The Courage to Save Herself and Others, Too

GONAÏVES, Haiti - Islande Bonne Joseph is sitting in front of me wearing a pretty checked dress, her hair carefully tied back. Her huge smile is warm and heartfelt. Dressed in her Sunday clothes, Islande may look timid but this young woman is anything but shy. When Hurricane Ike hit Gonaïves in Haiti, Islande displayed great courage, leading her neighbors to safety on top of her house as the flood waters rose dangerously high.

She could have chosen to protect herself and her possessions, but Islande instead chose to help those who didn't know where to turn. As the floodwaters sent inhabitants scrambling to higher ground, Islande called out from her rooftop to men, women and children in her area trapped by the rising water, and guided them to a ladder so they could climb to the safety of her roof. Islande saved at least 50 people from the raging water and mudflows which hit the city.

Islande is indeed a brave young woman. Before this year's storms ravaged Haiti, this same courage that led her to join the Mouvement Paysan Kongrès Papaye, a group which assists disadvantaged farmers, particularly women. Islande wanted to escape beatings by her husband and the oppression she felt within her marriage. And so Islande turned to Mouvement Papaye to learn skills that she could use to earn her own living like sewing, recycling for cash, and making fruit jams, peanut butter and shredded coconut.

This freedom has increased Islande's confidence. She's forming her own organization, the ODHB (Organization for the Development of Haut Byenak), to help women "think," as Islande puts it. When Islande heard about CARE's program in gender equality, she decided to enroll. The experience thrilled her and she wants to share what she learned with other women so that they, too, have the skills to be independent. Islande will use the knowledge she gained through CARE to train more than 300 women. "I love sharing. It gives me real pleasure and, of course, I want to help change other women's lives in the same way mine changed," she explains.

Needless to say, it takes a certain kind of woman to start her own organization while raising nine nieces and nephews under her care and dealing with the aftermath of the storms. Islande dreams of setting up a business buying and selling goods purchased abroad. In the meantime, she hopes to attend more CARE training courses, continue to fight for women's independence and to share what she learns with other women. A brave, generous and determined woman with a big heart, there is no doubt that Islande will achieve her ambitions.

CARE is working with local authorities, international and local partner agencies to organize a coordinated response to the storms that have hit Haiti. An urgent priority is to provide safe water supplies to residents, to avoid the risk of a secondary disaster caused by water-borne illnesses. CARE is also working to bring emergency food supplies, including high-energy biscuits, to affected communities. Our priority is always to reach the most vulnerable people, including women, children, and people living with HIV and AIDS. We will maintain our commitment over the longer term as Haitians rebuild their communities and livelihoods.

CARE began working in Haiti in 1954, providing relief to people affected by Hurricane Hazel. Today, our work reflects an integrated approach to programming in HIV/AIDS, maternal and children's health, education, food security, water and sanitation and civil society and governance.