly giving IVs and creating the trauma ward of the Center. Olivia and Barbara helped distribute over a ton of rice providing hundreds of families living in the tent camps with food. Olivia even put on scrubs and helped out in the new Neo Natology ward of St Damien's.
November 17, 2010 - A Letter From Father Rick
I worked all night at our cholera treatment area, and during the night I saw a comparison I never would have imagined. Stepping out of the tents for fresh air from time to time, I saw the pearly white crescent moon overhead, beautiful and calming. Inside the tents, also set against a deep darkness, the eyes of the most severe of the sick people have the same form. Eyes sunk deeply to that the whites of the eye stay below the upper eyelid, with the eye rolled upward toward the forehead. Two crescent moons. It is a scary sight to see the depth of the apathy and surrender, not an ounce of fight left. It is sadder still to see it in children.
November 1, 2010 - Between a rock and a hard place.
The cholera cases are double from one week ago, about 2300 last week to over 4600 as of yesterday.
The people drink water directly from the river because they have no other choice. There is no other water. Our friends from Operation Blessing have installed a number of generator run filters in the river so the people have a chance to drink clean water.
October 27, 2010 - Cholera Epidemic - A Letter From Father Rick
The people of Haiti seem to be facing this newest challenge, cholera, with their usual strength, and a full determination to plow ahead.
The Ministry of Health, and foreign organizations working in public health, are trying to contain the spread of cholera by having people treated in centers in the Artibonite valley, as opposed to going to Port-au-Prince or other centers away from the Artibonite River, the source of contamination. There are also vigorous instructions on the radio as to the importance of thorough hand washing and proper food preparation.
September 7, 2010 - Back to School
This October, finally the children of Haiti will return back to school. We are excited to announce that thanks to all of your support, these kids will have access to the first free secondary school in the slums. APJ has begun to build beyond the 6th grade, which has been the standard education limit of this country.
August 16, 2010 - Tom's Shoes
There are hundreds of thousands of displaced earthquake victims living in camps around Port Au Prince. The living conditions in the camps are appalling. Children need to protect their feet from cuts & sores and prevent disease and infection.
Bryn Mooser of Artists For Peace And Justice teams up with Operation Blessing and Partners In Health and to distribute Toms shoes.
July 23, 2010 - Haiti Today
As I reflect on 6 months later it is in the individual stories that I keep the hope for the future and get the strength to continue to work tirelessly amid the darkness and destruction to find the light and love all around. These are a few of their stories.
July 21, 2010 - A Hopeful Note on Haiti
Haiti remains in critical condition despite all the good work by all the good people over the past six months. 1.2 million people remain displaced as they live in makeshift camps. Very little rubble from the earthquake damage has actually been cleared. Billions of dollars have been raised, but numerous governmental and non-governmental agencies are unable to put that cash to work. The government of Haiti is dysfunctional ahead of an election and has lost most of its infrastructure in the earthquake. Everyone is waiting for a central solution, a grand scheme for relief and reconstruction.
But the reality on the ground dictates otherwise. The most effective solutions to this national tragedy have been in the form of de-centralized entities, dealing with specific problems for which they provide a direct solution: Small NGO's setting up camps for the homeless or field hospitals for the injured, individual donors providing food, water and medicine to those in need.
As the frustration with the pace of recovery escalates, it is important to recognize the...
July 12, 2010 - Haiti still needs your support, now more than ever!
Six months have passed since the earthquake hit Haiti. Food, water, shelter and medical care are in short supply. International relief and reconstruction efforts are slowing down when Haiti is most in need of help.
APJ has been helping to provide many of the basic necessities and much needed medical care for the children of the slums. Our humanitarian projects help provide daily food and water to over 8,000 children. Our surgical team has performed reconstructive surgery on over 120 patients.
April 26, 2010 - APJ Medical Update from Haiti
In addition to donating food/water/shelter, APJ medical efforts have been directed at providing limb salvage operations for children and adult victims of this horrible disaster. By performing complex reconstructive surgery and wound care, our team has been able to save many arms and legs.
March 2, 2010 - APJ Medical Mission Update
Artists for Peace and Justice Board member Dr. Reza Nabavian shares his amazing story about two children that received emergency medical support thanks to the tremendous efforts of Mending Kids International and APJ.
Feb 26, 2010 - Weekly Standard - Love Among Ruins
Read an incredibly compelling story focusing on the efforts of Father Rick Frechette in Haiti following the earthquake. The article was written by "The Weekly Standard" columnist Matt LaBash.
