Visiting the Women's Clinic Site On Sunday

"Cabrit" on the site of the planned Women's Clinic in Tom Gato

On Sunday we had a wonderful day in spite of the rain, visiting construction sites with new friends from Building Goodness  Foundation of Charlottesville, VA. 

Building Goodness is partnering with Family Health Ministries to build a prenatal care and birthing center about 45 minutes up into the mountains from the Leogane Family Health Center.  We anticipate construction beginning in the next few weeks.

 Mike Gallahue, Partner, Greer & Associates, Inc. (center) and volunteer Women's Clinic Project Manager with Michael Anello, Haiti Field Manager (right) both with the Building Goodness Foundation

Michael, who is temporarily living in Leogane, and Mike, who is visiting from Charlottesville, took us to some of Building Goodness' recent projects close to the proposed site for the Women's Clinic. 

Nearing completion is a depot and packaging facility (above) for CODEP, a nonprofit based in New Bern, NC, that has worked in this part of Haiti since 1990.

 

Building Goodness buildings in Haiti are characterized by their sensitivity to local needs, particularly good air flow while providing protection from wind and rain.  The buildings have excellent security as well, as you can see in the local church above and the middle school below.

 

Building Goodness staff clearly exert lots of energy to collaborate with their projects' Haitian neighbors. At the Women's Clinic site, Michael chatted with a man raising pigs nearby.  The farmer gave input on where he thought it best to relocate a path so he and his family still have access to the Jacmel Road.

"Kochon" in the yard next to the proposed property for FHM's Women's Clinic

 

Later this week we will be hosting the volunteer architect for Women's Clinic, Sara Harper of Baltimore, and will be able to tell you more about the new facility.



Maybe we should get chickens in Apex?

We had great fun Friday afternoon visiting with Delson Merisier, MD, longtime FHM friend.  We talked with Delson as he fed and watered his chickens.

(For those of you who know that Janet grew up on a chicken farm, you will find it amusing to know how much she enjoyed the visit.)

Delson probably has 300 fowl in the yard around his not yet finished house.  He has a large variety of nests and cages all over the property.  See below for a Delson update.

Eggs ready for sale

We got to see the baby chicks, some just a day old, that are segregated in their own pens so they don't get eaten by snakes, dogs, rats, and all sorts of other predators.  Delson's raising turkeys, too.  Organic eggs as well chickens for eating are for sale.


Delson still has a "green thumb."  His five-year-old trees are huge.
 

Delson marks his calendar when a hen begins to set on her eggs.

 

He is raising turkey chicks as well.

 

There were also six 5-week old German Shepherd puppies to enjoy.

 

Delson says he is amazingly happy tending his chickens.  He doesn't know why, because it takes a lot of time on top of his medical practice to take care of them all.  He says his life is as stress free as it's ever been.  Maybe we should follow his example and raise chickens and turkeys back in Apex??!!

Delson Update
This report is for those of us who have known Delson for years.  His medical practice has been

waning - he only delivered three babies so far in September where as last year at this time he had delivered twelve.  He says he has lots of patients for consultation, but that they still want free delivery.

On that note, MSF (Doctors without Borders where baby delivery has been free since the earthquake) has announced they are leaving Leogane and have stopped delivering all but high risk babies.  Delson says it will take a while after they leave for his business to rebuild.

This means he's not working on his house right now, although he's made lots of progress (right), and is still living at the Clinic.  His children are now 6, 10, and 11 and still going to school in PAP. Junior started school on Friday and is getting tall.  The older children begin on Tuesday.

Things to Do in Leogane

Leogane is not a tourist town like Jacmel, but there are plenty of interesting things to see and do here. 

We've assembled this list in the past few days - some of the photos may look familiar.  Please pardon any repeats of information.

Around town

• Leogane was hard-hit by the 2010 earthquake, but recovery is well on its way.  It's interesting to look for both new and old buildings, new streets, and especially the new drainage systems that will prevent regular flooding that plagued residents in the past.

 

 

 

 

• There are many kleren factories along the roads or hiding in back of buildings, including one close to the guesthouse. (Kleren is a strong spirit, less refined than rum, but made from sugar cane, maybe even from the fields next to the guesthouse!)

At the ocean, near Ça Ira

• We loved driving down to the beach and observing the distinct Haitian-made sailboats that still carry heavy loads back and forth to Ile Gonave in the bay.  We didn't see boat building this time, but there was a partially rotted boat in the water that gave us a good view of the construction techniques.

