A small nonprofit in Lake City is changing lives in Haiti. Even with the country in turmoil and on travel restrictions, its founders are still active.
In 2001, Debbi and Jeff Gischia and their five children wanted “to do something in this world, something for humanity.”
“Soon after, a priest showed up in our parish, St. Agnes in Marion,” Gischia said. “Father Alexis was from Haiti. He said they needed help.”
That was the beginning. It started with fundraising, followed by group mission trips and then, in 2010, the family founded the nonprofit, Hands for Haiti.
“Haiti, it’s like my second home,” Gischia said. “On mission trips, we take people from all over. We are not affiliated with a specific church or denomination. And what sets us apart is that we incorporate our team into the culture. We work side-by-side. And this is how I’ve been able to determine their needs and how to accomplish them. Not by doing things for them, but by being close with them.”
Hands for Haiti is changing the lives of the “forgotten” mountain people north of Port-au-Prince by helping them maintain their dignity while cultivating their independence.
“One time we wanted to build a house,” Gischia said. “It took us awhile to realize that we were not there to build the house. We were there to encourage them. Now we are the grunt workers. We help them. When you are a missionary, it’s most important that you help them become able to provide for themselves.”
Hands for Haiti expands
Since its founding in 2010, HFH now includes health care, nutrition, agriculture, education and faith-building programs.
Because it’s difficult to grow food in the mountain region, they developed a program that provides a two-year agriculture education for farmers. So far, 32 men have graduated.
“We hired two Haitian agronomists,” Gischia said. “Our first season we did great. The second season was dry and we crashed and burned. Now there are seven water tanks and they know how to get through a dry season.”
The farmers are now successful in growing beans, peppers and cabbage which they sell in the markets.
“Before I went up there, they couldn’t grow anything,” Gischia said. “Their kids had no clothes. In Haiti, kids can’t go to school without a uniform. Now their kids have uniforms and a roof over their heads. Now they can take care of their families and their animals.”
The nonprofit also has educational programs for children. A new school was built with 260 students enrolled, funded by parents who agree to hire a teacher. More schools are planned.
2016 Health Clinic
In 2016 HFH organized an eight-member medical team and traveled to the mountain village of Barbe for a three-day clinic. The team included a medical doctor, two nurses, Gischia’s husband Jeff, a chiropractor, and three volunteers.
When they arrived 100 people were waiting and in total they served 750.
“We found such great need,” Gischia said. “Before we went, the people were dying of cholera … if you got an infection, you died. When we left the local pastor pleaded with us not to forget about them. They told us that people come for a week and never return. This touched the heart of every person on the team.”
Five months later they opened a permanent clinic that serves 40 communities. Some walk eight hours to get there. It’s open five days a week and treats 200 patients a week with a staff of four. Treatment has “wiped out” cholera on the mountain.
And thanks to the Cadillac Rotary, the clinic stayed open during COVID because they donated solar panes and a generator.
Hands for Haiti continues
With the double-whammy of COVID and Haiti now in a “violent” humanitarian crisis, the nonprofit hasn’t sent a team since January 2020. Before that, Gischia was there every other month.
But every Thursday, Gischia meets online with her seven board members and their 10 paid staff members.
“I am in constant communication with them,” Gischia said. “The last couple of years I made it back once a year. I’m hoping to get there before the end of this year.”
Against warnings of gang violence, Gischia still plans to go this year. On her last trip, gangs had blocked roads they used every week to get medicine to the clinic, causing them to drive an extra four hours to avoid them.
“Now they pack that car full once a month,” she said. But she was told that the word “is out on the mountain. Our Polaris is red. If you see the red Polaris, it’s Hands of Haiti. Don’t touch it.”
“The gangs put out the word,” Gischia said. “We are protected all through the mountain. That’s how well known we are up there. It just humbles me every time I think about it.”
Because the medical clinic doesn’t have maternity services, “babies are dying … this is why we need to build this new clinic.”
HFH has launched a campaign to build a large, brick and mortar clinic with a lab.
“This will improve their commerce,” she said. “They can sell their vegetables at the clinic. We will have a tree nursery and classes on health care and safe drinking water.”
The Sante Lakay, home of the health campaign, has begun.
The vision includes a health clinic for regular checkups, minor surgeries, lab testing, physical therapy and health education plus a birthing center. They hope to serve 500 or more people a week.
The clinic will also serve as the headquarters for HFH with a guest house and a conference room.
For more info, go to www.handsforhaiti.ngo.
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