A partner of the Petits Frères des Pauvres organization since 2018, the Saint Croix Congregation is dedicated to serving the poorest and most vulnerable. The parish of Guadalupe in the commune of Carrefour is thus developing projects to support the very vulnerable population of the commune. The desire to open a health center is the result of parishioners who realized that a significant number of people, especially the elderly, did not have access to health care for economic, mobility or security reasons. A health center closer to the people of the neighborhood will allow access to health care for a vulnerable and older population. It will also allow the organization of awareness and prevention campaigns.
With the inauguration of the Center on March 6, the dream has become reality.
Father Duvillage who is piloting the project testifies:
“I would say that the open house day was a total success. It exceeded our expectations. People came from all over to discover the space where we will offer first aid and make suggestions. Children, young people, adults and old people were present. They brought sheets, blood pressure monitors, emergency kits and above all their smile. Among the visitors, there were doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians and people who are deeply involved in the community.”
Today, the center still lacks the equipment to be able to operate at 100% and the Congregation hopes to still raise funds to acquire the missing equipment.
Supporting the creation of the dispensary is part of the overall support that Petits Frères des Pauvres provides to the Congregation to bring the elderly out of their isolation and allow them to have a better quality of life. For the record, Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is known for its social, economic and political instability, increased poverty, food insecurity and dramatic natural disasters. The UN estimates that 60% of the Haitian population lives below the poverty line (on less than $2 per day).
Photo credit: Father Duvillage, Saint Croix Congregation
