Help with Food
Dear friends, The fifth time is the charm! The distribution Star of Hope delivered today to Dano, was by far the least challenging. From start to finish, nearly all 625 food kits were delivered within 1 hour and 30 minutes. The lessons learned today will be replicated in all future distribution projects to the extent possible.
The venue we used for the distribution was completed in May this year, a magnificent soccer complex and it made a huge difference with its roominess. In any other rural part of Haiti, it is nearly impossible to find another venue which can easily hold that many people at one time. This complex is now the single point of reference for all significant gathering in the Dano community. It hosts graduations, public meetings, and local tournaments just to name a few.
The local organizers played a significant role in execution strategy. Pastor Wallas and his team had effective and respectful control of the recipients, which is a direct representation of his leadership in the community.
Also, Larry Boursiquot, from Atlanta Georgia came as a volunteer to help SOH Haiti staff for one week in a humanitarian effort to provide food to the victims of hurricane Matthew.
The recipients were so grateful and respectful. When it was time for them to return their food coupons (1 per household), their endless and countless personal thank-you moments were touching and heartfelt to say the least. The volunteers from the pool of recipients who assisted with the offloading and distribution of the kits were equally amazing.
Mother Nature was amazing. Even though the clouds were somewhat intimidating (rain), the 32°c temperature was perfect for this time of the year. However, the 30-minute drive from the national highway to the community was nearly impracticable; but the delivery and distribution were flawless.
Text and photos Tony Boursiquot
