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CHI was able to interview one of our Co-Founders, Dr. Chris Buresh, about his reflections and hopes for the future of CHI. Check out the interview with him below!
CHI is celebrating its 10 year anniversary all year long leading up to our CHI360 gala event on Sept. 17th in Iowa City, IA at The Graduate Hotel! Join us! Grab your ticketsHERE
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 Abélard’s story with CHI began when a medical team was working in his area but didn’t have an interpreter. At the time, he was working at a local bar as a bartender and he offered to come interpret for the medical team. He has been interpreting with us ever since and also works with our IT Director Steve Yagla to input patient records into our TEBOW medical records system. Currently, Abélard is officially apart of the CHI staff in Haiti and he is our IT Specialist handling patient records data entry at our Haitian Led Clinics, and he also still interprets for us as well. He shared that he truly loves his work with CHI, and this job helps to fund his schooling.
Abelard taught himself English by reading and speaking with others, and he hopes to learn Portuguese, Spanish, and Sign Language in the future. He also hopes to one day be a businessman and open a hotel or bar.
If you missed our last webinar after the Winter Haitian Led Clinic (HLC), you can catch the replay above! We hope you'll join us for the next one and stay tuned for our next Virtual Clinic to get exclusive content and stories at the next HLC.
10 years ago our co-founders Chris Buresh and Josh White started CHI Haiti and we're thrilled that we're still here providing life-saving medical care to the communities we serve in Haiti.
Join us in celebration this year by sending in a memory, a photo with a story, or a video. We'll be posting them throughout the year leading up to our CHI 360 event in Iowa! Stay tuned here to our Events page for more info about the 2022 CHI 360 event You can also follow us on Instagram @chi.haiti and message us your video. Be sure to post it to your page as well so to help spread the word about CHI and the word we do!
We interviewed Rigan & Dr.Daphene to talk about their reflections from the year and their their hopes for CHI Haiti in 2022.
Check out the video below! Written by: Gabrielle Belanger, CHI Summer Intern  Julmis has been working with CHI since the 2010 earthquake. To help provide medical relief, he started working as a translator for Dr. Chris, one of CHI’s co-founders.
Julmis says that when CHI first entered Arcahaie, medical care seemed “upside down and very rare.” When people came from Fondal for health care, many people suffered or did not make it on the way. He feels that CHI has greatly improved the quality of life and health care in the area, and has helped to educate so many people on various sanitary and medical issues, including how to use the bathroom in a sanitary manner and how to help mothers during childbirth. Julmis is passionate about his work with CHI and education. Outside of his work with CHI, Julmis works as a math teacher at the secondary level. Julmis dreams of an even more beautiful Haiti in the future, with strong and innovative education systems which would empower more people and provide life-changing opportunities. Written by: Gabrielle Belanger, CHI Summer Intern  Kenderson joined the CHI team as an interpreter five years ago, when his friend convinced him to apply. Although Kenderson had learned to speak English while in Jersey City, New Jersey, he was reluctant to look for a job as a translator and already had a position at a restaurant/bar. His friend eventually convinced him to give it a try, and he has been working with CHI ever since. He says that looking back, it would have been a mistake to not take this opportunity.
He shared that the reason his time with CHI has had such a significant impact on his life is because of the amazing things he has seen during his time with the organization, like young children being nursed back to health. He loves seeing people who previously lacked access to medical attention receive quality care from our team. His hope for the future of CHI is for the organization to create a permanent hospital with 24/7 care, ran entirely by Haitian staff in order to grow the economy, create jobs, and provide constant access to medical care for residents of the area. Written by: Gabrielle Belanger, CHI Summer Intern  Allens worked with CHI for a few months in 2018 as an interpreter. He learned English in Long Island, New York, and was connected to CHI through his uncle who knows Danger, CHI's Haiti Operations Director.
He says that CHI has helped to change this community for the better. By providing medical attention to people who would otherwise never be able to afford it, CHI has saved the lives of so many community members. Other than his work with CHI, Allens runs a small business selling engine oil. In the future, he would like to get married, become a father, buy a nice house, and hopefully travel. He thinks that the future will be good for the community. Written By: McKenzie Logan, CHI intern Over a short period of time, Haiti has experienced countless adversities.
From Haiti’s Prime Minister being linked to the former president’s assassination, devastating natural disasters, and continued gang violence, Haitians are desperate to escape the current political and social turbulence. As disasters cumulate and the lingering impacts due to centuries of neglect and repression resurface, the people have learned to rely on each other for survival. As a result, thousands of Haitians have fled the country in search of an improved environment. However, most of these efforts will go in vain as refugees are being deported back to Haiti regardless of the “temporary protected status” – which grants migrants and refugees already in the country to work and live in the US legally – the Biden Administration extended just a few weeks ago. The Biden Administration has continued to use Trump policies in order to justify the deportation of Haitians, such as Title 42, which has been proven to be inconsistent with U.S. and international refugee laws. Criticism stemming from human rights activists all the way up to Homeland Security has begun to condemn these actions, however, stating that the Administration’s reasoning under Title 42 was invalid. In addition, Michael Knowles, the president of a union that represents individuals seeking asylum, stated that the use of Title 42 prohibits the basic human right of asylum application. Consequently, the hostile conditions Haitians are experiencing have further seeped into the U.S., as Border Patrol agents have been seen on horseback gathering refugees, closely resembling the rounding of cattle. Some sources even report witnessing a Haitian man being pulled behind a horse while restrained. This occurrence has not gone unnoticed, as the Human Rights Watch determined this circumstance was driven by “abusive and racist” immigration policies. NPR story here about the resignation of Daniel Foote, US Special Envoy to Haiti, who resigned yesterday, "saying he 'will not be associated with the United States' inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees and illegal immigrants to Haiti' from the U.S. border." Good opinion article here from The Haitian Times: "America Must Uproot Anti- Blackness in Immigration to live up to Ideals.” Please call and write your representatives in government and demand that they condemn the treatment of asylum-seeking Haitian migrants at our borders, and demand that they put pressure on the Biden Administration to end the use of Title 42 started by Trump. We stand WITH Haitian migrants and all humans fighting for their right to safety, dignity and respect for themselves and their families. Seeking asylum is a human right. Donate to organizations fighting alongside Haitian migrants at the border, such as Haitian Bridge. #ALLBLACKLIVESMATTER ________________ Sources https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/09/21/us-treatment-haitian-migrants- discriminatory# https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2021/09/25/haitian-refugees- asylum-texas-border-how-to-help/5842876001/ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-58673578 https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/oct/13/haiti- migrants-deported-survival https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/16/world/americas/haiti-president- politics.html https://www.cbsnews.com/news/immigration-title-42-border-policy-migrants- screened-us-protection/ Written by: Gabrielle Belanger, CHI Summer Intern  Jean has been working with CHI for over eight years as an interpreter. He learned English by speaking with volunteers from CHI.
Outside of CHI, Jean runs an orphanage where he takes care of seven children full-time. He also cares for 70 other children in the village by providing them with food or education when he is able. He says he wants to help as many kids as possible, since many children can get “left behind” in Haiti. The organization he runs to care for these children is funded by his salary from CHI, donations from another children’s nonprofit organization, and the money he makes from selling backpacks that he makes by hand. |
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