• You can also visit Voici Obama Beach which is adjacent to the sailboats.  There, for a small fee, you can take an ocean swim, and have a Prestige with the locals.

Food and Drink

• We understand that the local hot spots include the Taciana Hotel, just down from the Ocean Grill, where you can swim in the pool for a few gourdes, and Belle Negresse, a new bar-grill where expats hang out, in the same neighborhood.
• Missy often took teams for a seafood lunch and local atmosphere at the Ocean Grill at the intersection of the Leogane Road and Rte. National #2.  A very large mango tree grows right through the middle of the restaurant.  The mango leaves help make the roof to shelter the patrons.
• Many of us have checked out Masaje bar in the evening.  It's just down the street from Hôpital Ste. Croix and is really lively after dark.

Ateliers of local artisans

• Last November, I took a team down the road  10 kilometers towards PAP to a metal worker’s shop.  You can go out back and see works in progress, and get an idea of all the steps in the process, from used metal drums to works of art.  The place is small compared to Croix de Bouquets, but has the advantage of being close by.

• Leogane is famous for its stone carvers as well.  When the last guesthouse manager was here, he drove up the nearby river to an atelier right on the river's banks.  You can see photos and his video on the FHM website.

At the market

• Walking through the large Leogane “new” outdoor market is fascinating.  It’s fun to see the amazing assortment of items for sale.
  
• There are small groceries which are worth a visit, including the one at the Canaan gas station and Original Market near the police station in the center of town.

 

 We welcome your suggestions.  Do you have a favorite place in nearby towns Grand Goave or Gressier that we could share with visitors?

Inspired by Australia Ethicist Peter Singer

Today's musings continue on the subject of the amazing people working here in Haiti and who have come the way of the FHM guesthouse.  I'm pleased to tell you a little about our new friend Jolinda. 

This woman is most self-effacing, so I had to work some to get her story, but it was worth probing.  I bet you can tell from her smile that she is delightful.  Her eyes are almost always sparkling, especially when she's working hard on a difficult challenge.

After earning a degree from UCLA in anthropology, Jolinda went to the University of Chicago.

Originally planning on a life in academia, she was inspired by Australian Ethicist Peter Singer to become a social activist.

(Jolinda recommends Singer's 2009 book, The Life You Can Save.  In this book, Singer challenges us.  Of course we would ruin a good pair of shoes to help a child we saw drowning in a shallow pond.  Why won't we help a child we can't see, in another part of the world?)

After finishing her MA in religious studies, Jolinda began her career in the nonprofit world, even hanging out a bit with Barack Obama, back when he was a state senator.  She served in Thailand and Indonesia before coming to Haiti. 

Arriving in November with the same organization she worked for in Indonesia, Jolinda was only going to stay in Leogane a few weeks.  Then she had an "aha" moment on New Year's Eve, 2010-2011.

Sitting with some Haitian young people who could have been out partying, she was enjoying spending time with these "local volunteers." Suddenly, with no warning, the three young men sitting next to her began wailing loudly.  They were lamenting the many sad times of the last year.

Jolinda knew at that moment that she wanted to spend time working with this "awesome generation" of 18 to 24 year olds.  She began learning Kreyol and has been in Haiti ever since.

Today Jolinda supports herself writing vegetarian cookbooks. Most recently she has been working with GOALS Haiti here in Leogane.  GOALS is a soccer program that promotes gender equality, youth leadership, and community-led initiatives.

Now who's awesome?

Eye Openers

• that low value freight is still moved by heavily laden sail boats (charcoal) or bullock trains
  
  (sugar cane), often with multiple wagons and multiple animals.
• that the name "Obama" keeps showing up.

Evens, a local guide, explained that things new and good that happened at the same time that US President Obama was elected are named "Obama," including the large and comfortable white buses that ply the road between Leogane and Port-au-Prince, and "Obama Beach," a new recreational facility on the ocean on the outskirts of Leogane.

Evens went on to explain that used tee shirts are ofen called, "Kennedys" because John Fitzgerald Kennedy was President when Americans started shipping used clothing to Haiti.

• that Haitians work very long hours, many more days a week than workers in America, who are regarded as hard working.  Our guesthouse staff are pleased to be employed since so many of their family and friends are unemployed, even though they may work six days a week, twelve hours a day. 

