Summer Internship Program's blog

 
            This week we hosted another action packed week of summer camp from 9am to 12pm every day, with the exception of our 4th of July beach day on Wednesday.  Again we struggled a bit with getting the kids to cooperate with the activities and once they did, trying to keep their attention.  However, by the end of the week with the help of the translators we were able to get a pretty good flow going, as well as keeping the kids entertained and having a good time. 

This week I have been spent a majority of my time as a counselor at camp leading and planning the arts and crafts rotation.  I have learned some of the challenges associated with working in a resource scarce environment.  It was difficult to plan activities for 150 kids, given the limited materials available in the supply closet.  Working with kids in the past, all it took was a quick trip to the store. This week however, we had to get creative and work with what we had: the generous donations that previous volunteers had carried over in their suitcases.
 

That friendly face you see belongs to one of the young goats at the HAC compound; over the past week, they've been dutifully munching down weeds, thorny branches, and thick vines to clear space for a new vegetable garden. Goats are an important part of Haitian life, and provide meat, milk, and companionship to families. Integrating livestock into home gardens or small farms is an excellent way to increase calorie intake, diversify diet, and create a closed circle of production.

Hi Everyone! My name is Hannah, and I’m an English and Primary Education Intern at HAC this summer. This internship  is actually my third time in Haiti, and so I’ve been thinking a lot in the past couple of weeks about why I keep coming back here. Today, I was interviewed for our Intern Bios (look for them on the HAC website for more info on who I am and what I’m doing with my life), and in the process, I think I finally came up with an answer that rings true (and also happens to sound good).