Global Faith In Action - ASAP Haiti ProjectReport on Recent Trip

October 19-26By Sam Muyskens

The Lambert Community Center

Purpose of Trip: (1) Help determine priority needs by holding Listening Sessions with the leadership of Lambert Community Center (Board of Directors, church leadership, youth, young adults, and teachers) and provide a report to the Rotary Haiti Committee. (2) Increase community spirit by initiating concerts in three regions of Lambert as well as a school assembly. (3) Continue construction of the new Classroom building. (4) Finalize membership of the Lambert Community Center Board of Directors and clarify their purpose/mission. (5) Purchase books for the school. (6) Identify water project for Rotary Interact.

This report will primarily cover the number (1) purpose – “priority needs”.

700 students in the Lambert Community Center

The Lambert Community Center Includes:

1. Schools on the Lambert Compound – Kindergarten, Elementary, and Secondary. Total of 600 students

2. Elementary School on the Borde satellite location. Total of 100 students.3. The Lambert Medical Clinic4. Computer Technology Center (serves the needs of all schools) 5. Kitchens - Food preparation for students.

Four New classrooms under construction

Leadership DevelopmentPriority Number One

Dr. Tony St. Martin, a product of Lambert and the Student Sponsorship Project

We have good reason to be proud of the leadership development that has occurred during the past 20 years. Today our schools have quality teachers, the Lambert Clinic has a doctor, nurse and lab technician and the church has many young adults in leadership positions. For the most part, the leadership that is now assuming responsibilities at the Lambert Community Center are products of the Lambert schools and church. Our success has also created problems. Our students graduating from Secondary School want to further their education, but do not have the money to make this happen. Consequently, they either live at home or go to the city which provides little hope except for the few who find a job. After considerable conversation we concluded that “Leadership Development” must be an important outcome of priorities 2-4.

A Demonstration FarmPriority Number Two

There are several properties, owned by the church/school that could be used for the Demonstration Farm

The Lambert Community Center is located in a rural area of North Haiti. The people living in the area are farmers. Their income is very little. They live off the land. When there is a draught they become malnourished, hungry, and sometimes die of starvation. Even when life is good, they have a difficult time eating a balanced diet. Their agricultural methods remain what they have been for centuries. The population has increased significantly, causing more and more people to live off the small plots of land. It is the desire of the Lambert Community Center to develop a “Demonstration Farm” that will teach low cost agricultural methods and increase the financial sustainability of Haitian households.

One of the listening groups

The “Demonstration Farm” concept has been discussed for several years. Their hope is that a community agricultural business plan could be created to increased income for the farmers and their families. Questions asked were: “What agricultural ways of farming would the ‘Demonstration Farm’ have that we do not already practice”. The president of the Youth Association made the following statement: “Those my age have often given up on farming, would there be a future for us?” I asked, “if there was a future, would you be interested?” His answer was “yes”. Those concerned about “Leadership Development” asked the question: “Could we create a Vocational School that would enable our Secondary Student graduates (as well as other interested adults) continue studying agricultural methods of farming?” We discussed “why a demonstration farm?” There were numerous reasons such as “we learn by watching others”. A young adult reminded us that most of today’s farmers are above the age of 35 and do not read or write - only the younger generation, who have been able to attend the Lambert Community Center schools know how to read and write.

Consensus: A Demonstration Farm” along with a Vocational School is their desire. A Vocational school that teaches how to care for the soil, eliminate erosion, methods of irrigation that conserve water, the value and liabilities of raising animals, the development of cooperatives, and how to create a business plans that generates a family income.

Suggested Next Steps:1. Initiate research that would include:

a. Connect with Agronomists/professors and students at the Kansas State University. Explore the possibility of their partnering with us.

b. Explore recruiting an Agricultural/Agronomy major to be a project researcher. Perhaps Ag students could receive credit from KU for doing research. We need information on successful farming methods occurring in tropical mountainous regions.

c. Research successful agriculture practices in North Haiti.2. Stay in dialogue with the Lambert Community Center Board of Directors.3. Make use of all the talent, skills, knowledge within our Rotary Club and members of

District Rotary Clubs. 4. Consider how Priorities 3 and 4 might enhance the goals and outcomes of the

Demonstration Farm.5. Continue pursuing the potential relationship with the Idaho Rotary District.

Lambert Medical ClinicPriority Number Three

Secure Pharmacy at the Lambert Medical ClinicFounded in 1998, the clinic has proved to be a valuable asset to the health of the community and definitely the students of the Lambert Community Center. The Lambert Medical Clinic’s first and foremost emphasis is “health prevention”. The health clinic spends most of its day treating people who have diarrhea, worms, or other problems that could be prevented through proper water usage and hand washing.

