FROM CRITIC TO SUPPORTER: LOVELIE'S STORY

Recently, during a meeting with the Mayor of Maissade, the team had a quite negative encounter with a local community member. Though the mayor had praised the work we had been doing, calling us, "the very best organization working in this area,"not everyone agreed. 

Lovelie, a local woman, expressed skepticism towards our organization’s practices and ability to make meaningful change in the community. Unfortunately, this line of thinking isn’t rare. Haiti has been trapped in a cycle of aid and dependency for generations and as a result, positive change in the country has been almost impossible. It’s no surprise a community member may feel this way if they had seen countless organizations come through their homes promising a change that will never come. 

Despite the interaction with Lovelie, Haiti Outreach continued our work in Maissade. As the results of our work became visible, Lovelie had started to change her tune. A few weeks ago, she approached our team with a completely different attitude. She admitted that she was impressed with the results she had witnessed from Haiti Outreach’s efforts. We had made real, sustainable change in her community! To express her gratitude, Lovelie told us that she intends to write a formal letter expressing her appreciation for our organization's work. Skeptics like Lovelie are an important part of our organization’s success. These kinds of stories are another example of how our work is changing lives!