Volunteering in Haiti

To search for projects currently available in Haiti please visit the VFP Open Projects Directory.

Volunteer in HAITI ~ A New Two Week Summer Service Project
in La Vallee de Jacmel ~ 03-17 July 2010

La Vallee de Jacmel
The village of La Vallee de Jacmel, located about 100 km southeast of Port-au-Prince, will be the location from July 3d to July 17th for an international volunteer project. The parish of La Vallee de Jacmel will also be celebrating the 100th anniversary of its foundation this summer. You are invited to join local volunteers, local non-profit organizations and a team of Canadian university students to celebrate, support and rebuild trust, confidence and hope for the youth and the people of La Vallee de Jacmel after the tragedy of January 12, 2010.

Why La Vallee?
Hurricanes, erosion, drought and the quake of January 12th have all contributed to a radical change in the social climate of La Vallee. 760 homes were completely destroyed, leaving thousands homeless and hopeless. CODEHA, a youth organization based in La Vallee has used its resources and volunteers to create a database of the victims. Our aim is to hold hands with the desperate, the orphans and the victims to make them believe that there is hope. To tell them that together we can rebuild their community and that we are here to assist and help them make the first step with a community farm project, a bamboo planting project, work in the community schools and on roads and infrastructure.

Volunteering can make the difference
A lot has been accomplished in the past ten years by volunteers and the international community around the world. Not answering to this call does not make you a bad person but answering to it will surely make you feel better about yourself morally. Take advantage of this opportunity to give a little bit of yourself to the world by volunteering to go to Haiti on July the 3d, 2010. Or, if you can't go, please share this information with and help support someone who wants to go!

Arrival and Departure
Volunteers will be met at the Port au Prince airport, and transported to the project location at no charge. Transportation will be provided throughout the project, and volunteers will be returned to the airport on the last day.

Security and safe
Haiti is the poorest nation of the western hemisphere; we should all know that to start. La Vallee de Jacmel is a village in the southeastern region of the island. Agriculture is the main occupation of the Valleens. The climate is very clement, hot and humid during daytime and cool at night. La Vallee has the highest rate of literacy of all counties of Haiti, however, it is not paradise. It’s good habit to be aware of your surroundings because anything can happen to anyone at anytime anywhere. The organizers will take the Monday the 5th to educate the participants about the facts and realities on the field. A police officer will be invited to this workshop to talk about his job and the security situation in the city.

Grouping
A lot has been accomplished in the past ten years by volunteers and the international community around the world. Not answering to this call does not make you a bad person but answering to it will surely make you feel better about yourself morally. Take advantage of this opportunity to give a little bit of yourself to the world by volunteering to go to Haiti on July the 3d, 2010. Or, if you can't go, please share this information with and help support someone who wants to go!

Arrival and Departure
Volunteers will be met at the Port au Prince airport, and transported to the project location at no charge. Transportation will be provided throughout the project, and volunteers will be returned to the airport on the last day.

Security and safety
Haiti is the poorest nation of the western hemisphere; we should all know that to start. La Vallee de Jacmel is a village in the southeastern region of the island. Agriculture is the main occupation of the Valleens. The climate is very clement, hot and humid during daytime and cool at night. La Vallee has the highest rate of literacy of all counties of Haiti, however, it is not paradise. It’s good habit to be aware of your surroundings because anything can happen to anyone at anytime anywhere. The organizers will take the Monday the 5th to educate the participants about the facts and realities on the field. A police officer will be invited to this workshop to talk about his job and the security situation in the city.

Grouping
La Vallee counts 18 localities and nine groups will be formed. There will be a local volunteer as co-captain and member of each group. Although we respect your feeling and privacy; husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, good friends, siblings may be separated in the field. We count on every participant to help us make it simple, safe and manageable.

Communication
A telephone will be assigned to each group your relatives can check on you on a daily basis. Personal phone however can be used, but be aware of international roaming charges. Your network may charge you up to $2.00 us per minute. It’s advised that you contact your service provider before using your phone overseas. The activation of the international signal on your plan is usually free.

Medical needs
Each group will have a CPR trained technician. The hospital and the clinics will be kept on alert to urgently respond to any situation that may require their help. If you’re on any type of medication, please make sure you travel with a least a 20 day supply.

Drug free environment
It’s a drug free environment, drugs, alcohol and tobacco products will not be tolerated while they may be easy to get. It’s about your self esteem and our trust.

Food and Accommodation
Food and accommodation will be provided to all volunteers at no charge. It’s country and there’s no Taco Bell or Burger King. Most of the foods are fresh, organic or natural no need for a refrigerator. Get ready for some corn meal, banana, plantain, rice, beans, peas, avocado, mango, orange, beef, pork, goat meat, chicken, vegetables and a lot of fresh fruits.

