PREVIOUS MISSION: Goyavier

Goyavier (Go-a-vi-air) is a steep five-mile hike on loose rock to the community of 10,000 people at the top of a mountain chain. The residents of Goyavier often travel by foot to St. Marc with cargo on their heads. The trip can also be made in two hours with a 4-wheel drive vehicle (leaving time for breakdown problems).

There is no electricity, plumbing, or cell phone service in the mountains. Transistor radios are popular for news and music. The land is lush and many people farm and sell produce at a market twice a week.

Help Haiti Now converted a house into a medical clinic and began helping the sick. A physician's assistant, Thelus Saint-Elien, examined patients Fri.-Sun and prescribed medicine for 50-100 people each week. People die in Goyavier simply from lack of antibiotics.

Help Haiti Now also supported the community school in Goyavier from 2005 - 2009. Our support enabled this school to operate. Attendance at the school averaged 500 students a year.