I don’t normally write posts to recommend not-for-profits, but I’m delighted to make an exception for Haiti on the Rise! (haitiontherise.org/)
Haiti on the Rise was founded by my friend Jackie (Jacqueline Oriscar Lee). I met Jackie at one of the toughest times in her life. On January 12, 2010, an earthquake struck Haiti, killing more than 100,000 people immediately and leaving many more without safe housing and access to vital resources like water, food and medicine. I was responsible for an emergency reporting service following the earthquake, where we set up a free number, 4636, where anyone within Haiti could send a text message to report their needs. The problem was that most people in Haiti only spoke Haitian Kreyol, while most international responders only spoke English. So, I found and managed 2,000 people from among the Haitian diaspora to translate messages in near real-time. It was called Mission 4636 and Jackie was one of the most committed volunteers, putting aside her own grief to help everyone in Haiti who still needed her help.
Jackie grew up in Haiti and now lives near me in the Bay Area, so I am happy to help her continue to re-build Haiti. I’m on the advisory board of Haiti on the Rise and I financed the website via Code for Haiti, ensuring that the resources to get the charity off the ground went back to Haiti where possible, and increased the experience and skills of people there.
If you are in the Bay Area and would like to support Haiti’s rebuilding efforts within Haiti on the Rise, please consider attending the 3rd Annual Haiti On The Rise Fundraising Dinner & Auction on Saturday, February 3rd, 2018 from 5-9PM at the St. Mary’s Cathedral Event Center in San Francisco, or donating on the website!
Robert Munro
January, 2018