Once in Haiti, volunteers will be encouraged to integrate into the culture and to learn the way of life. They’ll have three opportunities for accommodation depending on their choice:

a) Stay at the CODEHA facility

b) Pair with local volunteers and stay at their home

c) Place with a Valleen family and share their experience

Volunteers should plan on bringing a sleeping bag and tent.

Allergies
Think about your allergies. There will be no indoor toilet or latrines because there is no running water. You’ll surely discover how spoiled we are in the developed world.

Codeha-Univac-Angel for Haiti and Our Partners
It may be your first trip outside of your home country; we appreciate this great honor to be your host in La Vallee. We take pride in our city and want you to enjoy every moment spent with us. Our team will try our best to accommodate your needs in the limit of our possibility. We hope you’ll enjoy this experience and returning or bringing some of your acquaintances to our next event will be the expression of how you feel about the whole experience.

Work
CODEHA and our partners will be promoting the development of community farming with the volunteers. They’ll have to help prepare the land and plant the seeds. A group of students from a university in Canada is willing to go develop the culture of bamboo. They will explore and expose the economical factor and the goods that are related to their project. Land will be made available as well as bamboo.

Another group of agronomists will work on establishing community farms to raise chicken, rabbits and grow vegetables like tomato, eggplant, squash, cabbage etc.

There will also be work helping to repair schools, churches and roads etc. or with the construction of silos for those not interested in the agricultural work. There is also a clean water project initiated by our partner UNIVAC that is underway.

It’s very important that everybody understands his or her role in the process of encouraging and morally supporting the host community. Angels for Haiti will provide professional counseling. Labor is not that expensive in Haiti, any money donations could help accomplish a lot, but we’ve learned to build with people and their thoughts first and then with money. Any donations of any type to accommodate the needs of the volunteers and the community will be a blessing so you might consider a donation to the partners involved in this project in addition to the $60 for the fundraising events described below.

Activities schedule
July 3d- Travel day to La Vallee
July 4th- “Welcome” Celebration
July 5th- Workshop/Orientation
July 6th,7th, 8th,9th / Agricultural Field Work
July 10th- “How is it?” Celebration
July 11- Rest day, reflection, excursion
July 12th,13th, 14th,15th Field Work
July 16th- “Au Revoir,Merci” Celebration”
July 17th- Travel day

Fun Fundraising Events
The celebrations of the 3d, 10th and 16th of July are also fundraising events. Each volunteer will need the equivalent of $20 US dollars for admission and food at each of the three events ($60 total). The first one will be to welcome all participants in the community and to meet with the local volunteers. The second will be a fun one. People will be accustomed to each other and they will surely have a good time, eating and drinking some Haitian colas and coconut water. The third one, “Au Revoir et Merci”, will be a sad one. We will celebrate our accomplishments and hear some testimonies. Information will be shared on the next event.

We hope you can join us!

 Read More and REGISTER!!

Link to Videos About Haiti and CODEHA http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6292295551857121621#

 Back to VFP Home Page

	“This project was great for me. As my first foreign volunteer effort, it was really just the experience I was looking for. Bob Belenky was a wonderful leader and guide into the world of some of Haiti’s neediest children as well as some of those who are trying to help them. Although not a typical “work camp”, I believe the project succeeded in raising awareness for the participants while, hopefully, enriching the lives of the children that we met.” Nathalie Gooding ~2008
	Working on a Community Garden “The botanical garden was intitiated so it can serve as a life sciences component to the school”.  JC Smyth / Haiti ~ 2008 Photo Credit: J. Zeitman
	"I would recommend international volunteering as a must for every person, as it is impossible to sit back and not be moved by the places you go, the people you encounter, and the experiences that will be cherished for forever.”  Heather Caldwell / Haiti ~ 2007
	I just returned from a work camp in Haiti and it was the most exciting, inspiring, and fun two weeks of my life. I learned a great deal about Haitian culture and history, ate authentic Haitian meals, and was able to hear about and witness myself many of the struggles that the people there are presently tackling. It is so easy to get discouraged when in Haiti, seeing its current state. However, our group was extremely fortunate to meet two incredible people, Yoleine Gataeu and James Philemy of Neges Foundation, whose hands-on and practical approach to education, medicine, and the overall betterment of the community of Leogane, serve as a shining example to anyone who feels overwhelmed or unsure of where to start in helping Haiti." Megan Fojtik / Haiti - 2006
	Become friends for life. Anthony Wintheiser / Haiti ~ 2006
	The "team" Photo Credit: Bob Belenky ~ 2003
	Construction of a community center in a remote Haitian village was the work program for this camp. Enrico, an economist from Italy and Angela, a graduate architecture student from Louisiana, are looking on. Tima is supervising. Tima is the leader of "CODEHA," a youth organization in La Vallee de Jacmel. CODEHA is a French/Creole acronym meaning, "Rope of Haitian Children" suggesting that alone we are weak, but united like strands of a rope, we are very strong indeed. Photo Credit: Bob Belenky ~ 2002

