On January 12, 2010, Samuel Darguin was standing in Manhattan’s Times Square when he heard the news: a magnitude-7.0 earthquake had just struck Haiti. The whole world took notice of the destruction and chaos the earthquake had, but Darguin’s concern was deeply personal: his entire family was there for a wedding. It took him nearly a week to locate them and know they were ok.
The Time Has Come
But millions of Haitians weren’t ok. The 30-second quake and its aftershocks were devastating, killing 250,000 people, injuring 300,000 more and leaving millions to seek temporary shelter in makeshift camps. As the co-founder and country director for the Haitian American Caucus (HAC), Darguin felt the full weight of the disaster.
HAC launched in 2003 to support Ecole Shalom, a primary school in Croix-des-Bouquets. After the earthquake, Darguin explained, “We had kids coming into our school saying, ‘I can still hear my mom under the rubble. I can see my dad, I can see his eyes, but I can’t get to him.’ Really horrific stories that it’s hard for anyone to go through, but when you’re talking about young kids, it’s even more traumatizing.”
The earthquake compelled the HAC to begin promoting comprehensive community development, supporting women, children and families educationally, economically and socially. Today, the organization is harnessing the Haitian adage, “l’union fait la force” (in unity, there is strength), by building lasting partnerships with individuals and organizations focused on “empowering the individual in order to empower the community.”
“The needs of this country can no longer be ignored,” Darguin said. “At HAC, we believe the time for development is now, and we are motivated by lè a rive, which means, ‘the time has come.’”
What One Pair Can Do
In 2011, Sam came across a news release about Soles4Souls traveling to Haiti to distribute shoes after the earthquake. He sent us an email alerting us to a need in Port-de-Paix; 250 students there had nothing on their feet — literally.
On my first trip to Haiti after the earthquake, the Haitian people’s determination — their unwillingness to quit — absolutely blew me away. When I think about all the reasons it would’ve been better to leave or just sort of lay down and wait for it to be over, I think I would’ve made that choice. But the Haitian people look for every opportunity to make their lives better, and it’s inspiring how hard they’re willing to work to make that happen. Darguin, in particular, was really committed, and it moved me.
At the time, Sam and HAC were running a micro-credit program for women. We were just beginning to explore our direct micro-enterprise model, so we pitched Sam on the idea of a partnership: we would provide gently used shoes collected from shoe drives in the States, and he would train women in the community to open small shops to sell them.
To say Sam was skeptical is a bit of an understatement. The HAC was already running a school, providing adult literacy programs and offering micro loans to women in Croix-des-Bouquets. They were not in the business of helping their loan clients sell shoes. But with a little time and persuasion, Sam agreed to try it.
“The skepticism that I had on whether or not shoes can make the difference, whether or not shoes can really change the narrative for so many women here in Haiti … nearly 10 years later, [I’m] seeing all of the stories, all of the impact, all of the lives that continue to be changed,” Dargiun said. “Had I known that nearly 10 years ago, I would have had a much different outlook on things.”
A Safe Place to Be a Kid
One of the unexpected benefits of our HAC partnership is the impact it’s had on their school. In Haiti, attending school is about more than just an education. Often, school is where kids get their one meal for the day. For many, school provides a path out of poverty because they can read and write in a country where the illiteracy rate is still 25 to 30%. School is, quite simply, a safe place for kids to be kids.
In 2014, our partnership with HAC enabled them to build a second floor on their school a year ahead of schedule. That means 250 more children began to learn basic skills and benefit from improved nutrition. A year later, I saw pictures Darguin posted on Facebook, and it took me a few minutes to realize that what I was seeing was in Haiti.
I had to ask Darguin if I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. His two syllable answer, “Indeed,” said so much more than one word should be able to convey! I’m so proud of our partnership with HAC; they’re a bright light in Haiti doing incredible work.
It Starts With One
Partnerships don’t just develop out of thin air, and change doesn’t just happen. Community transformation begins when one person — like Darguin — says, “The time has come.” Darguin’s willingness to step up has positively influenced countless Haitian lives — and mine.
So what about you? What’s your “the time has come” opportunity? What could you start doing today to lift up your community — or one halfway around the world? Give your time? Donate surplus goods? Partner with a local nonprofit to bring relief, hope and dignity to people in need?
Don’t overthink it. Let your heart lead. As the Haitian motto goes, “In unity there is strength.” At Soles4Souls, we say it this way: we can do more good when we do it together. But it always starts with one.
Buddy Teaster
Soles4Souls
soles4soles.com
