The Pinchinat Summer Arts and Recreation program, mentioned in my last post, has finally drawn to a close. Follow this link to check out an article about Pinchinat from last year. Though this article is dated, conditions in the camp remain quite bad, and the article still in many ways illuminates why I try to do what I do for the women and girls living in the camp, and many of the reasons that Kara Lightburn and The Haiti Initiative instituted this summer program (now in its second year).
A year and a half after the earthquake, numbers in the camp are petering down, as is available "permanent" housing (which is, in actuality, temporary at best), and the last 250 families have nowhere to go. There is yet no plan for their resettlement. A number of women to which I have been introduced through Charlotte Charles, former camp resident, camp president, and staunch human rights activist in Jacmel (read AAAMAZING woman), have turned to prostitution out of desperation after losing their homes and families in the earthquake, suffering abuses in the camp, and now needing to feed themselves and their children. In addition to building up opportunities for the women who already feel entrapped this lifestyle, but wish to get out, we hope that through supporting the teenagers and youth in the camp, we can play a small role in saving more from feeling forced to take the same measures.
Below, I have posted a few photos of the girl's soccer club, initiated under the gender empowerment objectives of the Pinchinat Summer Art Camp, and my primary responsibility for the program.
Following the end of the camp, the two Juniors (the other coaches, one a local volunteer and the other a resident of Pinchinat hired by THI) and I took the "best attenders"-- those who faithfully engaged and attended from beginning to end-- to the beach for a picnic, swim and final soccer practice. Now, after taking a short break for the remainder of the summer and early fall, I plan to continue working with this group of girls, ensuring that each is able to attend school and has a positive outlet on the weekends to keep them out of trouble, and to provide them with enriching opportunities to grow and learn in ways that will be of practical benefit to them in the future.
While my friend Hannah was here, she worked closely with the girls and grew to love and care for them. Now that she is back in the states, she will be responsible for partnering with me in fundraising to ensure that we are able to continue to assist these girls.
As for me, now that summer programs have wrapped up, I am currently spending the next few weeks in the Dominican Republic, researching the situation and work as pertaining to Haitian immigrants here, following which time I, too, will head back to the states for a short visit. More updates on these trips soon to come.