“What value did I bring to the children at Le Foyer des Filles de Dieu? What contribution, if any, did I make to the school in Leogane? How did my presence in the community of LaVale bring meaning or value to the collective or to specific individuals? I cannot give definitive answers to these questions. Who is to say that the project was less than absolute perfection? My own life was enhanced and brightened by the people. Plus, I received invaluable education about Haiti and its culture. Perhaps a few “nurturing riots” are appropriate for orphans who long to be bolstered and cherished. The orphanage children, in particular, were blessed to have had our visitation, even if only to have loving physical touch and affectionate exchanges. I know that nurturing is one of the most prevalent needs on the planet. I am thankful for the opportunity VFP gave me. I am grateful that I showed up. I appreciate even more my own space and place on the planet. I savor the fact that I have opportunities to give, to love and to serve.” Nell Rodgers ~ 2008

“I enjoyed the whole experience, and much of the experience reminded me of East Africa.  In fact, this trip would be a good primer before venturing to East Africa, especially the tropical climate and transportation system, or lack thereof. The botanical garden was intitiated so it can serve as a life sciences component to the school.  It still needs work  but the beginning has begun. Of course, we saw and swam in the Caribbean, and took some trips to the rural areas of the country.  Leogane is quite a nice city, and the hosts were quite gracious.  What is inviting about the project is that both principals of the NEGES Foundation  are part of the Haitian Diaspora and will remain involve for their lifetimes ,and beyond.  I also plan to stay involved ----  perhaps as soon as November when there will be an art exhibit in NYC for a prominent visual artist which we became close to  in Haiti.  The voudoo altars was also something to explore firsthand.” JC Smyth / Haiti ~ 2008

“The friends I made, the people I helped and the beauty of the culture gave me a gift I will always cherish.” Elizabeth Kenney / Haiti ~ 2008

My first day in Haiti, as we had just arrived and were all sitting down to dinner, a girl who had been staying there for about 2 months began excitedly telling us stories of her trip. Some of them were exhilarating. Some of them were depressing. But she said one thing that never left my mind for the rest of my stay there: “It is a depressing situation, but there is a lot you can do by doing very little.” And I went on to find out just how true this was. The Haitian people have a spirit and energy that I could not begin to describe with words. Over the three weeks I was there, it sunk into me slowly and I realized, after the trip was over, that there was not a moment after that first day I was there that I was ever angry or afraid. For some reason, these emotions had simply escaped my body. As for the organization itself – the people who run it are saints, and I feel as though even though I was only there for 3 weeks, I now have a home away from home. The kindness and hospitality from not only the people we stayed with, but also their friends and other housemates were amazing. And because they were so connected and involved in their community, we were able to see and do things most Westerners wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience: visiting a local orphanage, participating in a Voodoo ceremony, getting to see a boxing match, etc. We engaged in a language exchange with some school kids, and were able to learn some Creole while making a friend at the same time. You could probably guess this from all I’ve written so far, but it was the best 3 weeks of my life, and even though I’ve been home for 2 weeks now, my heart is still in Haiti. It affected my life, not in the way I would have expected, as a sudden, profound experience. But instead, it seeped into me, left some kind of permanent impression that I didn’t know was there until I walked off the plane in Miami and saw the way I lived. It was an amazing experience. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. Brian Dunlap / Haiti ~ 2007

"I just returned from a work camp in Haiti and it was the most exciting, inspiring, and fun two weeks of my life. I learned a great deal about Haitian culture and history, ate authentic Haitian meals, and was able to hear about and witness myself many of the struggles that the people there are presently tackling. It is so easy to get discouraged when in Haiti, seeing its current state. However, our group was extremely fortunate to meet two incredible people, Yoleine Gataeu and James Philemy of Neges Foundation, whose hands-on and practical approach to education, medicine, and the overall betterment of the community of Leogane, serve as a shining example to anyone who feels overwhelmed or unsure of where to start in helping Haiti." Megan Fojtik / Haiti - 2006

"In conclusion, this trip was a challenge, both physically and mentally. It was also a fantastic learning experience. The Haitian civilisation is rich in history, with influences from Spain, France, and Africa, which make it such a unique country. I met amazing people from different backgrounds, each with different opinions and I am richer for it. I have never seen a group of disparate individuals bond so well and so quickly, in situations that were naturally foreign to us. I began this adventure wondering if it was for me, and how I would react. It is the best experience I have ever had, and one that I will never forget. My gratitude and respect goes out to those who made it possible, and who continue to strive every day to create opportunities for people who don't have them. You all have a wealth of ambition and are exemplary because of it." Anthony Wintheiser / Haiti - 2006

"My life has changed and the outcome is that I am a better person because of this experience, now even more willing to give of my life to help others in need." Monica Jensen / Haiti - 2006

Back to top