• that the local health care system can be quite efficient.  When we took one of our staff into a Leogane clinic because we thought she was suffering from heat exhaustion, the doctor gave her a prescription for a number of possible ailments. 

Then they gave her an IV, after testing her at the same time for a number of other possibilities.  When she returned the next day for her test results, she didn't have to see the doctor again - they just filled the appropriate prescriptions for her diagnosis.

• that we can actually get used to the heat.   We recently found ourselves sitting at dinner without turning on the fan.  Note that this is probably the hottest part of the day in the guesthouse!  We have a new definition of "hot and sticky."
•  that plain spaghetti with ketchup (it IS called "tomato sauce" in Australia) sprinkled with raw onions and raw green peppers can be delicious.   

I remember when I first saw this served in Blanchard right after the earthquake.  I figured it was a special offering because food stuffs were at a premium at that time.  And, they served a LOT of raw onions. 

 

Here we're a bit more conservative with the onions.  Note to potential guests - this is the "staff meal" at noon - not to worry...

 

• that as we work on understanding the detailed costs of running the guesthouse, and look for process improvement opportunities, we're struck with the mix of global and local costs.  It SHOULD be cheap to run this place, but it is not always.  Some costs, e.g. energy and water, are more than in the US.
  
• that I'm still blogging, even though blogspot is pretty quirky and tries my patience.  Right now, for example, I can't get the menu to size and add captions to these photos.  The one above, with the large mango tree growing in the middle of the restaurant, serves wonderful seafood at very reasonable prices.  Below, as they fill the drinking water bottles, they charge us $.15, where as in Apex we pay a fraction of a cent.

Challenges Galore Yesterday

 

Fixing the driveway

When we first thought about coming to Haiti, we were a bit concerned that we wouldn't have enough to do.  If every day were like yesterday...
Today, however, there is lots of progress.  Last week, after a local crew came by to dig a ditch along the Route National #2, our address, it became very difficult to get in and out of the guesthouse driveway.

Today, a crew from de Matteis Constrution is leveling out our entrance so it still drains, but requires a smaller "jump" to get into our driveway.  Hooray.  Never thought we'd be thinking about the driveway angle...  or the small things that would make us VERY happy.

We have a long list of small improvements to make, thinking about keeping ourselves busy.  So, for example, because we do not currently have a gardener here (we're going to hire one soon), we picked up several large bags of trash one morning, accompanied by a local boy who was tending his cow in our front yard.  He didn't help!

One of our ideas was to bury the electric cord connecting the water pump across our courtyard - so no one would trip.  Another happy moment - de Matteis Construction company buried it while we were out.  Agreed, it's not much to look at   There must be a Haitian proverb about a moment such as this?

Another recent accomplishment - rearranging the bedrooms so the air flows properly.  One of our larger challenges has been figuring out the best schedule to run the generator to recharge the batteries we use for electricity during the day.  We've been experimenting with the whole house fan as well.  It's hard to photograph our guest rooms, but imagine how refreshing the pale green and blue sheets  are, especially when the A/C is on after a day of 90 plus heat.

Yes, that's Jocelyne, our housekeeper, at the back of the room near the air conditioner.

I see this blog does not live up to its title - perhaps yesterday's challenges are best left undescribed?

Interesting Guests

We are learning that one of the most interesting parts of the guesthouse job is the guests.  You are probably not surprised.

Right now we only have one guest - Kona (above left at dinner). We are also fortunate to meet the friends and co-workers that she brings by for meetings and meals. 

As the executive director of G.O.A.L.S. Haiti, Kona with her colleagues runs a youth program that uses soccer to engage kids in community service and education. 

She epitomizes what we have seen in several other young Americans we have met who are working here in Leogane - amazingly energetic, focused and hardworking, and seeming to revel in the challenging living conditions.  (Is it hot?  Are there mosquitos?)

Kona founded GOALS after the 2010 earthquake, her first summer after graduating from Brown University in Rhode Island.  Her team serves 300 boys and girls aged 7 - 18 every day. 

We have enjoyed hearing Kona's philosphy of nonprofit management and her story about how she became interested in Haiti.

Kona grew up in Seattle and began volunteering at an early age.  Then she read Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder.  She decided to get a degree in international development, first coming to Haiti as part of Brown's Haitian studies initiative. In Leogane after her freshman year, Kona taught English and learned Kreyol. 

She returned during Spring Break 2010 as a translator.  She remembers walking down Leogane's Grand Rue where in the middle of the rubble, both kids and adults were playing pick up soccer in the street.  As she watched people laughing and having fun in terribly difficult conditions, she realized the power of sport to bridge the gap between fun and hard work.

