The holiday season is a good time to remind ourselves that
other members of our family are not as fortunate as we are.
Spread the good cheer, and happy holidays!
The Second Annual Lamp reception was an inspiring, unprecedented event for the Lamp. The beauty of Haitian art and culture was the focal point, and it brought out the best in everyone who attended. Haiti still matters, in these hearts!
The featured photo is of a piece of Haitian metalwork, made by an artist in Bwa Nef itself. It is similar to many of the pieces of art that were sold at the reception, but with some added words. The words mean, “Bwa Nef says Thank You!”
Bwa Nef is the community in which Lamp’s health center is situated. With under 3% of funds going to administration this year, it’s not an exaggeration to say your gifts will go directly to those that need them most. A success in Montclair is a success in Bwa Nef!
Have a marvelous holiday season and keep Haiti in your heart!
Today, October 1, 2014, is a momentous day in the history of the Lamp! A great deal of truly inspiring work and generosity has combined to produce this marvelous outcome: the opening of our radiology unit.
We have benefited immensely from the support of so many individuals and partner agencies, from the selection of the equipment, its purchase, shipping and passage through customs, training of our x-ray technician, and installation that we can only celebrate the generosity of the human heart. It has been an uplifting experience, to say the least!
The unit will greatly increase our ability to diagnose a great range of serious illnesses. Previously we were forced to ask patients to obtain x-rays elsewhere, at great cost to themselves. But, in fact, patients were not able to pay this cost: they simply came back empty-handed and Lamp physicians were forced to diagnose and attempt effective treatment without adequate information.
The x-ray machine itself is digital, which is a great boon, and not only because it is so much simpler to operate. Images can easily be sent by email, allowing collaboration between Haitian and US physicians or between health agencies in Haiti itself. It allows the residents of Bwa Nèf — and especially those with atypical conditions — access to a much wider range of expertise — entrance to a world beyond Bwa Nèf.
The young man pictured above, by the way, is Dénold Joseph, a resident of Bwa Néf itself — the community in which our clinic is located. For the past five months he has been taking hands-on radiography training at the St. Luke’s Foundation for Haiti hospital, in preparation for this day. He is very much ready to take on the role of primary x-ray technician for the Lamp. It will be great to have him at the clinic on a daily basis.
And, speaking of our staff, it is very satisfying to realize that our excellent physicians will have one more tool in their kit — allowing them to more fully use their existing skills, allowing their skills and knowledge to blossom. The people of Bwa Nèf can only benefit!
At one time, the Lamp was considering the construction of a whole new clinic building. The converted residences in which our clinic was located seemed less than ideal for the expanded services we wanted to offer. But financial constraints kept that idea on the sidelines. Strangely enough, the result has been something quite wonderful: an organically growing institution in the heart of the neighborhood.
This last year has seen a lot of construction, a very tangible message to the community that we are here to stay. The pictures above shows the covered seating area that is now nearing completion. Fifteen locally made metal benches will soon complete the scene. We will be able to provide health education sessions to patients and other groups much more easily with this addition.
Some months ago we completed a small building with two additional exam rooms.
We have, in fact, reconfigured the entire clinic. Previously our main clinic building had sturdy walls around it but other buildings were outside that zone of safety. Now we have joined all four of of our buildings with a number of short walls, giving us a much larger “campus”. This has allowed us to pull down the large walls around the main clinic, making the whole area more open and welcoming. A month ago a wall would have made these views impossible.
Our goal is to become a trusted community institution, an oasis of security, caring and professionalism, and a model for innovative social action. It is somewhat surprising, but it does seem that simple and modest physical changes may have moved us closer to that goal.
Leisa Faulkner and Paul Burke are the leading lights of Children’s Hope, a small California non-profit with a special interest in Haiti. One of the goals of Children’s Hope is to inspire in young Americans a lifelong passion to understand, engage with, and assist the poorest of the poor. It is one thing to talk about poverty in the abstract and another to experience first-hand the vast differences — in wealth, living conditions and opportunity — that are revealed by a 90 minute flight from the US mainland. So, Leisa and Paul brought 15 young people to the Lamp clinic where they painted walls, picked up garbage and assisted the clinical staff. They brought a burst of energy and enthusiasm to the clinic and the community. (Thanks guys!) Each of these young people also contributed a significant amount of cash which was converted into medical supplies and donated to the Lamp. They have already made a difference in our world.
Children’s Hope has been assisting the Lamp for many years now. Here’s wishing Leisa (on the ladder) and Paul (behind the tree) many inspiring, engaging years to come.
