Sr Rosalina da Veiga Martins
Sister Rosalina da Veiga Martins is on mission to the Community of Jacmel, Haïti, and she teaches at Notre-Dame of Haïti Catholic University. She shares her experience of bringing students close to the most vulnerable persons.
Today more than ever, in Haiti, the political, economic and social crisis is felt with all its weight hence the need to prepare future professionals able to act and cope with the situation. With this in mind, the Notre-Dame of Haiti Catholic University took the initiative to send its students on the ground, to put them in contact with the reality. Thus, from 11th to 15th March 2024, a group of 21 third year students, in social work program, accompanied by professors, Mr. Isaac Saint and I, Sister Rosalina da Veiga Martins, visited various social institutions in the village of Jacmel, particularly RESEDH, Réseau Sud-Est de défense des Droits Humains, AMHH, All My Heart Haïti, CROSE, Coordination Regionale des Organisations du Sud-Ouest, Faith House, Plan international Haïti, Wings Of Hope, Village Luthérien et Fanm deside, Femmes Décidées.
Map of Haïti
Prisons are generally difficult for students to access. And yet an approach has been made to bring students closer to prisoners, one of the most vulnerable groups in Haiti. Father Affricot, President of Justice and Peace, facilitated the process for us. First, I went with Father Affricot and his team, we had two meetings with two different groups of prisoners, at different days and times, and then a meeting with the students to prepare them for the reality they should face. On Monday, March 6th, we were to visit the prison with a group of four students. Unfortunately, the attack in the Port-au-Prince prison broke out on 4th March, the security of the prisons was strengthened and our project suspended.
The visits to the Institutions were a little different from what we used to do with the students. We spent all morning that is from 8:30 am to 1 pm, and also in the afternoon, from 1 pm to 5 pm. In each institution, we began with a meeting with the Head, who told us about the history of the Institution, followed by a guided tour of the areas. And the rest of the time we were with the beneficiaries of the services. It was an extremely significant experience. All the students, as well as the Professor, were aware of the existence of these institutions, but few knew of the extraordinary work they do in society.
Let us talk about a specific organization, Wings of Hope, Zèl Espwa, its Director, Mr. Assé Jacky, grew up in an orphanage and, marked by his experience, decided to devote his time to the service of orphans. He told us that neither he nor any other employee of the organization works for money because, besides the fact that there is none, the work done is priceless. This brings us back to what Saint Teresa of Calcutta says, only out of love. Wings of Hope is an institution for the disabled that needs big financial resources, especially for hygiene. According to the Official, the Organization lives on external aid.
Haïti flag
The State used to support it, but it has now withdrawn. There were many visitors, and when they passed, they always gave something. The Covid 19 pandemic created a big problem for the institution. It stopped receiving visitors, which led to a significant decline in the share allocated to the beneficiaries. They, who liked to receive visitors, suddenly found themselves cut off from the world. They started to feel isolated, that is, they only found themselves with the same people every day. It is one of the institutions that has had the greatest emotional impact on students.
One student stated that he felt not at ease from the time he entered the Institution until he left. And another exclaimed as soon as she left the establishment, “We have to thank God for what we have and for what we are. Today I realized that we are ungrateful to God and to life.”
This experience was necessary because for social work, theory and practice must go hand in hand. We must listen, see and touch. This experience was the first step, the visit. The second will be to explore, that is to say to spend a week in an Institution for a period of observation, and finally to choose an Institution to carry out a long-term internship.
In terms of my personal experience, what touched me most was to see how simple people dedicate their lives to others in such a discreet way. A great testimony of love and dedication on the part of the staff of the different services. And I, who have dedicated my life for the good of my brothers and sisters, do I give myself enough? Faced with these realities, I wonder and I echo the words of the Student, I feel ungrateful towards God and towards life.
Sister Rosalina da Veiga Martins