Read more about Kona's philosophy on her blog.  Read more about the 15 Haitians who work in four GOALS communities in GOALS' first annual report.

Happiness is ...

Kids clowning for us as we walk to town

• walking all the way to the town center and back without getting lost, visiting places Janet knew before the earthquake

The clarin factory close by

•  getting all three Haitian cell phones to work and charged with minutes (one has two SIM cards - Natcom AND Digicel!)

A building on the main town square not yet restored

• cleaning every shower head clog, getting to use one of the wrenches we brought with us, and then enjoying the fuller flow

Electricite de Haiti in Leogane

•  taking data on electricity usage, and collaborating with Richard, our day-time security man, on improvements

The river near the guesthouse

• eating Yvette's amazing meals - including lots of fresh veggies and fruits and fabulous sauces

Loaded Sailboat - which way is it going?

meeting a Haitian UN worker at Hopital Ste. Croix who enjoyed talking politics

Cleaning up after an accident out in front of the guesthouse

talking back and forth to both our kids over the Internet

Pretty if not seaworthy?

• improving our ability to speak and understand Kreyol, and getting kudos for our efforts from the guesthouse staff

One of the many pretty wood houses in town

Early Morning in Leogane

At the front gate, with the moon still up, and looking in the direction of the sunrise.  Yes, those are almond trees.

Laughs from Leogane

Some of our neighbors including a lizard that lives on our porch and that puffs his throat when we walk by - look closely for the powerpost beetles in the shoe rack.  The last two photos include the harvest moon and  the lightning storm, plus the harvest that goes by our door regularly - sugar cane.

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding the Interaction between the Delco, the Inverter, and the Battery Bank

To provide a view of how we've been spending a lot of time, I'm going to write today about our challenges understanding how the Delco (generator) charges the battery bank which in turn feeds the inverter which in turn provides AC power to the guesthouse when the generator is not running.

What we're really doing is collecting some numbers to confirm the conventional wisdom about how these three interact.

(To those of you who are already yawning, feel free to make smart remarks as I've now enabled "Comments" on this blog.)

Our big picture objective is to find out how much it costs to provide electricity for the guesthouse.  First, we're trying to figure out how much fuel is used per hour by the Delco.  We also want to know how long the charge lasts in the batteries, and what is apt to drain them.  (I'll put headings on the details below so you can stop reading any time...)

The Delco
The generator, which is really an SDMO brand, is sized to support much more than the guesthouse. 

When the hospital buildings come on line (we hope the surgical center of the Leogane Family Health Center will begin construction this fall), we will not need a bigger generator for backup power.

As we run the Delco each evening to charge the batteries, it's operating at less than one quarter capacity.  This means we can run the whole house fan and the room air conditioners at the same time as the Delco for very little additional fuel.

Note to non-techies - A/C for a few hours in Leogane, a town with small breezes and daily temps in the 90's, is heaven.

 The Batteries and their Level
Here we have them, the objects of Jeff's concentration, three banks of 8 batteries each (6-volt, deep draw, lead acid). 

What he really cares about is how fast the level of the 24 batteries goes down.  He is trying to figure out their capacity and if they are working optimally - lots of googling and calculations.

The Inverter
For the uninitiated, the inverter converts DC power stored in the batteries to AC for use in the house. 

When the Delco is running, AC power goes directly to the house while the inverter converts AC to DC for battery storage.  Summary - it works in both directions. 

And, the inverter's solid state technology is clever - no moving parts.

(We were amused today to see a headline in one of the New York papers about businesses going off the grid.  Maybe Jeff should consult with them before they take precipitous actions?)

EDH
Will we ever have Electricite de Haiti here at the guesthouse?  Someone thinks we will as all the boxes are already installed here, although not connected to anything.



New EDH poles line the Leogane Road, a closeby intersection - we can see them from the guesthouse.  Jeff estimates the power poles are 500 yards away. 

Someday soon we'll talk to more locals about how regular the electrical service is  - how many hours a day we could get service, and how often the power fluctuates radically. 

If the service has become more regular (it wasn't when Missy Owen lived in Leogane a year ago), then we can figure out if the cost of using EDH to charge the batteries, as friend Jacqui LaBrom does in Port-au-Prince, is a smart move for FHM.

Did you read this far?  Leave us a comment.