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Good evening folks!
Many of you followed along with me this summer while I was in Jodhpur, India for the summer working with Unnati. Those who didn't, and want more information on that project can find it here:
http://unnati-nurez.blogspot.com/
This adventure will begin in a few hours, as my flight for Miami leaves at 6am from Atlanta. The Haiti trip began as a conversation between my good friend Grace Lee and I a few months ago. We were chatting about wanting to do something during the holiday season, but wanted it to be meaningful as well as be a vacation away from our normal lives. Somehow Haiti came up and we both jumped at it since we've both wanted to visit there for quite a while.
Our friend Jerry Nemorin put us in touch with Samuel Darguin and Laura Papuga from The Haitian American Caucus (HAC) and the plans began to develop. Originally, Grace, Tiffany, Sarah, Karim, and I were to go down on 12.12 and then we would all return at various times based on our schedules and other commitments. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond any of their controls, everyone bu karim and I have dropped off. But, that doesn't mean we don't carry Grace, Tiffany, and Sarah in our hearts.
So, what are we going to do? HAC has a compound about 40 minutes outside of Port-au-Prince in Croix-Des-Bouquet. There HAC provides a variety of programs to help benefit and assist the local residents. More information about HAC can be found here: http://www.hacus.org/index.html
Karim is going to focus on the micro-finance aspect of HAC's programming, help tutor the kids in English, run some sports clinics with the kids, and help with the construction of the school that is being built on the compound's grounds.
I'll be helping HAC by looking at the business model and the nonprofit model to help stream line some of their systems, teach basic boxing to the kids, help tutor the kids in English or in digital learning, help with the construction of the school, and hopefully conduct a water survey on a nearby well to determine why people continue to use the well rather than receiving their water from HAC.
All in all, it will be a very packed and busy 10 days. But, I'm looking forward to an exciting time, meeting new friends, and learning from HAC and the citizens of Haiti!
Before signing of I would like to take a moment to thank the following folks (in alphabetical order) for their help and contributions:
-Ambreen Vegdani: use of her giant suitcase to carry donations
-Amynah Jiwani: monetary contribution
-Benny McCarney: monetary contribution
-Ben Thorpe: monetary contribution
-Grace Lee: introducing me to Jerry
-Mom & Dad: monetary contribution (Madhany Family Foundation)
-Samuel Darguin: setting us up and reserving us spots at HAC
-Sarah Connell: showing me by example to not be afraid of going somewhere totally new and foreign and immersing myself in the experience
-Tiffany Joseph: pushing me to be better
Last, and certainly not least, my staff and business partners for allowing me the freedom and peace of mind to go follow my dreams while they take care of business here at home!
It's going to be an exciting 10 days! Hope you'll enjoy reading about it as much as I'm going to enjoy living it!
Nurez
Many of you followed along with me this summer while I was in Jodhpur, India for the summer working with Unnati. Those who didn't, and want more information on that project can find it here:
http://unnati-nurez.blogspot.com/
This adventure will begin in a few hours, as my flight for Miami leaves at 6am from Atlanta. The Haiti trip began as a conversation between my good friend Grace Lee and I a few months ago. We were chatting about wanting to do something during the holiday season, but wanted it to be meaningful as well as be a vacation away from our normal lives. Somehow Haiti came up and we both jumped at it since we've both wanted to visit there for quite a while.
Our friend Jerry Nemorin put us in touch with Samuel Darguin and Laura Papuga from The Haitian American Caucus (HAC) and the plans began to develop. Originally, Grace, Tiffany, Sarah, Karim, and I were to go down on 12.12 and then we would all return at various times based on our schedules and other commitments. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond any of their controls, everyone bu karim and I have dropped off. But, that doesn't mean we don't carry Grace, Tiffany, and Sarah in our hearts.
So, what are we going to do? HAC has a compound about 40 minutes outside of Port-au-Prince in Croix-Des-Bouquet. There HAC provides a variety of programs to help benefit and assist the local residents. More information about HAC can be found here: http://www.hacus.org/index.html
Karim is going to focus on the micro-finance aspect of HAC's programming, help tutor the kids in English, run some sports clinics with the kids, and help with the construction of the school that is being built on the compound's grounds.
I'll be helping HAC by looking at the business model and the nonprofit model to help stream line some of their systems, teach basic boxing to the kids, help tutor the kids in English or in digital learning, help with the construction of the school, and hopefully conduct a water survey on a nearby well to determine why people continue to use the well rather than receiving their water from HAC.
All in all, it will be a very packed and busy 10 days. But, I'm looking forward to an exciting time, meeting new friends, and learning from HAC and the citizens of Haiti!
Before signing of I would like to take a moment to thank the following folks (in alphabetical order) for their help and contributions:
-Ambreen Vegdani: use of her giant suitcase to carry donations
-Amynah Jiwani: monetary contribution
-Benny McCarney: monetary contribution
-Ben Thorpe: monetary contribution
-Grace Lee: introducing me to Jerry
-Courtney & Damien Mollere: monetary contribution
-Embraced: medical and first aid supplies (http://www.embracedatlanta.org)
-Eumir Guttierrez: laptop (http://www.facebook.com/DJEUKSLKFB)
-Jeff Brawand: laptop
-Jerry Nemorin: helping us set everything up with HAC
-Kristen Shelton: monetary contribution (http://www.ormewoodanimal.com)
-Laura Papuga: answering countless questions and emails and making sure we have a place to rest our heads and folks to pick us up tomorrow afternoon
-Mom & Dad: monetary contribution (Madhany Family Foundation)
-Samuel Darguin: setting us up and reserving us spots at HAC
-Sarah Connell: showing me by example to not be afraid of going somewhere totally new and foreign and immersing myself in the experience
-Tiffany Joseph: pushing me to be better
-Yujin Chon: school supplies
Last, and certainly not least, my staff and business partners for allowing me the freedom and peace of mind to go follow my dreams while they take care of business here at home!
It's going to be an exciting 10 days! Hope you'll enjoy reading about it as much as I'm going to enjoy living it!
Nurez
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