En route to Haiti for the Hospital Opening, a reflection from Wynn Walent, Executive Director
I try to be mindful of the frequency and length of my Haiti communications, knowing that a long stretch of paragraphs can lead to a filing away for busy people balancing hectic lives and too much information. But from the airport in Miami, en route to Haiti, I write to share good news.
I'm on the way to Petit Trou, our partner community of 36 years, because on Monday, February 17, 2025, we'll celebrate the opening of the community hospital we've built together. This hospital replaces the facility that was irreparably damaged in the August 14, 2021 earthquake. Since that day, all healthcare for a rapidly growing population of 40,000+ has occurred either in tents, or in an unsafe clinic building that has crumbled before our eyes, one leaking roof tile, one falling cinder block at a time.
The population of Petit Trou is growing because over one million people have been forced to flee the heartbreaking violence of the capital, with many of these families ending up in the south of the country, where we work. That we've been able to build this facility amid these challenges is a credit to two communities.
First, the community of Petit Trou and our partners there. The women and men who laid block and poured cement. The staff of the old health center who fought the heat of tents to continue seeing patients while waiting for the new facility to open. The leadership of our partner construction firm, BCP, whose determination and creativity allowed supplies to reach the site, often by barge, bypassing the chaos of Port-au-Prince. The mayor of Petit Trou and our partners at the local health department who made certain design, permitting and human resources were aligned.
Second, our generous supporters. The headlines from Haiti have been dark over these years, and many of those headlines have been true. Our community of supporters has cared enough to think and feel deeply, to understand that there is more than one truth to consider and to believe in a model that invests in the talents, courage, and vision of the local leaders who know their community best.
Monday's inauguration will be a celebration of the possible - with music, dance, and recognition of the several hundred community leaders who made this hospital happen.
And then on Tuesday, the real work begins.
Locally Haiti's work is based in partnerships. We don't own things in Haiti - we reinforce local institutions through deep relationships and long-term commitment. In the case of the new hospital, our partner is the local Ministry of Health, which has historically been supported not only by Locally Haiti, but also by USAID. Roughly one-third of the hospital staff has recently been cut / furloughed / fired - you can choose your devastating verb. Locally Haiti will help cover that gap for as long as we can, increasing support for key positions in addition to the staff roles we already fund.
As some of you know, I spent several years living and working at two extraordinary hospitals in Port-au-Prince - St. Damien's, and St. Luke's. I saw the heart-wrenching consequences of the way our world is organized - the look in a mother's eyes when she learns her child is gone, a look reflecting the clear understanding that had the child been born elsewhere, she might still be alive. I also witnessed unbelievable strength - Haitian doctors and nurses who lost homes and families in the 2010 earthquake and responded by working 18-hour days, treating patients, returning home to a tent, and showing up again early the next morning.
We are not naive about the challenges ahead, but we are fully committed to our partners - committed to working with both humility and tenacity to ensure that the quality of care provided will match the quality of the new building you see below. The opening of this hospital is a momentous step and a source of hope and light for thousands of families. I look forward to keeping you posted as we move forward together, and I thank you for helping us get this far.
With gratitude,
Wynn
P.S. Visit here if interested in seeing how construction unfolded over the past 15 months. Visit here if you'd like to see a video snapshot of the programs we support in Petit Trou. Visit here if you'd like to support our work. And finally, stay tuned to our social media over the next few days to see videos and photos from the inauguration!