The building site; taking down the wall next to the main clinic
After: Manager Benoit Florestal in the new building
The Lamp is very pleased to announce the completion of a new two-room addition to our mini campus in Bwa Nèf, Cité Soleil. It is a great step forward in more ways than one. To begin with, the building has tremendous symbolic value — it represents our whole-hearted commitment to this community in a way that words cannot. The building was constructed entirely with local labor and even local materials to the extent possible. The beautiful logo was designed and completed by a local artist, using the hammered oil drums that Haiti’s artists are so famous for. The community has participated in this expansion very directly.
The building also allows us to provide new and enhanced services. Starting this month, the room on the left will be the new home for our women’s clinic. Check this website in a few weeks for photos of the launch! The room on the right will house our radiology facility. The new digital x-ray machine has just arrived in Haiti this week. It will be at the clinic very soon.
The construction of the building has also allowed us to create a little island of security for our patients and staff. As the picture shows, we have created a walled courtyard that now contains the new building, our lab and the main clinic. Bwa Nèf is often beset by episodes of violence or unrest. This new arrangement allows all of our work to take place in an atmosphere of calm and security.
But we have more to do! We are currently hiring local labor once again, to build a large roofed structure that will serve as the primary seating area for our patients. We are also, once again, stretching our budget as far as it will go, but we have faith that our well-wishers will rally to the cause. This is ground level work and we need to press forward.
By Dr James Morgan, Founder
This fundamental concept is a key to successful family life, work, friendships, community. In a very real sense, relationships embody dialogue. Of course any meaningful conversation requires active listening. Paying attention to body language, as well as verbiage. (As I write this I rejoice in my own children’s exodus from their teen years!)
Understanding these relationships is a vital and ongoing process for us at Lamp this year as we continue to grow and to fulfill our mission of working with and for the people of Haiti to improve the lives of some of the most marginalized persons there.
At Lamp for Haiti, we are continually trying to improve that dialogue, and we are seeing positive results. For example, we are delighted to announce this past quarter we have added two new key personnel — Dr Sévere and Mr Dénold Joseph. Their clinical skills and personal demeanor allow us to provide quality, cost effective care.
A training workshop on the electronic medical records system (Nick Sahagian standing)
Dr Severe at the clinic, May 2014
Partnering with other organizations, filling in gaps when they exist, sharing resources — these are all continuations of the theme of dialogue. Presently we have working relationships with several other major organizations working in Haiti, including groups like AmeriCares, Partners in Health (PIH), and the St Luke’s Foundation in Tabarre. Boston native Nick Sahagian is a volunteer intern who has jumped in with both feet to assist us in launching our electronic records system (see www.OpenMRS.org for more on this fascinating PIH project). Midwives for Haiti is assisting us in our Women’s Health Program. SAKALA, a community based organization in Cité Soleil focused on youth, was begun by Lamp Board Member Daniel Tillias. We move ahead to strengthen our official relationship with the Haitian Ministry of Health.
And so as we move into summer, let’s take a moment to ponder our own relationships with one another, and with our friends and colleagues in Haiti. Let’s think about the genuine solidarity that Lamp for Haiti represents, manifest by the ongoing effort to strengthen and focus that conversation. It is a conversation not always comprised of words, but deeply engaged in listening and in action. Let’s remember the work that lies ahead and see it as another challenge, somewhat daunting, but never insurmountable.
My very best to you and to your families this summer. And of course thank you again for all your many kindnesses and financial support.
[Photo: In the rainy season, standing water is everywhere. Mosquito control is very difficult.]
Haiti, and at least 16 other Caribbean countries have been hit with a mosquito borne virus with the odd name of chikungunya. It appeared first on the island of St Martin in December. At this point suspected cases of the illness surpass 100,000 in number and there is no reason to think that the infection rate will subside any time soon. The Lamp clinic is right in the middle of the outbreak.
Photo (CDC): aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Aedes mosquitoes are the main transmission route for the disease. This type of mosquito usually bites during the day. They are found all over the world.
In Haiti, Port-au-Prince is the center of the outbreak with thousands of people infected. Although the infection is rarely fatal it is very debilitating. Chikungunya is an African word that means “contorted with pain” — a reference to the fact that a primary symptom is extreme joint pain. Fever and joint pain are the most common symptoms but headache, muscle pain, joint swelling and rash may also occur. It can be life threatening to newborns, elderly persons, and those with existing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. There is no treatment for the disease, but drugs such as acetaminophen help to reduce the pain and discomfort. The price of these drugs has skyrocketed over the last two months.
