How Does the Garden Grow?

Even with  the help of a donated rototiller, gardening can be hard work.  But our team at the clinic emailed this photo with a report that they are in the process of planting a kind of fruit named cassava root or manioc.  They also plan on planting more bananas and sweet potatoes with the hope of reducing the cost of some market days."

Farming is a very labor intensive task in Haiti.  It's mostly done by hand, without the aid of mechanical devices like this tiller.  

Cholera Endures

For the last several month we've had the help of a Belgian group in fighting the local cholera outbreak.  Together we've established a Cholera Treatment Unit (UTC) in tents on our campus.  The results have been remarkable and every patient who has made to the clinic has recovered.   Furthermore, the overall number of new cases has declined dramatically. 

Unfortunately, once introduced, cholera isn't easily eradicated.  For instance, today's email brought this news and photos from our administrator: "yesterday the UTC at the clinic has received 5 cholera patients as you can see in the attached. There was a good break, but it seems that it's coming back. 4 come from Cholette and one not far from the clinic.

The Coordinator reported to us that the situation is worst in Miragoane somewhere named Berkin next to the lack where the people do not have clean water."

It is also unfortunate that our Belgian friends' involvement is quite temporary, and in two months they are planning on withdrawing from our area.  So we have to decide whether we can afford to run the UTC by ourselves.  Resources being limited, this will be a difficult decision to make.