Dear friends and partners,
During my visit in Haiti last month we witnessed progress in Laboule and in Port-au-Prince. Unfortunately, we also witnessed the deterioration of so many lives, livelihood and communities as the gangs have become more powerful!
Nevertheless the YMCA d’Haïti will do what it takes to reconquer the space lost in this awful battle against the gangs. Our only concern is the safety of the staff, the members and the volunteers. That is the spirit that guides the efforts to reopen the national office in Port-au-Prince.
Fortunately, many other parts of Haiti are secured and people are living peacefully and the youth are full of fate and hope in the future, contrary of the ones in Port-au-Prince. Camp-Perrin, Bainet, Caracol and many other communities are vivid proofs of that.
Indeed, all work sessions and meetings took place in Carlstroem where the General Secretary enjoyed seeing the National Director and her staff working together for the first time. The YMCA is also a hub for so many community organizations. SOS Solitude, Rotaract and Rotary Delmas Airport Clubs among few others are jumping at the opportunity as they organized their meetings under Alayna’s watch.
Again Bainet and Camp-Perrin were not visited due to the travelling high costs and the insecurity of the roads going to the South of the country. That was not the only mishaps, we also lost the opportunity offered by the Greater Philadelphia and the Greater Rochester YMCAs for Alayna, to travel to Columbia to participate in the World Urban Network session this year. She would have used this training opportunity as an introduction to key partners and friends as well as acquiring base knowledge and best practices.
On another front, the process is well engaged with the Quebec YMCA for a one-month training in Quebec, Montreal and Ottawa. In addition, my continue errands in Montreal brought fruit with a meeting of a Haitian lady who helped pay scholarships for 12 young students in Camp-Perrin. She does not want her name to be published and promised more help in the future.
Dear friends and partners, as we advance in our journey together, I assure you, despite all those odds, that the YMCA d’Haïti is very useful in the communities.
Gwénaël
…that they all may be one!
