Mission Trip to Haiti

We recently had the opportunity to support a mission trip to Haiti. Through a partnership with the Association Haitienne de Developpement Humain, we provided much-needed corrective glasses and sunglasses to the people of La Vallee-de-Jacmel.

Image Credit: U.S. Department of State

About Haiti

Haiti is located on the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with its neighbor, the Dominican Republic, in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean. With over 10 million people, Haiti is the most populous country in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the third-most populous country in the Caribbean as a whole.

Despite having a viable tourist industry, Haiti is one of the world’s poorest countries. Poverty, corruption, poor infrastructure, lack of health care and lack of education are all said to be the main sources of problems in the small country.

A catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010 killed thousands and destroyed infrastructure, communication systems, air, sea, and land transport facilities, hospitals, and electrical networks. A cholera outbreak just months after the earthquake killed even more Haitians and hospitalized hundreds of thousands more.

Mission Trip to La Vallee-de-Jacmel, Haiti

The 2010 earthquake and the cholera outbreak shortly after weakened a health system that was already struggling with poor health outcomes for years. When we were asked by the Association Haitienne de Developpement Humain, Inc. (Haitian Association for Human Development) to support a mission trip to La Vallee-de-Jacmel, Haiti we knew we needed to help.

The Association Haitienne de Developpement Humain, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in November 1986 by a group of Haitians in New Orleans, Louisiana. The organization aims to promote the welfare of Haitians by contributing to or instituting humanitarian programs (health, education, culture, development, etc.) in Haiti and Louisiana.

La Vallee-de-Jacmel, located southeast of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, is a mountainous rural area consisting of 13 tiny village communities. La Vallee-de-Jacmel is home to approximately 5000 families and has just a few small stores, a medical clinic, several churches and some schools. Most families earn a living by farming, raising farm animals, and selling their crops at the weekly market. A typical family survives on less than $500 per year.

The mission trip to La Vallee-de-Jacmel allowed the Association Haitienne de Developpement Humain, Inc. to help these families. Over 550 people were seen! Four hundred patients were provided with reading glasses and 300 patients with sunglasses.

Stories & Pictures from Haiti

The patients loved the readers and sunglasses and the smiles that were brought to their faces were priceless. Here are some photos from our eye team as well as some pictures with patient’s modeling their new glasses. We thank you again for your very generous contribution and the people of La Vallee-de-Jacmel are gracious. Merci!

Cheers,

Marina Su

We are so happy that we were able to support this mission trip to Haiti! We are also grateful for partnerships with organizations like the Association Haitienne de Developpement Humain, Inc, who are truly making a difference for the optically underserved.

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Jessica Altamirano

Communications Specialist at National Vision

Jessica Altamirano is a proud Veteran spouse who has worked for NVI since 2014. She holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from George Mason University. Jessica is passionate about corporate-nonprofit partnerships, philanthropic efforts in developing countries, Veteran recruitment, and creating a culture of health and wellness in the workplace.

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