S.O.S Operation Espoir, INC
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- S.O.S Operation Espoir, INC
"The real way to help the needy lies in discernment. You need to be able to discern the root of the problem. Most Haitians live on $ 2.00 per day. Altena.
(1)
Address
PO Box 3402
Worcester, MA
01613
Nineteen kilometers from the beautiful climate of the Gonaives region in Haiti, a surrounded of mountains, is my motherland, Gros Morne. I was born there, the fourth of eleven children. All of my siblings were under the same roof, and were under control of my mother and my father. There were many tensions in the house because my half- sisters and brothers thought my sisters; brothers and I; who were born of the same mother and father were more special than they were. We constantly had conflicts between ourselves in the home. However, my parents never took sides. They treated us at the same level, and they corrected any unacceptable behavior. I rose up into a family whose goal was to see that their children have a positive impact on the lives of others. There were three methods that they believed could foster this goal. Primarily, my parents believe that children need support. They way they assisted us was to provide us with unfailing love and acceptance. This is not to say that we were not disciplined. To the contrary, they disciplined us in a very hard way because they loved us. Secondly, my parents taught us by example. My mother and my father were tailors and farmers. They worked as a very good team and network. While it is true selling crops could make that money, my parents always created a “Combite” structure which is a spirit of community where they often gathered the less fortunate to help them, not only by giving them some of what they reaped but also to teach them ways to help themselves in the future. My father always set aside a part of the farmland to give the needy. During the summer times, my mother brought crops home to feed us. The third method was to ensure that we worked hard on the farm. My parent’s goal was to make sure that all of us, even my half sisters and brothers, finished university. At an early age in Haiti, I was exposed to the belief that we are, in fact, “our brother’s keeper”. However, I developed an attitude at the Catholic School where I attended. I discovered that I was privileged to belong to this particular group of students. I developed a prejudice that I was superior of those who were not accepted in Catholic School. When it was time for me to go to college, I majored in Sociology and Anthropology. While I was at the University Faculty of Ethnology in Port-au-Prince, in Haiti, I researched the causes of individual problems, but I never had a chance to solve them. My research studies, which were published at the bureau of Ethnology and the National Library of Haitian Culture in Haiti, I examined the conflicts between the different classes of people in Haiti. I also studied inter-class hatred of the powerless people in Haiti. I demonstrated why the powerless use economic and political aspect of voodoo religion to improve their condition and attempt to curse others. I noticed that people were divided among classes and cast. There were conflicts between the upper, middle, and the lower class. I realized that I was a member. Through these studies, I also increased my awareness of social skills by working a short time on behalf of Haitian sugar cane cutters in the Dominican Republic in their fight for social justice and human rights. At the time of this observation, I was in my second year of graduate studies at the Department of Science of Development, where I focused on Urban Development. After receiving a degree in Sociology and Anthropology in 1996 and a Master of Science in Development in 1988, I had no question that I would pursue my studies in the Social Work field. I began to work as a newspaper columnist of the “Union” the newspaper of the society and religion in the national government. I survived the threats of my life, which were the result of speaking out about the atrocities in my homeland. I traveled to Venezuela to learn the Venezuelan culture. I went back to Haiti for a short period of time. I migrated to the United States in 1989, a country where I did not clearly speak the English language, and where there was only one relative who was able to take me into his home for six months. I traveled when I was 6 months pregnant, which made it very difficult. I gave birth to my daughter in 1989. I sent her to Montreal six months later with my aunt to figure out my way in this country. I faced many challenges to find a job. I had a language barrier, and I did not have any sponsor to direct me. My eyes began to open during the seventh year of being in this country. I accepted all kinds of jobs including maid, factory cleaner, personal care aid, and school bus driver. I ended up having a license to drive an 18-wheel transport in order to put food on the table for my child. Because of my education and professional skills, I felt depressed when I worked with individuals that were not at my level. Haitian people teased me because despite my skills I had to accept any type of lower paying job. I found hope in the saying “ There are no stupid jobs, there are only stupid people”. Through my life experience in the United States, I was aware that I had the ability to adapt to all environments, and I that I have the ability to help others do the same. They did not have to feel that they are failures when they need assistance. I left New York to attend Atlantic Union College after seven years in 1997. I obtained a Bachelor in Social Work in 1999. I had no question to pursue a Master in Social Work. Unfortunately, as a foreigner, life was not easy. I faced many challenges in my daily life. I began to work as a Social Worker. I lost my husband from a heart attack. I put my education on hold to assist my unique daughter with her education. Today, she is married and will graduate as a Registered Nurse, December 20th, 2012. I finally returned to school to pursue my career in Social Work. These years were difficult to my personal life. I also had challenges to overcome at work, and with the clients that I was working with. I felt that both Social Worker and clients did not like to hear my accent. I also felt prejudice from several Social Workers who had different views about diversity. They made jokes about my accent and were not concerned. The Native American clients also called to request new Social Workers to work with them. I encountered many who were not comfortable with me, however, I found my strength with other ethnic groups who felt connected to me. They saw in my presence in their home, a foreigner who might have faced the same challenges that they are facing. Although most workplaces do not tolerate discrimination, it is still exist, and it takes subtle forms. I also acknowledge that prejudice is very high in the workplace, and that discrimination is hard to prove. Some of Social Workers are not aware about their behavior. In my assertive way, I approach them and told them that their behavior causes problems. In the meantime, I protect my self against all wrong behavior and attitudes. I affiliated to the Seventh day Adventist Group. When I feel weak, I look for my support network outside of my work place to cope. When I feel depressed, I take a day off to care for myself. I encourage diversity and praise Social Workers who open their hearts to learn from each other. I want to challenge my fellow Social Workers to always be tolerant. I assess my self on a daily basis. I put my feet on the top of the bridge to pull up my client. I come back to my routine to fight and to advocate for my clients. However, while I continue to do this very difficult job, I continue to take all opportunities of ongoing professional development. KETELIE ALTENA
