Reflections on Haiti

By: Kelly Heisler

There were signs of progress in the crowded streets of Port Au Prince: Less tents and less rubble. Less evidence that Haiti is the victim of nature’s fury time and again. The people there have lived through the earth shifting beneath them, the rains unrelenting and the unforgiving outbreak of foreign disease.

I recently visited Haiti for the second time. I returned to the country to make good on a promise our group made 18 months ago. We had promised to return and to teach a group of small business owners and artisans skills in technology. Armed with a contribution of laptops from Microsoft and a group of writers, journalists and well-meaning individuals, we ventured back to the small island that never seems to catch a break.

During a round table waiting for dinner one night in Jacmel, I listened to the stories of the dozen women embarking on our adventure. Their tales ran the gamut from sneaking across the border to help women in Afghanistan to losing one’s family to a hostile political regime.

I am a born and bred American girl, who went to college and grew up on middle class means. I work at a marketing agency in Atlanta and live what could very rightly be called “a charmed life”. I had never crossed the Tiber River, I don’t have deep cultural roots and traditions and I don’t have stories that move people to tears over the triumph of the human spirit.

What I do have is compassion. One of the women at dinner very wisely stated, “All anyone can do is make use of the talents and opportunities they have. Do what you can.” What I can do is marketing. So what does that mean for the people of Haiti?

It means that I can find ways to spread the word about Heart of Haiti, a trade not aid line of products made by Haitians to create sustainable income. It means I can teach artisans how to use the tools available to them to reach the American market and connect with customers. It means I can use my work in Social Media to connect with other organizations and people that feel the need to bring progress to those less fortunate.

These tools and skills are something that can grow a business and by result help feed a family. It’s what little I can do. No matter one’s profession, or inclination there is always something you can do to contribute to the world, community or individual.

I am thankful for the people that sat at that table. They inspire me with their remarkable stories and accomplishments. Despite our different backgrounds and culture, there was no denying the common thread that tethered us all to that circle. We all wanted to do something and we are all devoted to doing what we can.