La Gonave Community and Child Association (LGCCA) was created by a group of friends following a visit by the founder to La Gonave Island in March of 2012. Ailsa Young, an RN from Vancouver, BC, had been invited to visit La Gonave Island by Jean Rony Toussaint, the Chairman of a Haitian grassroots charity ASHOG while volunteering at a hospital in Port au Prince the previous year. Her testimonial from that visit can be viewed at www.helplagonave.org. Upon return to Canada LGCCA was formed and given Non Profit status. The application for Charitable status is in progress.

2. In 2011 Ailsa Young volunteered as an RN in a Port au Prince hospital
and cholera clinic. She met Jean Rony Toussaint from La Gonave Island
at the hospital and agreed to visit La Gonave the following year.

10. Jean Rony Toussaint of Haitian charity ASHOG had invited Ailsa to La Gonave Island
to see the need and poverty there. ASHOG had been working for years to try to
improve the lives of the children and disabled people on the island but with
no support from the Haitian government and little support from international aid
agencies.

16. This orphanage has only ever had sporadic and inadequate
funding from overseas church groups. They have at times had up
to 44 children in their care but due to lack of funds can never
sustain those numbers. Today there are 8 children in the
orphanage and about 60 local children attending the unfunded
school. The Pastor tries to fund everything but often cannot pay
the teachers.

19. When we formed LGCCA we started fundraising and have provided mattresses,
school supplies, multivitamins and food. We continue to do what we can but
they need much more aid than we alone can provide.

26. This is the Poor House in the main town of Anse-a-Galets.
It is home to destitute, ill, elderly, disabled people and in
2012 3 children were also living there. The children were
malnourished, underweight and rarely going to school.

29. The Poor House children –
Berkendy, Roseberline and Berry.

33. In 2013 we finally found a place to rent and the 3 children moved in.
We finished renovating the rooms, bought furniture, and have since
paid for their childcare, food, water, healthcare, education and any
other needs they have.

48. August 2013
Berrys mother took him back to the Poor House. There are no
social services on the island. The door will always be open for
Berkendy if his mother feels unable to provide for him.

51. This is Rosemitha and her children. Widowed, Rosemitha asked
us to take care of her two girls because she could not feed them
or keep them safe. They were skinny and unwell but after a few
weeks of good care they were healthy. Ultimately the goal is for
them to rejoin their family. We are trying to support Rosemitha
as she gets back on her feet.

57. We pay for private school for the 4 children. There is technically
“free” public school but the classes are very overcrowded and
teachers frequently absent – teachers are often not paid for months
by the government.

59. Rosemitha visits her daughters often. She is still struggling and
so we are going to gift her goats in order for her to have a stable
sustainable income for her family.

63. In March 2014 Jean Rony (ASHOG) and Ailsa Young (LGCCA) visited a remote village
called Roche Campe. They have no water supply and little food. No crops or livestock
due to lack of water. We tried initially to get the big name charities to drill a well
but had no luck. So we did a fundraising campaign and a well should be drilled for
the area in early 2015.

68. There is no school at Roche Campe. Once they have a water supply – and
don’t need to walk miles to fetch water – we will look into getting a school
and teachers there.

75. Restavek.
Thousands of children in Haiti living in modern day slavery – known
as restaveks. Children whose parents cannot feed them send them to
work in other households for food and school – few of the children
actually get sent to school.

77. This baby's mother died and his grandmother tried to take care of
him. But she could not feed him or herself and both were severely
malnourished. A friend on the island came across them and now
LGCCA, ASHOG and AAE provide food for them.

79. Jean Rony with Lorensca – Lorensca lives with her grandmother
in the tiny shack you see in the photo. We provide school supplies,
clothes, multivitamins and food when we can.

81. Peterson (left) was paralysed after being shot in the back
and head in Port au Prince. He is a talented artist and we are
hoping he can make a living doing this once his health improves
Louinel is from La Gonave. He was a trainee mechanic. A car fell on
him and he was paralysed from the waist down. He almost died from
infected pressure sores and neglect. He is very intelligent and would
like to become a psychologist. We are trying to find a sponsor for his
education.

84. We have some chickens at the children home are buying
several more and a rooster. We are also hoping to start a
community chicken coop at Roche Campe once the well has
been drilled.
Gifting goats is a very successful way to help people have a
sustainable income. We are going to start with Rosemitha (the
little girls mom) and 1 or 2 other families. Once a goat has a
few kids the owner can sell one and gift one to another family
in need.

86. We are clearing this land to start a community garden. The garden will
provide food for the children, the Poor House and the selected community
members who will tend the garden.

90. Some children on the island make bracelets. We buy them and sell
them here in Canada. We provide the children with new materials
for crafts – some for selling and some for fun.

92. To make ends meet at the children’s home we raise funds by recycling,
baking, pub nites, auctions of Haitian art work, yard sales and occasionally
friends kindly fundraise on our behalf.

99. We always need donations of children’s multivitamins. For most children on
the island food is scarce and usually high carb, with low nutritional value. We
also collect school supplies and basic medicines and visit La Gonave twice per year.

101. The following pie chart shows the breakdown of donations for the children.
100% of donations go to the children and supporting projects. At this stage
we are able to absorb the overheads ourselves or pay for them by returning
recycling from our own buildings.

103. Due to the lack of medical care for most of the island we plan
to start running medical clinics every few months. Our first clinic
will be at end September/beginning October 2015. We are looking
for medical and non medical volunteers for one week trips to the island.

104. We hope you enjoyed our presentation. We would love to talk
more about the work we are doing on La Gonave Island and
answer any questions you may have. We also invite you to join
us in our efforts for the poorest people in Haiti.
Donations gratefully received via PayPal on our web site at
www.communityandchildhaiti.ca
Ailsa Young, President
LGCCA
405-1245 Nicola Street
Vancouver BC Canada
V6G 2E7
604 563 7994
help@communityandchildhaiti.ca