Fri 3/18 A virtuoso performance by the Ca Coq Chicken Symphony Orchestra and Opera Company, and a bit more...

4:30 am, roosters crowing and hens clucking, by 5:30 there are dozens, maybe hundreds of them singing a chorus, kind of similar to the Indonesian chanting I have heard and enjoyed, quite loud, rhythmic and musical, an amazing symphony/opera with frequent solo performances of crowing rooster arias above the chorus of the clucking hen rhythm section.

5:37 am The town crier, a woman with a very loud and masculine voice, walks slowly along the path shouting out a stream of Kreole that I don’t understand. I imagine that it could be a political campaign speech, or the announcement that school will or will not be held today for some reason. Later I learn it is a religious message of some kind. The school bell does not ring at 5:45 as usual, but only the dead could be still sleeping through the rooster and hen's concert anyway.

Yesterday, after getting the crews working on projects, we got together a list of items to buy in Les Cayes, then Wagner, Sam and Karma all headed off to the city in Wag’s boat on another shopping trip for materials. I head up for Lambert’s house for internet and cool breezes to work on emails, photo sorting and internet research for equipment to get the WIFI signal from Lambert’s house down to the school, library and clinic. 

Now a cow has joined the Ca Coq Chicken Symphony Orchestra and Opera Company, bringing its deep rich baritone in to blend with and balance the soprano roosters and clucking hens. 

Progress is being made on all fronts, 12-15 men working on the fish ponds every day, a new well has been dug out behind the library to use for the toilet and washing etc, the fence around the library is almost finished, the cistern at the library is almost connected after being cleaned and repaired, the sink has been hung on the wall in the bathroom, the water supply pipe almost reaches it and the drain almost reaches the drain pipe. There is promise of a shower some day soon, but we will not count that chicken until it is in the pot, as there is no water for the shower until the cistern is hooked up, and not even then until it rains. Rainy season doesn’t really start until May, and we will be long gone by then, so it will be a miracle if we ever get to have a shower while in Haiti. A swim in the lagoon followed by a washcloth rinse with brackish well water and a final wipe with a few precious drops of expensive Culligan drinking water will have to suffice. 

Last night we invited Federique to join us for dinner. One of the fishermen we gave a sail to brought us two conch, and someone gave Federique one conch, so we gave all three to Mirlein who cooked us a wonderful dinner of rice, beans and the conch in a spicy red onion sauce. Federique is a very interesting Haitian. Born in Port au Prince, at the age of three he was severely burned and was evacuated to the US for skin grafts and treatment. From age three til almost 15, he lived in the US in foster homes, but was never legally adopted. He went to school and learned everything any American child would learn, so he speaks, reads and writes English as well as any American and understands our culture, idioms, and social customs. Then at age 14 he was deported back to Haiti because he had not been legally adopted and was not only not a US citizen, but along the way his Haitian passport and birth certificate had become lost. After 12 years living in the US and growing up as an American boy, he was not only sent home, but he was sent to an orphanage in Haiti, because he had completely lost touch with his family. This was a particularly difficult transition for him because he had also lost his ability to speak or understand French and Creole, he was truly a stranger in his own country. 

Being a very intelligent young man, Federique quickly relearned French and Creole, and also excelled at school because of his many years of US education. He now teaches English here in Ca Coq village, is getting married to another school teacher from Port au Prince, and together they plan to start a preschool and kindergarten in Ca Coq, where none presently exist. He also dreams of starting a high school and vocational school in the village, as there are no educational opportunities beyond 5th or 6th grade within many hours travel from Ca Coq.

From talking with Federique, Lambert, and many others, and from what we have seen and learned so far, below are what appear to be the highest priorities and how we can help the most:

Water - They really need clean water. More water cisterns for collecting rain water and filters for purifying it to make it healthy to drink. We are working on cisterns, and today I ordered 50 of the Filter Pure Ceramic filters from Jacmel to be delivered next week. See http://www.filterpurefilters.org/  Many more are needed. 

