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It has been a really long time since my last blog entry. My journey in the development sector took an interesting turn after my time in India and Bangladesh, and I have been living in Haiti since August 19th, 2010. After an amazing summer in Vancouver with my family and friends, the last three months in Haiti have been interesting, to say the least.

I am working as Communication Manager for BRAC Haiti in Port-au-Prince. BRAC in Haiti and BRAC in Bangladesh are quite different. In Bangladesh, BRAC is a gigantic organization with thousands of staff persons that reach millions of Bangladeshis through the most innovative, impressive and relevant programs. BRAC in Haiti is a start-up that is working to establish itself in a very competitive development market. Since the devastating earthquake that shook Haiti on January 12th of this year, an overwhelming amount of money has been pledged to Haiti (though not very much has actually reached, but that’s a whole other issue). Aid agencies flooded into the small country and a battle for resources has been underway since.  Within this climate, BRAC recognizes an opportunity to make substantial change to the poverty scenario in Haiti by mobilizing Haitians to help themselves. Thus far, we are working with rural farmers to implement agriculture programs, including tree nurseries in five different areas. We also have established a Limb and Brace Center for earthquake victims that lost their limbs, and a housing project for families whose shelters were destroyed. We have many other activities in the planning stages including other agriculture programs (homestead gardens, vegetable cultivation, poultry and livestock), education and adolescent girls’ development programs, watershed project, and support programs for small and medium enterprises.

On a personal level, I am very grateful that my husband is in Haiti with me. Fareed is working as Technology Coordinator at Union School Haiti, where he is making a tremendous contribution. Haiti is not an easy place to live and if he wasn’t here with me, I would be going crazy. Living in India and Bangladesh, I was used to being able to hop into a rickshaw or catch a bus to take me anywhere I needed to go. Or, I would simply walk. Port-au-Prince is nearly impossible to navigate without a car, and the local transportation is not very easy (or apparently safe) to use. So unless we are willing to spend around $100 per day to rent a car, we spend a lot of time at home.

We started out living in Tabarre in a rented apartment near BRAC Haiti’s Country Office. The apartment was beautiful, but the building was not set up to be rented. We went for over 10 days without power and water at one point, and that while paying nearly $1000 per month! Luckily, we have now shifted to Union School housing in Peguy-Ville. We no longer have to worry about having our basic needs met, and we live with the international teachers that Union School employs. All our neighbors are Canadian or American, and we have a built-in social life now. It’s a wonderful change compared to (nearly) complete isolation. Plus, now we have internet at home!

If you keep up with current events, you may agree with me that Haiti really is being picked on by Mother Nature. The fear the earthquake instilled in people is apparent, though the strength and bravery of the average Haitian is something that takes my breath away. Still, the damage caused makes some parts of cities like Port-au-Prince, Leogan and Jacmel look like settings from a post-apocalyptic film. Hurricane Tomas caused panic and fear, and now the cholera outbreak has turned into an epidemic that has claimed the lives of nearly 1500 people. On top of that, the elections scheduled for Sunday, November 28th have led to demonstrations, gang violence, and, predictably, more fear. 2010 has been rough, and I’m sure most Haitians are wishing for this year to end, and for 2011 to bring happier times.

Among my local colleagues, everyone I speak with has a different view on the elections. Some people say they will vote, while others feel that none of the candidates are worth putting their support behind. In the past, voters have been killed at polling stations and the fear of violence – or catching cholera from unassumingly infected voters – will likely lead to a dismal turnout on election day.

In my view, the only way the cholera epidemic can be brought under control if is an effective government were to build a proper sanitation system, and supply the population with clean water. For that to happen, people have to use their democratic right to vote in a head of state that they can hold accountable. It doesn’t seem likely for this – the third democratic election in a country over 200 years old.

It hasn’t been easy living in Haiti for these past three turbulent months, but it has caused me to have an even greater appreciation for my family, my country and my (actual) freedom. I was raised with hope, with belief in myself and the world, and with the tools available to me to make my life what I want it to be.

I am not American, but today is American Thanksgiving. If I was to continue the list of things I am thankful for in life, this blog entry would never end.

At this very moment, I am thankful to be sitting in Port-au-Prince, working with an organization that is succeeding – and will continue to succeed – with empowering impoverished Haitians with realizing their potential, and to be out of my comfort zone. If I was at home, the news headlines about Haiti would not affect me as much as they do now, and I am grateful to be growing through this experience.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

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