The medical clinic is housed in an old building that once was a kitchen and a room to feed people. The Rotary Club of Wichita provided money to put a new roof on the building. GFIA raised money to put iron bars on the window and doors that lead to the medical lab and pharmacy. The clinic today is functional but considered a temporary location. It is Dr. Tony St. Martin’s opinion that we need the next 2-3 years to stabilize the clinic, develop stronger administrative procedures, and increase patient participation. Then, he believes it will be time to consider building a new clinic.

Plan for the next 2-3 years:1. Become a Nutrition Center .

a. Prescribe Numana food to those whose health issues stem from malnourishment.b. Make use of our “head cook” whose education is nutrition, to teach nutrition

classes.c. Start student vegetable gardens. The vegetables would be used to supplement the

Numana food, and provide a variety of taste. The gardens could also be overseen by parents who would receive help with child’s tuition cost.

2. Offer a “Free Clinic” once a month .a. Each patient would receive a preventive health package:

Consultation Free meds if needed Lab work HIV and other infectious disease tests (with consent of patient) Food when needed

b. Patients diagnosed to have an infectious disease would be referred to the Infectious Disease Clinic in Cap Haitian for free treatment and counseling. Dr. Tony St. Martin is a part-time doctor at the clinic. The program is funded through the Presidents Emergency Fund (initiated by President Bush).

3. Train mid-wives . Most babies are delivered with the help of a mid-wife. The clinic staff plans to provide “mid-wife classes” at which they will emphasize the necessity to use sterilized equipment, disposable gloves, etc. Dr. Tony has diagnosed children who are HIV positive and their parents are not. He believes this is caused by the mid-wives using the same blades and gloves that they used to assist delivery of other babies. As an incentive to get mid-wives to attend they want to be able to provide free disposable gloves to the mid-wives.

4. Partner with two local clinics . Dr. Tony is suggesting that the Lambert Medical Clinic partner with the “Infectious Disease Clinic” in Cap Haitian, and the “Tebow Clinic”, a rural clinic not located in the Lambert area (a 25 minute drive). Each of the tree clinics would have a “Free Clinic” once a month. The staff of each clinic would help the other clinics on the day they have their “Free Clinic”.

5. Staff of the Lambert Medical Clinic .a. Doctor three days a week (on call and provides patient support from Infectious

Disease Clinic) - $500 a monthb. Full-time nurse - $200 a monthc. Full-time Lab Technician - $200.00 a month

6. USA Volunteer Medical Team . Dr. Tony St. Martin says he prays daily that a Medical Team from the U.S. would come for a week. This would help so much to build the clinic and provide him support.

Administrative Building,Smoke Free Kitchen and Cafeteria Pavilion

Priority Number Four

Administration Building is not repairable

Administration BuildingThe Administration Building was constructed thirty years old. It was the first building constructed on the compound. It was built poorly, has been shaken by several small earthquakes, weathered storms, and needs to be demolished. Most of the building is not usable. There are two rooms within the building that are still used. Pictured above is the back side of the building, the front is in a little better shape. It has been suggested that before an Administration Building is built, it would be a good idea to consider constructing a multi-purpose Administration Building that would serve the needs of the schools as well as a Demonstration Farm.

Kitchen that serves 600 meals a day

Smoke Free KitchenThe temperature within the existing kitchen is extremely hot because charcoal is used to cook the food. In addition, the charcoal creates smoke that is a major cause of respiratory problems amongst women in Haiti (all over Haiti they cook with charcoal). The Rotary Club of Wichita, along with other Rotary Clubs tried to remedy the problem through the usage of solar energy. We have only been partially successful. We have found that it is difficult to change the manner in which food is cooked. We recommend that the existing charcoal kitchen be demolished and replaced with a “Smokeless Kitchen” designed under the oversight of the newly formed Lambert Community Center Board of Directors.

Cafeteria PavilionFor years the teachers of the school have asked us to help them build a Cafeteria Pavilion that would be located next to the kitchen. Today students stand in line, receive their food and take it back to their classroom to eat. They would like to have a large area where the students would have a place to eat – a place where there is shade from the sun and cover from the rain.

Landscape the CompoundPriority Number Five

Campus that needs landscapingDuring the past twenty years the Lambert Community Center Campus has been a construction site. It is now time to landscape the compound, and create pride in their campus. With the help of the Lambert Evangelical Baptist Church, the Community Center plans to landscape the campus in a step by step approach. During the 2014 spring break, the Global Faith In Action WSU Chapter has agreed to recruit a team of 13 young adults to travel to Haiti. The Young Adults will be partnered with an equal number of Haitian young adults. Together they will landscape a portion of the campus. Additional teams will be recruited to finish the project. The work of the young adults will be supervised by Chuck Thomas, a landscape architect from Liberal, Kansas. Now is the time to sign up - Rotaract, Interact, students from universities, any young adult is welcome to participate.