Preval Hits the Road: Dicusses Public Health and Self-Reliance

  • Posted on: 30 January 2008
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

Haitian leaders tend to get bogged down in ever-unstable Port au Prince.  It is a matter of political survival.  However, most of Haiti is rural and certainly most of what is good about Haiti is to be found outside of its largest city.  Recently President Preval made a public tour of the Central Plateau.  We were happy to see that public health was a recurring theme of his trip.  Regardless of one's political beliefs, we can all agree increased attention to public health is essential.  When a person has health, a person has hope.  Where there is hope, there is also the possibility of development and a better future.  

UN Calls Water a Top Priority

  • Posted on: 27 January 2008
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the world on Thursday to take action against water shortages.  Whether we are talking about global health, economic growth, or global peace,  how water is managed, used, and shared must be taken into account.  As a developmental and humanitarian issue alike, water shortages will need to be addressed nationally, regionally, and globally. 

Bridging the Gap: Peace by Peace

  • Posted on: 27 January 2008
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

Student activism. During my years at the University of Miami, I became a part of the large community of students who were frustrated that we lived our daily lives through textbooks as our global community continued to struggle. As students we used this frustration, coupled with our idealistic visions, to give us a passionate drive to "make a difference". But how long will this spark last and why should we invest in these young leaders?

What's in a Language? (Learning Kreyol)

  • Posted on: 26 January 2008
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

It's been said that a person's first language is the language of the heart and the second is the language only of the head.   Is it possible to really understand a country without knowing the predominate language?  I don't think it is.  Haiti is often called a Francophone country, and while the politicians and wealthy speak it, they are a minority.  The country is Kreyolphone!  Below is some information on Haiti's only widely spoken language and some resources for learning it.

Red Cross says Changing Climate Worsens Disasters

  • Posted on: 26 January 2008
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Climate change is making it harder for many people to access clean water and food, and widening the spread of infectious diseases, which include malaria and its dangerous cousin dengue fever.  If the past few years have become the new normal, we need to do a better job of adapting. This means preventing, rather than just responding to disasters.

Wout Yo Di!!! (An Update on Road Construction in Haiti)

  • Posted on: 24 January 2008
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

roadHaiti's roads are awful. When I was a volunteer, a peacekeeper told me that the only worse roads he had ever seen were in Nepal.  The lack of infrastucture has affected people's ability to do business, seek health care, visit relatives, and to travel in general.  But there is good news - For the first time in a long while progress is being made on Haiti's road system. 

 

The "Reverse Peace Corps" Approach: Atlas Corps Seeks to Grow

  • Posted on: 23 January 2008
  • By: Bryan Schaaf
Peace Corps has the goals of exposing Americans to other cultures, exposing people of other cultures to Americans, and offering assistance whenever possible.  But Peace Corps can't be called an exchange.  When was the last time one of our colleagues was able to come to the United States via Peace Corps?  For this reason, I was pleased to learn about a new organization called Atlas Corps which brings nonprofit leaders from the developing world to volunteer for one year in the U.S.  Senator Harris Wofford serves on their Senior Advisory Board and has praised their innovative "reverse Peace Corps" approach towards development.

Rotary in Haiti/Haitians in Rotary

  • Posted on: 22 January 2008
  • By: Bryan Schaaf

So I've been thinking about joining Rotary Club.  Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders interested in humanitarian service, encouraging high ethical standards, and promoting peace and goodwill around the world.  There are about 1.2 million Rotarians belonging to more than 31,000 Rotary clubs in 166 countries.  There are plenty of programs financed by Rotary International, but are there Haitian Rotary Clubs?  Turns out that there are.

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