Ania and her two children live in Dumas Haiti. Although she is married, she lives effectively as a single mother since her husband Jean Vincent went to Chile to find work. He sends money home to pay tuition to educate their two daughters.
Like many other families, in her village Ania, lived in a home that had a leaky roof. She describes it in this way,
“When it rains, we had to sleep in one bed as it is the only spot that does not get wet or we go to the neighbor.”
Ania’s mother, one of the other adults living in the house, shared a story about when, “Ania was pregnant and one day had to wade across a river on foot to go sleep in somebody house.”
With 7 months of rainy season, rain plays an important part in Ania’s story. After she, her children, her mother, and her sister moved into their new home built by Hope for Haitians, Ania said the first thing she thought of when she went into the house was,
“Thank God, I won’t have to go here and there when it rains. Thanks to the donor.” She also shared, “The best moment as we live in this house is when it rains, and we look up the sky and say no wet.”
A safe dry house makes a difference for her children. It is much easier to study when you are not dodging dripping water, and a good night’s sleep makes it easier to be alert in school. Gabriel Leila, Ania’s daughter is a 14-year-old in 8th grade. Her favorite subject is English where she gets very high marks. When asked about her dreams for the future she says, “I would like to be a nurse, because I likes to take care of others.”
Her younger sister Vincent Djummy is only four but attends kindergarten. For a little child she has big dreams of becoming a businesswoman.
Secure housing and access to the clinic in Dumas has improved her health and allowed Ania to make efforts to improve her family’s situation and help in her community. She is a member of the microloan program (Bakola) which provides a way for her to begin a business to earn extra money. She also volunteers at the water filtration facility as needed to help keep clean water in her community.
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