Summary

“I have never been to school because my parents couldn’t afford it. Sometimes I spend two sometimes three days without eating solid food. I am a person who likes to share. I am helpful. I love my neighbors. I am honest, and affectionate.” Irene Louis

Household

My name is Irene Louis. I am 28 years old. I was born in Jeremie. I have been living in Jalouzie since 2003. I have 3 children. Their names are:
Katiana Jean Baptiste, who is 13 years old.
Genel Saint Juste, who is 6 years old
Wideline Saint Juste, who is 6 years old
Wideline and Katiana don’t have the same father. Wideline’s father’s name is Gener Saint Juste. He is 34 years old. He is living with me. Katiana’s father’s name is Dieusele Jean-Baptiste. He abandoned me a long time ago. Gener is a mason, but he finds job rarely. I am a saleswoman. But these days, I am not selling anything because I have run out of money.
My mother’s name is Disoune Jean Louis. She died when I was 3 month old. My father, Stephen Louis, died when I was 6 yeas old. My mother had seven children. Two of them passed away. My two sisters are living in Port-au-Prince . One of my brothers is living in Port-au-Prince. The other is living in Jeremie. He works the soil. He is the only one among my brother and sisters who is working. My other sister is living nearby. Her name is Alcina Louis. She has 7 children.

Living conditions

FINANCES
I used to sell in Petion-Ville’s market [a rich neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti]. I used to sell pepper. I used to go there everyday except on Monday. Unfortunately, the mayor closed that market 8 months ago. Since then, I do nothing to make a living. Besides, now I have run out of money. This kind of activity was not very difficult. I used to sell melons too. I used to peddle my business. Sometimes I earned $12 or $15 Ht [$1.72 - $2.15 US] a day.
SHELTER
The house which I live in is mine. It is a one-room house, so there is not enough space for everybody to sleep. We are 5 people living in it. The roof of the house leaks. Whenever it rains, the room starts to fill up with water. There is no need to put containers to catch the drops, because the roof leaks all over.
SEWAGE
There is no safe place to put garbage. We throw then it a ravine nearby. There are a lot of rats and mosquitoes in the house. I don’t have electricity in the house, because I can’t pay $50 Ht [$7.15 US] per month for it.
EDUCATION
I have never been to school because my parents couldn’t afford it. They were facing too many problems while they were alone. As result, I don’t know how to read or write.
HEALTH
I am not healthy. Sometimes I spend a week suffering from stomachache. I don’t know whether the people living in this neighborhood are sick.
FOOD
I eat once a day. Sometimes I spend two sometimes three days without eating solid food. Some other times, I cook a can of rice for my family and two neighbors. When I don’t have money, I buy food on credit. Sometimes my neighbors share their food with me. Sometimes I stay without eating.

Community information

We buy water from a well. One bucket cost 10 gourdes [27 cents US]. Sometimes when it does not rain we go to buy water in Givena.
There is a school for children. There is Health Care Center . We have to buy a visit Card for $30 or $40 Ht [$4.25 - $5.70 US] to see a doctor. We have to pay another sum of money for exams and medicine. There are not any Doctors or drugstores in Jalousie. But there are in Petion-Ville. It is a 2 hour walk to reach Petion-Ville from Jalousie. This is not a good neighborhood. The security is not stable. There are not any toilets in the zone. We don’t celebrate holydays. We don’t have money to celebrate a party.

Personal qualities and Dreams

I am a person who likes to share. I am helpful. I love my neighbors. I am honest, and affectionate. I love to cook, to do the laundry. I love to run business. I am Christian. I would like anybody interested in helping me to know that I would like him or her to become a friend for me. I would like him or her help me out of this poverty. I would like him or her to know that I will pray that God bless him or her abundantly.
Dreams
I would like to finish building my house. I would like to be able to eat regularly. I would like my three children to go to school. I would like to go to vocational school to learn about cooking. I would like to have my own business such as: Cosmetic products, food. I would like that somebody help me send my children to school.
I would like to become a chef. I am dreaming of a future when I will be able to go to hospital, when I am not sick, feed my children regularly, and I have my own business.

Life Plan

I am a person who likes to share. I am helpful. I love my neighbors. I am honest, and affectionate. I love to cook, to do the laundry. I love to run business. I am Christian. I would like anybody interested in helping me to know that I would like him or her to become a friend for me. I would like him or her help me out of this poverty. I would like him or her to know that I will pray that God bless him or her abundantly.
Dreams
I would like to finish building my house. I would like to be able to eat regularly. I would like my three children to go to school. I would like to go to vocational school to learn about cooking. I would like to have my own business such as: Cosmetic products, food. I would like that somebody help me send my children to school.
I would like to become a chef. I am dreaming of a future when I will be able to go to hospital, when I am not sick, feed my children regularly, and I have my own business.

Sponsorship plan

Immediate needs:
Food for the family, medical help
Development:
Send her to vocational school, help her have her own business.
Dreams:
Become a chef, have own business, get my family out of this miserable life.
..
The specific plan for the first year of the Partnership is as follows:
Programs for mothers:
Research and Workshops ($50)
Vocational training ($100)
Literacy training ($40)
Medical care (up to $35)
Birthday celebration ($15)
Food supplement ($60)
Available: $25 x 12 months = $300
Our main focus is personal development, especially in developing the skills that can be used to achieve the particular dream of your partner. A food supplement is included for basic nutrition so that resources and time are available to take classes. Clothing and shelter are not addressed in this plan, but options for additional help in these and other areas are available. The Financial plan page will allow you to trace how your money is being used at all times. For more details about our programs, including the research, workshops and classes which each partner participants in, go here: http://peopleinneed.info/index.php/plan/program/C95/
[Note: This sponsorship plan cannot include sending Irene’s children to school, though this is one of her dreams. However, we do provide the option to interview and complete profiles for her children, and to try to find a partner for them as well, which would include schooling.]