When we celebrated the grand opening of our second Malnutrition Treatment Center back in May, we predicted that it's 20-beds would fill slowly over time, as more children recovered and word spread.
December. That's when we thought the Saint-Raphaël center would be full.
Not before then. And definitely, not in September.
But here we are—in the midst of a brutally difficult time for the people of Haiti—with a center that is nearly full, worrying about how to build more beds before Monday.
If you've seen the news, you know that much of Haiti is in lock-down. Unrelenting gas shortages and increasing instability have made basic activities like work, travel, buying food, and accessing health services more complicated by the hour. Businesses, government offices, and even many health facilities have shuttered their doors, unable to operate without fuel and bracing for another week of protests.
You may wonder how we're faring? We're okay.
Support from our ever-generous donors allows us to survive. In many ways we are still thriving. Our team continues to show up to work daily—ready to support the women, families, and children we serve. Our doors remain open--day and night--thanks to solar power and strong ties with the community keep us safe.
Still, road closures and fuel shortages present challenges. The Saint Raphaël Family Center is a 90-minute drive from our first location in Cap Haitien and many of the supplies we need to function must be transported from one center to the next. So, how do we cope?
Relationships with bus and Tap-Tap drivers who run the Cap-to-Saint-Raphaël route, are just one way we make it through proverbial—and actual—roadblocks.
Instead of driving one of the organization's vehicles, we can pay a small fee for the drivers to bring supplies from one door to the next.
Just last week, we had a Tap Tap transport a pile of mattresses from Cap to Saint-Raphaël Center, it's passengers shaded by the flapping mats. We made the trade on the main road near our Cap Haitien Center, and 90 minutes later the mattresses arrived in Saint-Raphaël, saving the organization money and time and reducing out impact on the environment.
The beds themselves were built by local, Saint-Raphaëlian carpenters. Even without fuel to run generators and power tools, the carpenters have been able to continue to earn a living by completing the job inside our solar-powered centers. ☀️
This upcoming weekend, 17 families will leave the Saint-Raphaël Malnutrition Treatment Center after what we hope is a productive week of learning, growth, rest, and recovery. They will be back on Monday to continue their recovery. Will they be met by 3 new faces? Three children who require immediate care for Severe Acute Malnutrition? It's very possible.
But we'll be ready.
The beds are built and, mercifully, the supply shelves are full.
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