As you are aware, the security situation in Port-au-Prince has been a major concern for a long time now. Gangs control large areas of the city, and inter-gang conflicts constantly disrupt normal business and domestic activities. Currently, there is a force of Kenyan soldiers in the city, stationed at the airport, but so far their mandate has been to simply protect themselves and the interim government. No effort has been made to reduce the activities of gangs.
Despite this tense situation, Lamp has moved forward in three very significant ways. Firstly, we have completed extensive renovations to our main health center in Bwa Nèf, Cité Soleil. Most of Cité Soleil faced unprecedented flooding late last year because a dysfunctional government failed to dredge the canals that take rainwater from the higher parts of Port-au-Prince to the sea. The Lamp for Haiti Health Center was inundated. We have repaired the damage and also renovated, so that rising water can no longer enter the clinic. The rainy season is about to begin and the canals remain blocked, but we are prepared!
Part of the renovation project had an additional goal: to prepare for the replacement of our old and now inadequate solar energy system. This, including a new cement roof on our main building, has been accomplished! We are now working with a very experienced solar energy contractor who is providing, gratis, his design skills and his relationships with solar energy companies in Port-au-Prince to ensure a high quality and low cost result.
A second way in which Lamp has pushed forward is reflected in the theme statement of our gala this year: Extending our Reach, Expanding our Family. Late last year we took an ambitious step and opened a second health care location. The first six months saw many disruptions in service, and in March a full scale conflict broke out in the area (near the international airport) as gangs tried, successfully, to keep President Ariel Henry from returning to the country. When we re-opened in early May, we made another momentous decision: to accept patients from a large new area within Cité Soleil. In partnership with youth organization Sakala, which is located there, we are now accepting patients from neighborhoods called Twa Bebe (Three Babies), Limyè (Light), and De Site (Two Cities) (See Map).
Finally, our child nutrition program has expanded dramatically. This was not due to any decision on our part but simply a response to overwhelming need. In times like these, food is often the most relevant medicine. In previous times we treated around 250 malnourished children per year. This year we expect to treat a minimum of 650. If resources are available, this number could easily surpass 1,000. The impact of this program really can’t be understated: it is preventing the death, or physical and intellectual stunting, of these children. They are at a very vulnerable stage of their development and desperately need this intervention.
We – all of us at Lamp — are privileged to be able to take these steps, in solidarity with you, our supporters, and with the rest of our extended family, the people of Cité Soleil.