The area surrounding the Lamp clinic is a low-lying mosquito-ridden area. The Bwa Nèf neighborhood is closed off, on two sides, by a huge tract of swampy land. The new disease has hit Bwa Nèf hard. These days, when our staff arrive at the clinic in the morning there are people lying on the ground, groaning from the pain of this ugly addition to the regular health menaces. And our staff have not avoided the pain either: all of our staff (excepting only one doctor, so far) have already experienced the disease first-hand. It has been a harsh month for our staff but we are not working in Bwa Nèf to avoid challenges. The community of Bwa Nèf needs our commitment (contorted in pain, or not!)
By Richard Evans, board member
On a global basis, hundreds of organizations work to bring health care to millions of persons living in under-served communities; and, with few exceptions each of these organizations make productive use of charitable contributions. In short, there is no lack of good options for giving. When so many communities and organizations can benefit from your giving, why should you consider giving to LAMP?
We offer continuity of care in a community that otherwise would not be served: LAMP for Haiti is the only medical clinic in Bwa Nèf, a neighborhood of perhaps 15,000 persons, and has been a consistent part of the neighborhood since 2006. A parent or guardian bringing a child or loved one to LAMP can reasonably expect to see the same health care providers each time – even if visits are months or even years apart
We operate to a Western standard of medical practice: LAMP’s clinical standards are no different than those of any fully accredited physician’s office operating in the United States. We have a qualified clinical laboratory on-site, a 12-lead digital EKG, an electronic medical record system, and soon, digital radiography. These technologies enable on-site staff to handle a majority of cases independently, and allow off-site physicians to consult and review as necessary (continued below)
We create jobs and develop careers for Haitians, in Haiti: With the occasional exception of visiting specialists, all of our care is delivered by Haitian physicians and nurses. We invest in the continuing medical education of our medical staff in an effort to continuously improve the care we deliver, with the added benefit of expanding career options for LAMP employees
We invest in education and prevention: Because we are a consistent neighborhood presence, we are able to identify and address common underlying causes of the cases we treat. For example, we have a trained midwife that searches for and educates expectant and new mothers, and provides for the nutritional needs of infants. We operate ‘well-clinics’ at local soccer fields where kids who are not in school and otherwise would not see a physician can receive care. And we built, and financed the maintenance of, shower and toilet facilities – the only plumbing in our neighborhood
We make efficient use of resources entrusted to us: Under some of the most difficult operating conditions in our hemisphere, LAMP for Haiti delivers a Western standard of medical care to a community that would otherwise receive no care, at a cash cost per patient of roughly $20 – less than the average patient’s co-payment for a visit to a US physician
One of the key principles of the Lamp is to build our organization — and the wider Haitian health system — by hiring and developing talented and committed Haitian professionals.
The unemployment rate in Haiti is murderously high, estimated at 41% for 2013. Of persons who are employed, only one third have formal jobs. Underemployment — where a worker is unable to earn a living wage, unable to provide for the basic needs of their families — affects a huge proportion of those who are considered employed.
Given the scarcity of jobs on one hand, and the overabundance of medical needs on the other, it gives us great satisfaction to provide our services with a fully Haitian staff.
The benefits of this philosophy, for the Lamp and the people of Cité Soleil, are also clear to see on the ground: staff with an intimate knowledge of local culture, language and the intricacies of the Haitian health system.
Denold (future x-ray tech) and manager Benoit discuss some construction issues
Of course, our focus is not only on the wider health system. We also wish to build capacity, whenever possible, right here in the community in which we find ourselves. We engage with community groups, provide community services, and assist with community improvements. We provide jobs wherever possible. It is very thrilling, therefore, to be able to announce that we have hired our first ever medical staff member (and third staffer overall) from Bwa Nèf itself.
Dénold has long proved his commitment to the Lamp’s cause and his genuine concern for his neighbors by volunteering selflessly at the clinic. With the launch of our radiology facilities on the horizon, Dénold has taken up training as an x-ray technician at St. Luke’s Hospital, a generous and collaborative partner agency. St. Luke’s uses x-ray equipment that is very similar to the equipment we will soon be installing. When Dénold returns he will take full responsibility for the operation of the x-ray unit .
Although we could have chosen to hire one of St. Luke’s own technicians, we could not pass up this opportunity to build capacity in Bwa Nèf. Dénold Joseph is an extraordinary young man, smart and compassionate; he will make a terrific addition to our team.
