---

In a village in Northwest Haiti, a group of University of Cincinnati students walked the streets a village in Northwest Haiti, a group of with the intent of surveying locals about what resources were most needed to revitalize the impoverished area.

While the pack began with just 25 people, a string of Haitian children grabbed the hands of the students and walked with them. The children were just happy to walk with the Americans, Director of the McNair Scholars, Dr. Cheri Westmoreland said.

“The environment of Haiti is not one where you would think of children having time to play, but they’re just kids,” Westmoreland said. “It’s so amazing to know that when they see Americans, they just immediately embrace us.”

The warmth of the Haitian children is what Westmoreland describes as the most extraordinary aspect of last year’s “Restoring Hope in Haiti” Spring break trip taken by a UC Africana Studies class. She has experienced the resilience of the Haitian people during her five trips to the devastated country- and now, as the professor of the class, she’s sharing the experience with approximately 30 UC students this Spring break.

The Africana Studies class, which explores the Haitian society and culture, gives students the opportunity to be involved in a service-learning travel experience.

“The country still needs so much help,” said Mark McIntyre II, a fourth-year psychology student. “That’s where our class comes in.”
The class will aid the people of the devastated country in any way they can, along with their partners at Northwest Haiti Christian Mission — a nonprofit church organization dedicated to bringing people in Northwest Haiti out of poverty. They will help the country in whatever way they can, McIntyre said.

More than 70 percent of the Haitian population was living on less than $2 per day, prior to the earthquake in 2010. The 7.0 magnitude quake left Port au Prince in ruins — with over 220,000 dead and 19 million cubic meters of rubble and debris. The debris alone was enough to fill a line of shipping containers stretching from London to Beirut, According to the Disasters Emergency Committee.

“Imagine a country with no electricity, no water, no food- nothing,” McIntyre said. “We’re basically doing anything possible to help that we can do.”

In preparation for their journey, the students have learned the lingual basics of Creole, as well as the cultural norms and history of Haitian society. After several in-class discussions, the class was divided into work groups that will target specific demographics once they reach their village destination.

“The different teams will be dedicated to working with children, women, community outreach and a group will work with the medical clinic,” McIntyre said. “Once we get there though, we’ll probably float around.”

The team that will be working with children look forward to creating a fun-filled, light-hearted atmosphere. The team plans on implementing a schedule full of crafts and games for the kids, Westmoreland said.

“Generally, the children don’t see themselves so we’re going to take their pictures,” she said. “The students are purchasing Polaroid cameras and film to take the shots.”
The children will have the opportunity to make pop sicle stick frames, a small gesture that emphasizes the need for carefree enjoyment in a place overflowing with strife and sorrow.

The students will also focus on helping the women of Haiti. Along with a medical clinic, orphanage, and housing for special needs citizens and the elderly, the Northwest Haiti Christian Mission provides child-birthing services through their birthing center.

“When a woman goes into labor, she has to take care of everything,” Westmoreland said. “They don’t give her food so her family has to provide food for her throughout the child-birthing process.”

The class will contribute 50 bags filled with granola bars, baby clothing and beaded bracelets for the pregnant women. Conditions are incredibly hard for Haitian women, Westmoreland said.

“We’ll show them personal hygiene care like brushing their teeth, but we’ll also encourage empowerment,” Westmoreland said. “Women there need the chance to embrace and be encouraged to live another day.”

With the help of the UC Women’s Center, the group will deliver a large amount of feminine products to the Haitian women. UC Women’s Center administrative coordinator Ann Brown purchased a great amount of medial and hygiene products including feminine hygiene products, gauze rolls, shampoo and diaper rash cream.

“These students are going there, and they will be personally interacting and getting it directly to the Haitian people,” Brown said. “What better way to make sure extra help gets to Haiti than through our people at UC?”

Before the class’ departure, the students are sending a call to action to the entirety of the university community.

“As a UC community, we can show the Haitians that we’re still supporting them and that they haven’t been forgotten,” McIntyre said. “There are still people out there who care.”

Another initiative is the distribution of supplies to the people of Haiti. The class is asking for donations of medical and hygiene supplies such as alcohol swabs, pain medicine, vitamins, toothpaste, peroxide and soap. While medical supplies are preferred, the people of Haiti have nothing, so everything helps, McIntyre said.

“Together we can do so much good and help so many people,” he said. “If everyone at UC just bought one extra item, that could go so far.”

Donation drives will be held every Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. in the Campus Recreation Center breezeway until Spring break. Whether students contribute to the donation drive or physically serve in a destitute community, Westmoreland encourages all UC students to see the bigger picture.

“There might be a language barrier, but a smile is universal,” Westermoreland said. “We are so blessed here and to go and serve another country will change a person.”