Next Thursday marks the two-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake that hit Port-Au-Prince on January 12, 2010.
Long since the crisis has slipped from the consciousness of the mainstream media, the Haitian people live everyday with the vast, nearly incomprehensible repercussions of the disaster. Their country and their world has changed
in literally inexpressible ways; now many Haitians do not even refer to the 2010 earthquake by that name. Rather it is referred to as “
goudougoudou,” a onomatopoeic word which echoes the sounds of the crumbling buildings, or “
bagay la,” which
in Krèyol means simply: “the thing.”
The earthquake still impacts Hôpital Albert Schweitzer and its 210 square-mile service area because of the dramatic influx of internally displaced Haitians after the disaster. With this increase in population, there has been
an increase in need: a need for heathcare, disease prevention and control, and of course education and employment.
The hospital continues to serve the people of the Artibonite Valley, as the Friends consistently strives to build a comprehensive network of support to help sustain their ground-breaking efforts.
The good news: it is within our power to make change.
Supporting our efforts allows your dollar to go further. How? The answer is very
simple: we are small! As a small, independent nonprofit, the "Friends" has demonstrated a time-honored commitment to serve a single service area, addressing the needs of the people within it.
We work directly with the people whom we serve every day. We collaborate with hospital administrators, community educators, medical professionals, volunteers and community members towards one, unified mission to improving the health and the well-being of the people in the Artibonite Valley. And when you have questions about a program or a project, there are real people who are ready to speak with you.
In honor of the coming anniversary, we are initiating a campaign inspired by the idea that
even the smallest efforts can make a difference. After the earthquake, I was touched to find that donations had been made by children as young as ten years old -- a little girl's dog-sitting money, cash, still in an envelope, given to us in good faith. This is what our organization is all about -- every effort is welcome, because we're in this for the long haul.
So, I invite you now to take that extra step in our "Dollar for Change" campaign. Every dollar will make a difference! I challenge you, however, to consider taking it to the next level: in honor of the 2nd anniversary, try making a gift of at least $20.12!CLICK BELOW TO MAKE CHANGE NOW!
As always, I welcome any questions or insight that you may have. Yours, 
Lucy Rawson | PresidentFriends of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer HaitiAll images in this letter are courtesy of Rob Long (c) 2011
