On December 25, 1492, Christopher Columbus’ ship, the Santa Maria, ran aground near the present site of Cap-Haiten in Haiti. A little over 525 years later, Beth Leeson and Mary Dailey Brown landed safely in Cap-Haiten to visit SowHope’s new partner, Ninotte!
Haiti, with nearly 11 million people, is the most populous country in the Caribbean Community and has the lowest Human Development Index (HDI) in the Western Hemisphere. HDI measures average life expectancy, education, and per capita income. Two years ago, Haiti lost approximately 3,000 people to Hurricane Matthew and sustained widespread damage throughout the impoverished nation. There is a great deal of work to be done and our partner Ninotte works tirelessly to help make life better for poor women in Haiti.
Ninotte, a well-respected midwife, serves her community by providing training sessions to women and young people about maternal healthcare and sex education. She has visited women and has seen the unsafe and unsanitary conditions of their dirt-floor houses, where many give birth now. She dreams of building a birthing center in which babies may be safely delivered. She also hopes to use the center for women in the community to access pre- and post-natal care so that both the women and infants can survive childbirth. Although these aspirations are within reach, Ninotte is still in need of support. With your help, Ninotte will be able to achieve her dreams.