Additional disasters cripple Haiti Visit strengthens partnership between orphanage and Cabrini

HAITI, page 1 functioning government, the extent of the displacement and the difficulties of the coordination among those who were and still are responding [in Haiti]; they’re all part of this complex of factors that make Haiti really difficult,” Hackett said.

“Even before the earthquake in Haiti, it was already one of the poorest countries in the world,” Hackett said.

In addition to the earthquake that struck Haiti, they have even more recently experienced a tropical storm that left over five inches of rain on most of the country. Also, there is currently an outbreak of cholera, the first outbreak in 50 years, which has claimed over 1,000 lives.

With such catastrophes continually occurring, it seems as though it is virtually impossible for Haiti to even begin to climb on the ladder of development. In a nation with no productive education system, a lack of government and a completely failed health care system, it is apparent that merely short-term aid without a plan for long-term development is not the correct solution.

CRS alone raised $149 million from private contributions in the aftermath of the earthquake and it is only a portion of what has been raised throughout the international community. In the United States alone about $1.3 billion was raised to help Haiti in the efforts to rebuild following the earthquake.

“We have committed ourselves to build, however slow it’s going to be, those capabilities that will be sustained and lasting,” Hackett said. “Because the handout after handout does not generate empowerment and it does not increase the ability or the capacity that it breathes the sense of the dependency that we want to stop in Haiti.”

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PARTNERSHIP, page 1 public schools are using is written in American English, different from the British English that is their second language.

“What makes us unable to maybe progress fast is because all the books that were getting from the donors, they are not associated with their culture,” Mamba said.

Cabrini’s president, three faculty and a trustee visited the mission last June.

This first stage in establishing a partnership between Cabrini College faculty and students with Cabrini Ministries has allowed Singleton and Mamba to be provided with cultural and educational experiences in the United States to implement into their education programs.

Professor Joseph Clark, assistant professor of education and member of the trip, said all components of the college’s academic departments would assist in the development of the orphanage in Swaziland.

“Coming back here we did layout what we thought were the essential components of a partnership with them,” Clark said. “We’re still in the first year of our partnership and we’ve already made some significant progress.”

Clark, along with George; Dr. Beverly Bryde, chair of the education department; Dr. Erin McLaughlin, assistant professor of business administration and Dr. George Weathersby, a member of the board of trustees, stayed in the drought-stricken region of the country for one week. They all were able to welcome Singleton and Mamba to this country for a mutually beneficial experience.

“Just bringing Sharon and Simo here…isn’t this a wonderful experience. They are very important players at Cabrini Ministries,” Clark said.

The college hopes to eventually have students visit Swazi-