Class of 2013

I’ve lost track of time! I almost missed last week’s update!

We are currently underway with holding 37 interviews for prospective midwifery students. Last week, we held a 25-question exam covering basic nursing skills and situational awareness for 81 applicants. Though most live in Hinche, we had some applicants that came all the way from Port-au-Prince just to take an hour exam. Because of the lack of internet access in Haiti, we primarily relied on word-of-mouth to announce the Class of 2013 registration. For now at least, it seems to be working.

So, we are in our second day of holding interviews. Just based on scores, we were able to eliminate quite a few people, but not enough to fill only 15 spaces. We have to take into account whether or not the applicants will have a job after our program. Referrals are important, therefore, as we still have graduates that are without work.

Let’s see, what else? We are preparing our 20-week birth assistant program ready for another group of matrons in the community of Rivage. We have already been seeing results from the previous class – matrons are accompanying women to the hospital when complications come up. MFH is so excited to have this new addition.

If anyone is interested in reading about Haiti, its history, and/or culture, I have some great recommendations for you. I just finished Travesty in Haiti by Dr. Tim Schwartz (http://www.travestyinhaiti.com/). It’s an account of the missions in Haiti that contributed to the extreme poverty during the 90’s and early 00’s. Unfortunately, good intentions don’t always lead to good results.

Stay tuned – Graduation for the Class of 2012 is this weekend! Pictures to follow.