On August 14th, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, killing more than 1,300 people and wiping out roads and hospitals. My mother lives in Les Cayes, near the epicenter of the quake. Her home was extremely damaged and will not withstand another earthquake . Amid aftershocks and the threat of tropical storms, my mom has sleeping arrangement in a shack but opts to sleep outdoors. She has lost all her possessions. She cannot access her medications.  The medication is for a chronic NCD, and not having access could create serious health challenges in short order.  The garden that she relies on for food was totally ruined. We are asking for donations to meet my mom’s urgent needs for medication, shelter and food, as well as to help begin repairs to her house.

My mother raised four children as a single parent in Boston, Massachusetts. For twenty years, she worked double shifts as a nurse’s aide to make ends meet. Throughout her stay in the U.S., my mom dreamed of returning to Haiti and building a house. Bit by bit, she set aside money, bought materials, and built her small house. My mom was devastated by the earthquake of 2010. She lost many loved ones, and her house was badly damaged. Now, she faces the challenge of rebuilding again, not just hers but her community, in a country already destabilized by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the recent assassination of the president.

We will use the funds to address my mom’s most pressing needs:

- Assist families in Haiti in need of food, water and resources 

- Shipping medications from the US via DHL (my mom usually relies on friends to bring her medication, but travel is currently impossible)

- Reinforcing the shed against tropical storms and purchasing a bed

- Purchasing materials and plants to reestablish the garden, my mom’s main source of food.

We will use any additional funds to hire contractors and buy materials to fix the parts of the house that were damaged, temporarily relocate her as work is being completed and to furnish the house. She also has been helping other families by providing food and water. My siblings and I thank you from our hearts for any help you can give.