Reflecting on Haiti: One Year After The Earthquake That Impacted The Island

A lot of emotions are pouring out as I write this article. No words can express my feelings as I ponder and reflect on my vision for a better Haiti. I still have hope that Haiti who was nicknamed “Pearl of the Antilles” by the Europeans will rebuild. They received this nickname because it became the richest and most prosperous colony in the West Indies during the time when the Spaniard, French and Spanish colonized the island due to its important port in the Americas for goods and products.

Tainos and Arawak Indians were native inhabitants of this beautiful island. The Tainos and Arawak Indians were nearly extinct due to harsh living treatment. Africans were later brought as slaves to Haiti. Haiti is the first and only black independent country in the world (Official language: French and Haitian Creole)that gained their Independence in 1804. Haiti will rise and rebuild again as one of the beautiful caribbean islands in the Western hemisphere.

Haiti is a country that will always stay close to my heart. As an native New Yorker born from Haitian descent, I am grateful for my parents who worked hard to have their children achieve the “American Dream”. I will one day write a story on how my parents came here to the US. Their rich history made me who I am today. I am forever changed emotionally by one of the most recent tragedies to happen in recent memory. The earthquake that shattered Haiti in January 2010.

My family and I went to Haiti last year for the Holiday Season to see all of my family members. We had so much fun and returned back to NYC on the 3rd of January. The following week the worst happened. At exactly 4:53 pm Haiti was devastated with an earthquake of a magnitude on a scale of 7.0 or greater that killed over 200,000 people and left 1.5 million people homeless who are still living in tents and still slowly being moved into transitional housing.

There is still hope. While overall access to basic health care has improved since the earthquake, there is still more work to be done. It will be a long enduring recovery process on a continuing basis. Due to the life altering sustained injuries and recent outbreaks of illnesses caused from the earthquake, the people of Haiti still need ongoing medical care. International agencies and charities have done a tremendous amount of work from turning their promises into more permanent actions. The massive outpouring of generosity from everyone around the world has been such a positive response. I feel blessed that I am part of the human race to see my friends, colleagues and everyone from all walks of life helping to help rebuild Haiti.

As a healthcare professional/healthcare advocate who is also a nurse I traveled and went to Haiti with a great team of medical doctors, nurses and healthcare medical specialists who had disaster medical response training. We were among thousands of medical experts who came from around the world who went to Haiti to volunteer their medical and clinical skills and training to those who needed immediate medical attention.

I do plan to return to Haiti this year to continue to give my support and services not only as a health care professional, but because (as one of my close friends say), “it’s not the right thing to do,but the “the human thing to do.” I still believe with all my heart and soul that Haiti will resurface. Haiti remains one of the most beautiful Caribbean Islands and in the words of the Haitian natives, it will always be called Haiti “TiCherie” (Haiti our little sweetheart).

On a final note, I am eternally grateful that my family is alive and well in Haiti. I want to continue to help those who have not been as fortunate. It is my continuous obligation to offer my services to the great people of Haiti.

Below are links and websites to organizations that you can still donate to and help the people of Haiti. These organizations are doing a superb job in helping to bring medical attention, medical equipment/supplies,food,clothing, and helping to rebuild Haiti. Thank You.

International Medical Corps: www.internationalmedicalcorps.org

Partners In Health: www.pih.org

American Red Cross: www.redcross.org