General information
ABSTRACT S.O.S Operation Espoir’s children at Baden in Haiti are facing challenges and obstacles imposed on them by a number of historical, social and political sources. Economic factors also affect their physical and spiritual lives to such a degree that lack of bread and knowledge can determine of their future. In order to become productive and contributing citizens, the children need support and assistance in order to break the cycle of misery and poverty inherited from previous generations. S.O.S Operation Espoir is providing needed services to the children and their families. By insuring educational, social assistance and medical care, the Baden children and their families will be motivated to reach beyond obstacles to a hope-field direction. Their better standard of living will provide a solid foundation for their future. GOALS 1) To break the cycle of illiteracy, disease, premature death, and poverty that has plagued poor children and their families in the Baden community in Haiti for a long period of time by providing preventative and creative solutions. 2) To teach the Baden's children in Haiti foundations principles, which will motivate them to be responsible citizens? 3) To encourage the Baden's children in Haiti and their families to be creative and productive, challenging and enhancing inherent abilities in order to empower and build up their communities. 4) S.O.S Operation Espoir will promote methods and programs, which will encourage family cohesiveness keeping the family as a unit. 5) To seek exponential effects, one child and family becoming productive will motivate other to follow their example. Families who are self-supporting will no longer be a burden to their society. OBJECTIVES 1) Provide children of Baden community in Haiti with school scholarship, uniforms, books, supplies to enable them to attend school uninhibited by worry and shame. 2) Provide children with supplementary literacy program and structured activities. 3) Provide parents with vocational training to earn or enhance family income. 4) Provide a nutritional program, clean water, and medical care. 5) Provide transportation 6) Provide a safe home and social environment. 7) Provide good nutrition meals on a daily basis. 8) Provide simple, safe, strategic, and sustainable clean water solutions to the Baden community are launching a noble initiative in Haiti. It aims at teaching the people there to purify their water so they can reduce such water borne diseases in the future. 9) Provide medical assistance to the children and their families. NEEDS 1) Children living in Baden experience seemingly impossible obstacles trying to achieve an education. Often the price of a school uniform or a book will inhibit a child or squelch his desire to attend school. Parents who cannot afford the "luxury" of spending hard-earned penny on the education of a family member. 2) Children living in Baden community who have not achieved basic literacy will be forced into a life of substandard conditions which will lead to serious illness, or worse social problems. Occasional, sporadic, piece -meal remedies will demean and dull incentive, which underscore perceived hopelessness and helplessness. 3) Children living in Baden have never received immunizations and the children are subject of all diseases. Parents do not have income to provide medical care to their children, proper nutrition, clean water, safe living conditions and all related services, the family breaks under the financial strain, causing abuses and degeneration health. This grows exponentially, affecting the infrastructures of society in general. 4) The Haitian government, which spends money to pay for plugging the aftermath of economic disaster, can not give attention to reversing the situation. 5) Children in Baden community are living at the edge of starvation. Lack of proper nutrition and vitamins has a detrimental effect on their physical and mental development. 6) Baden children have been forced to draw their drinking water from surface sources or contaminated shallow wells after the earthquake. These same sources are used by cattle and other livestock and for bathing, washing clothes and other domestic uses. For many households water treatment methods like boiling, filtration or chlorination are too expensive, complex or simply unrealistic with Haiti’s failed infrastructure for daily use. These circumstances led to the outbreak of cholera over there. Contaminated water is the source of parasites and infection especially with the Cholera that has been causing already many deaths among these children. If there is no access to even simple medical care, many more of these children will suffer from conditions which could have been prevented. 7) Most often, the major obstacle for the Baden children in Haiti and their families is inaccessibility to needed services. Lack of transportation prevents families from having simple necessities, posing needless difficulties. 8) Children living in Baden experience a variety of living conditions, which range from two-room shanties with dirt floors to concrete buildings with several bedrooms and solid floors. Families are normally large, so crowded conditions are normal. Occasionally, there is a lack of sanitation, latrines, proper waste disposal which opens the children to opportunistic infections. Children who are struggling against of their physical environment cannot or (will not) be able to devote energy to positive, creative projects that would help them out of their situations. Parents who are working to provide income are normally unavailable to the children for physical and emotional needs. There is little or no energy to nurture and encourage the children. BENEFITS A child living in Baden without intervention will remain illiterate. In less then ten years, this child will perpetuate an already vicious cycle that has debilitated several generations. With compassionate, understanding assistance, this child will break free of the cycle of poverty and become a role model, earning a good wage and work professionally to encourage people in their communities. This program, if implemented successfully, offers the best odds to reverse the cycle of poverty, diseases, illiteracy and death. There has been no support in that community. Result will be exponentially positive. Nuclear and extended families that are educated, nurtured and encouraged will remain together, forming an unshakable bond. This bond serves as a foundation for future generations. People that are given skills to provide for their own support will no longer need to depend on others. Ketelie A. Altena President S.O.S Operation Espoir, INC PO Box 3402 Worcester, MA 01613 Free Tax Exempt under 501(c)3 (read less)
Opening Hours
| Monday | 6am - 8am |
| 6pm - 10pm | |
| Tuesday | 6am - 8am |
| 6pm - 10pm | |
| Wednesday | 6am - 8am |
| 6pm - 10pm | |
| Thursday | 6am - 8am |
| 6pm - 10pm | |
| Friday | 6am - 8am |
| 6pm - 10pm | |
| Saturday | 6am - 8am |
| 6pm - 10pm | |
| Sunday | 6am - 8am |
| 6pm - 10pm |
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