The Importance of Healthcare

in Poverty-Stricken Haiti

By Mary Goetz

Nurse Lea at the Centre d’Etudes Lumiere School in Mariani, Haiti is a Godsend. There are approximately 625 students in the school that she cares for daily.  “With prayer, passion and love for community, God gives us the courage to work,” says Nurse Lea.

Our health team, Cam Daly and Debbie Phillips, along with Haiti Scholars president, Nicole Waite, recently met with Nurse Lea, Pastor Valcourt, and Gens (serving as translator) on a Zoom call. It was heartwarming for me to watch this collaboration among these caring professionals. The Haiti Scholars team works closely with Nurse Lea and Pastor Valcourt to ensure students’ healthcare needs are being met, while at the same time providing needed financial aid for services and medications. Here are some updates relating to this program:

• This spring students at Centre d’Etudes Lumiere will receive physical exams and medications for fever, pain, infection, vitamin deficiency and deworming. A nutritional assessment will also be completed, as it was determined at last year’s clinic that 101 students, six of those Haiti Scholars-sponsored students, were malnourished.

• Haiti Scholars will begin fundraising to cover costs of these physical exams and medications. Pastor Valcourt predicts that Haiti Scholars will provide funds for about 400 students, 48 teachers and 11 staff members or approximately 459 in total. 

• We have provided funds for medication, nutrition, including extra food kits for the six malnourished students this school year, along with health education and home visits.

• Nurse Lea has visited nine homes this school year, brought food to families and invited other Haiti Scholars-sponsored families to come to the school to pick up food kits. Nurse Lea: “The people are happy that you are thinking of them, sending staff members to their homes. They are very thankful.”

• The Haiti Scholars Health Team has asked Lea to track information about physical exams, medications dispersed and nutrition. Our team will use this data to make decisions about future needs.

What is the impact of a physical exam for a student?

• Provides much needed information about a student’s health by giving blood tests, which help to diagnose underlying diseases and all vitamin deficiencies. Doctors can then refer students for necessary interventions and determine required medications.

• Provides information such as height, weight, rashes, etc. 

What is the impact of our other programs for students and their families?

• We hope to include a dental checkup and cleaning this year and if a problem is evident, the student can be referred to a dentist.

• Children in Haiti can get parasites at a very young age, when they are most vulnerable and their immune system is not fully developed.  Haiti Scholars has provided deworming medications for all the students and treating these intestinal issues is the most effective method to improve school attendance.  If left untreated, a student's growth is affected because of improper nutrition, thus leading to their inability to concentrate and learn.  

• Vitamin A prevents skin rashes, respiratory issues, and eye ailments and for this to be absorbed, students need to have good nutrition, as food is the foundation for good health.

• Nutrition - Nurse Lea distributes groceries to families in their homes and provides education on preparation. This will have a long term positive effect, as families learn about hygiene and the importance of nutrition. 

• Health Education - Nurse Lea provides workshops for parents and students, educating them about current health issues, including cholera and ongoing preventative care.

Haiti Scholars is collaborating with the administration at Centre d’Etudes Lumiere School to make physical exams a reality. In order to be successful, we need to raise $12,000.

We are asking your consideration in making a donation to support this effort. Learning cannot take place if a child is sick. Your kindness and generosity will make a difference in the lives of many children.

The Zoom meeting came to a close with some loving comments all around:

Lea: “Thank you for your time. God will provide so the program will grow. God bless you.”

Pastor Valcourt: “I am thankful for the work of Lea and her God given ability to collaborate." Staff members say, “What is she made of?”

To which Debbie replied, “She is made of lots of love.”  Cam concurred, “God gives us the ability to be who we are and Lea is God’s hands and feet.”

Pastor Valcourt added, “The love of God can be seen in a person’s eyes. The Haiti Scholars team is also made of love.”

Pastor Valcourt never stops praying for us all.