Feb 11, 2010 - APJ Secures Long-Term Commitments for the Children of Haiti
Artists for Peace and Justice is incredibly grateful of the support from our Hollywood colleagues. To read the official press release outlining some of our major contributors and the next steps for APJ, please click here.
Feb 5, 2010 - A Volunteer's Perspective
It was really a facebook success story how we got linked up with APJ -- my Italian aunt introduced me to a filmmaker in NY. When I posted on my facebook status that we were looking for an organization to link up with in Haiti, he sent me the APJ link and e-mailed his friend Tao who e-mailed his friend at APJ.
Feb 4, 2010 - Experiences in Haiti
Rob Beckham, a volunteer with Homes for the Heart, has been working with APJ in the rebuild of the schools in the slums of Port-au-Prince, particularly the slum known as Cite Soleil. He shares with us his recap of his time spent in Haiti.
February 1, 2010 - Re-Construction Begins
We are incredibly excited to have begun demolition and the planning for re-construction of the damaged street schools in Haiti. Last week we started demolition on our school in Cite Soleil, working with some amazing partners in Operation USA and Homes for the Heart to build disaster proof structures.
January 29th, 2010 - Inspiring doctors
We are incredibly proud of American surgeon Dr. Reza Nabavian who has returned to Haiti to set up a burn unit at St. Damiens Pediatric Hospital in Port au-Prince. Dr. Reza sent a message last night: "I was well taken care of by Father Rick and his staff and was able to graft three kids last night, hopefully saved three legs, lots more to do." - Reza
January 23rd, 2010 - A letter from Paul Haggis in Haiti
My good friend Dr. Reza Nabavian, surgeon and burn specialist, wrote this tonight, at 3.30 in the morning, after operating here at St. Damien's all day and most of the night. The NPH doctors here are incredible, as are the doctors who joined them from Sean and Diana's J/P organization.
January 23rd, 2010 - A letter from Reza Nabavian, MD, Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgeon
I wish I could convey the images of the last 48 hours using words. Nobody can. I have never seen so much human desperation in my life. I have never felt so hopeless. I didn't know what to expect as I first walked through the crowded courtyards and hospital wards of St. Damien.
January 21st, 2010 - On the Ground in Port-au-Prince
The acrid smell of death is not the first thing that hits you landing in Port-au-Prince. It is the screams and wails of mourning that are overwhelming. The cries of mothers, fathers, neighbors and friends who have lost so much and so many in the last week. The Haitian people whom I have come to know over the last year are a strong, compassionate, resilient bunch who mourn with the same passion they live by.
January 21st, 2010 - A letter from Paul Haggis in Haiti
I'm with our team now at St. Damien Pediatric Hospital, getting ready to tour and assess the damage of as many street schools as we can - we expect that many of them have been reduced to rubble while others are dangerously on the verge of collapse. As we plan our rebuild I'm fortunate to be working with experts here to discuss disaster resistant materials, designs and techniques.
January 17th, 2010 - St. Damien Update - From Peter Tinnemann to Monica Grey
Our triage is functioning nicely and we continue with registration but we aren't able to analyze figures yet; we should know more in the next few days.
January 17th, 2010 - David Belle reports from Port-au-Prince
I have been told that much US media coverage paints Haiti as a tinderbox ready to explode. I'm told that lead stories in major media are of looting, violence and chaos. There could be nothing further from the truth.
January 16th, 2010 - St. Helen Orphanage Update - From Mark Ouwehand, NPHI IT Manager
The children in Kenscoff are doing well and everyone is safe. There is hardly any structural damage. Currently there is enough food, but they are running low on diesel, but we have close UN ties, so there should not be a problem. There are still lots of vegetables, fruits and potatoes in the market, just that prices are going up fast.
January 16th, 2010 - St. Damien Update - From Peter Tinnemann to Monica Grey (Peter is an ex-volunteer 96-97)
The hospital continues to be swamped with patients and we are not able to assess where they are coming from. The are desperate to find medical care. Overall the estimate is 500-700 patients in a hospital which is built for 200. Out of that 700, 200 are children and one third are under 12 years of age.
January 15th, 2010 - A letter from Father Rick Frechette
After driving by night to Kennedy Airport January 12, and flying to Dominican Republic January 13, Conan and I arrived to Haiti this morning in the helicopter of the President of the Dominican Republic. This ride was due to the reputation of NPH in the Dominican Republic, an NPH Italy, a reputation enhanced in the DR by Andrea Bocelli not long ago.
Archives
... even the smallest amount helps.