Cook stoves - Most people in Haiti use charcoal to cook. Only the wealthy can afford gas. The largest export and cash income crop for Ile a Vache is cutting down trees to make charcoal, to sell and to use to cook. Those who cannot afford charcoal use wood, a difficult and smoky alternative. The Stove Tec stove is a wonderful and excellent alternative. This remarkable stove burns leaves, twigs and anything small and combustible, and due to it’s clever venturi design and construction, makes very clean and efficient heat from a very small amount of fuel. See http://stovetec.net/ Recently a Spanish charity came to the island selling Stove Tec stoves for $3 each. Those who bought one are the envy of everyone else in the village and everyone wants one now. Bringing more Stove Tec stoves to Ile a Vache and all of Haiti would make a huge difference to the whole country.

Education - There are many primary schools on Ile a Vache, I am not sure exactly how many, but even little Ca Coq has three. But even they all still lack good teachers, not all children can attend, some cost money that people do not have, there are no pre-schools, the subjects in primary school are limited to reading, writing and arithmetic by rote learning, there is no creativity or diversity of experience or social, cultural, art, history or other studies, many students are far behind, failing to finish even fifth grade until well into their teens, if at all, and there are no vocational or high schools for advanced subjects. Any and all resources that can be directed towards improving the educational system, not just more of the same, but real improvements in areas where it is lacking, will greatly help the young people of this small island.

Jobs - I asked Federique what is needed most of all to make life better on Ile a Vache. He replied that after water, food and education, jobs are most important. I asked one man what he does. He replied that sometimes he goes fishing with his uncle, a few days per month. I asked him what he does the rest of the time. He replied: "nothing." There are few jobs and nothing for any young men or most adult men to do with their time and energy. Some are fishermen. A few build or work on boats. Some cut down trees and make charcoal. That is about it as far as industry and opportunities go on the whole island. Projects like the fish farm ponds, installing water cisterns, building new dwellings, fixing up people’s houses, adding solar panels and electricity for homes and small businesses, micro-loans for small business, any and all projects like these provide jobs and put money into the local economy without being debilitating handouts. Jobs and focusing resources an productive long term sustainable projects will help the people and local economy far more than any amount of aid or handouts.

Medical Care - From simply walking around and learning very little about the island, it becomes obvious that health care is severely lacking. There is not one single doctor on the whole island. There are a few clinics, but they are small, maybe staffed by one nurse or midwife, and charge a fee to attend. Hardly a day goes by when we are not asked for medical advice or if we can help someone. I gave $2 to the mother of a young boy who had some kind of a bad and painful scalp infection so that she could take him to the clinic to get medicine, a man came to our door with a large cut on his leg, another asked for medicine for his mother who has a fever. We do what we can and refer them to the clinic, but it is frustrating we cannot do more. FOIAVH has made an arrangement with a better equipped clinic in Les Cayes to accept more severe cases, but that is ove an hour away by boat and to be used only for serious illness or emergencies. Simple basic family medicine and routine health care, a house where a visiting doctor or nurse could stay, sponsorship for a doctor or nurse to come and visit or stay for a while, anything possible that can improve health care for the island is greatly needed.

The Library - The Library is a wonderful structure, one of the best built in the village. It was generously and lovingly built by Tim and Leslie around 10 years ago, but has been underutilized in most years since. We have been using it as a storehouse and distribution center for the aid and donations being delivered, and also as our base and living quarters while here working. An excellent bathroom with toilet, sink and shower connected to a real septic tank and leech field is being completed in back for western guests to use. When we leave we will clean it up, replace all the books and once again it will become a library. One of the projects we are working on is providing WIFI internet access to the village. Dr. Lambert has generously offered to let us boost his WIFI signal and direct it down the hill to reach the school, library and clinic. He has also offered to buy 4 or 5 computers and pay the salary for someone to staff the library and open it as an internet cafe.

A Guest House - Building a new guest house for foreigners to come, stay, visit and help out working on projects or where a doctor or nurse can come and stay will be a great project, employ many locals, and result in a comfortable and safe place for visitors to stay. Land has been donated and building such a guest residence will provide jobs and income for many workers and their families, helping in the short term and long term as well.

The Fish Farm Ponds - Four fish ponds have been dug, two full of fish now and one more ready to fill when the rainy season arrives. They provide jobs and employment for many, and when they are producing will provide protein to eat and hopefully a surplus of fish to sell. With the addition of more ponds, perhaps up to 20 over time, the fish farm could become a self-sustaining business providing food and income for many.