Gena Heraty is from Westport, County Mayo. Gina lives and works thousands of miles from her beloved homeland, all so she can bring a trickle of hope to the lives of the people of Haiti. Just a few short weeks ago, Gena experienced the full force of Hurricane Matthew – and survived. Others weren’t so lucky.
We help Gena through the Irish charity called Haiti Orphanage Project Espwa (HOPE). ‘Espwa’ means hope in Haitian creole, a word that has lost meaning for many of the locals, forced to deal with disaster after disaster as they attempt to rebuild a battered country.
As a founding member of HOPE, I have seen the devastation first hand. In 2010 an earthquake shook the country to its core, causing a massive loss of life and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Two weeks ago Hurricane Matthew struck an ill-prepared people, killing over 1,000 souls and destroying 30% of the huts Haitians in the South currently call home.
HOPE has been helping in Haiti since 2011, focused on improving the lives of some of Haiti’s most vulnerable – the thousands of children orphaned by the 2010 quake. We are a registered Irish charity staffed exclusively by volunteers – our people pay all their own travel and accommodation expenses ensuring that every cent we fundraise, goes directly into our orphanage rebuilding projects across the island.
The Cameras move on, but the Aftermath Remains
Disease is now one of the biggest risks the people of Haiti face – unsanitary conditions, contaminated water and Cholera on the rise. After 2010, I didn’t think it would be possible to say this, but they need our help now more than ever. The HOPE team and I will be travelling again to Haiti over Halloween to help repair badly damaged buildings at an orphanage in Kenscoff, high in the mountains over the capital, Port au Prince. This is where Gena works every day, bringing hope to the traumatised orphans of the area, and her 400 children need your help.
How you can make a Difference
Many of you have been incredibly generous in the past, and I want to appeal to your generosity once again. Our work is impossible without the support of others and every cent that you can spare goes directly into our building projects. With your help we can create safety, give hope and change the lives of Haiti’s vulnerable children.
There are 3 ways you can donate to this worthwhile cause:-
By Cheque:
Post cheques made payable to Haiti Orphanage Project Espwa to 63 Fernwalk , Greenfield, Ballincollig , Co Cork ( Please include your name and address for tax receipt )
Bank Lodgement:
Lodge directly to our bank account : AIB Bank : 93-41-43 ( account name : Haiti Orphanage Project Espwa ) Account : 48012007 IBAN : IE95 AIBK 9341 4348 0120 07 (Please add narrative K Tansey appeal)
On our website:
Go to our website www.4haiti.ie and click on the Donate button and donate via Paypal. (Please add narrative K Tansey appeal)
Thank you for taking the time to read this appeal and please do share with your friends, colleagues and networks, perhaps via Linkedin or any other means you have to spread the word.
More information can be found on our website 4haiti.ie or our facebook page, ‘Espwa Haiti’.
Please – be part of the difference for the children of Haiti.
With thanks
Kieran Tansey
