August 2012
Amanda Keating
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August 2012
Amanda Keating
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test
August 2012
Phillip Cregg
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August 2012
Phillip Cregg
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August 2012
Position
Overall Rating:
Awesome, I will return
Did you feel like you made a difference?:
not here long enough, I will return
Organization and communication:
Morning meetings every morning keep everyone on the same page
Accommodation:
Felt like home
Safety:
the best security guards
August 2012
Steven Renner
Position
Overall Rating:
Good people, great partner projects but boy is it hot here!
Did you feel like you made a difference?:
Haiti is a tough nut to crack.
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Accommodation:
Not a five star resort. The diet is primarily beans and rice and I live in a tent.
Safety:
HC has 24-hour security staff and a good relationship with th epeople in their neighborhood.
August 2012
Ton Antonio
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August 2012
Ton Antonio
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August 2012
Conor O'Higgins
Position
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A lot of fun. Great work. A lot of creative freedom.
Did you feel like you made a difference?:
I was empowered to pursue my own projects and ideas, and given the resources I needed to bring them to completion
Organization and communication:
A lot of people are running a lot of different projects, and there is a definite disconnect between people who need help and people who have help to give
Accommodation:
I love the communal living situation. It's not 5 stars for comfor, but is 5 stars for fun
Safety:
Nothing bad happened to me during my time there, no crime, no accidents. But there was probably an element of good luck in this. The roads around are certainly dangerous.
Haiti Communitere is based on a six- or seven-acre center in Port-au-Prince. The human traffic coming through this center is realy something - sitting around chatting, I met somebody who had 100 water filters that I could put to good use in orphanages I was working in, I met someone else who found me 10 computers for a digital education hub I was setting up. This is the real resource Haiti Communitere provides; a network of interesting, resourceful people who can help you get your projects done. Whether it is building, community development, arts, medicine, education, or something totally new, Haiti Communitere can help you get it done.
They will not hold your hand through it, however. Unlike other volunteer organizations I've worked with, there is no schedule and no assigned activities. You must be self-directed. I loved this, as I was able to come up with my own ideas for developing Haiti and people - wonderful people - would help me put them into action. However, some volunteers weren't proactive enough and floundered around looking for things to keep them busy.
August 2012
Phillip Cregg
Position
Overall Rating:
I enjoyed my time at HC so much that I decided to come back.
Did you feel like you made a difference?:
It's a tough thing to do in Haiti, but I have had some small successes in my time at HC.
Organization and communication:
Volunteer turnover causes some issues, but the admin staff works really hard to keep everyone in the loop.
Accommodation:
I live in a tent, there is no a/c, meals are simple haitian food (but pretty good), and we use composting toilets. Clean water, interesting sustainable structures, wifi, 24/7 electricity, and a cool place to hang out are positives.
Safety:
HC is in one of the safer areas of PaP near the airport. There are at least two security guards on staff 24/7. There have been no major security issues that I am aware of. Good community relations go a long way toward keeping HC safe.
HC has a great community feel. Good people and plentiful resources make HC a great place to work. If you want to volunteer and be involved in the local community, this is the place to be.
August 2012
Aaron Newman
Position
Overall Rating:
This was a great place to stay. Meet new people all the time. Strong sense of community and commitment from people living there.
Did you feel like you made a difference?:
I was working at Ti Kay, the TB clinic, but also helped with Future for the Children and other projects that I learned about while living on the base.
Organization and communication:
All hands meeting every morning to explain what is going on.
Accommodation:
Very similar to backpacker hostel, but with compost toilets, on-site cook and hold-in-the-wall for buying drinks :)
Safety:
For Port-au-Prince the safety is good. 24hr guards with nightsticks, barbed wire, iron gate.
August 2012
Andy Martin
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August 2012
Nathan Heath
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A unique experience and place like I have never seen anywhere else in the world.
Did you feel like you made a difference?:
I feel that our work is still in progress and in time will be proven productive.
Organization and communication:
In progress upon my arrival. Productive restructuring.
Accommodation:
Camp showers, tent, usually consistent power and Internet. Okay, consistent food. Always secure.
Safety:
Safe, given the dangers of the city at large.
I have never seen or heard of a place like HC before. The focus on space, resources, and network that serves locals and big guys like IOM, WFP, and the UN all in one space is huge in my opinion. Comfortable accommodations but certainly no resort. The place is designed for work and progress.
September 2012
Delphine Bedu
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TIH
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December 2012
Delphine Bedu
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