The last decade began with the most devastating natural disaster to strike Haiti on January 12, 2010. We open this decade with far more hope but with the acknowledgment that there is still so much to be done.
Ten years ago, the earthquake claimed the lives of an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 people, injured countless others, left millions of Haitians homeless, and caused tremendous damage to infrastructure. Today, a decade later, the recovery effort is still ongoing. Thousands of Haitians are still displaced, many people do not have access to basic services such as healthcare and sanitation, and the country has yet to heal from the trauma it experienced. This past year alone, Haiti faced some struggles in the form of civil unrest, fuel shortages, and country lockdowns.
A few months after the earthquake struck, C2C opened its first clinic in partnership with Grace Children’s Hospital, AmeriCares, and Management Sciences for Health in Port-au-Prince, the center of the destruction. The clinic served an unmet need in the catchment area, offering gynecological and perinatal care for women.
C2C has come a very long way in the past decade, and so has Haiti. While Grace Children’s Hospital has rebuilt its infrastructure and no longer uses our clinic, we now operate six (soon to be seven!) clinics in two departments of Haiti. Though our model has pivoted over the years to focus on rehabilitating existing public clinics and offering comprehensive, one-stop-shop primary care services, our staff remains dedicated to delivering high-quality healthcare to families and communities throughout Haiti. Even though many NGOs have left in the years since the earthquake, C2C continues to grow in partnership with the Haitian Ministry of Health, working within the greater healthcare ecosystem to deliver sustainable care.
As we enter a new decade, we must celebrate the moments that show that Haiti will still stand tall. We are optimistic about the future of Haiti and believe in the resilience of its people. We look forward to sharing more updates soon about our progress, including our newest clinic opening this month!
Happy New Year & Happy New Decade!
