Vassar Haiti Project

VP for Outreach Cindy Fung ’14 shares her take on the event and seeing it to fruition:

For an event that required three months of preparation, thirty student volunteers, and too many excel spreadsheets, the Art and Soul Reception was worth every sleepless night. The reception, first of its kind in the history of VHP, turned out to be a huge success – we have now raised sufficient funds for the Chermaitre-Fiervil Clinic to operate once a week for the whole of next year. We are thrilled to celebrate this success with our Medical Advisory Board, our sponsors, the local community, and our partners in Haiti.

Mengna Da '15

Rebecca Endicott '14, Charlotte Ong '14, Sarah Oliver '15 hard at work as cashiers

Seeing everything happen in those three hours was incredible. Beyond a doubt, the event couldn’t have been what it was without the volunteers’ great teamwork. There was so much enthusiasm poured into every little task that in turn made the evening whole. The energy felt contagious. But the work for that night really extended way beyond those three hours. It was the more mundane things like stuffing envelopes, labeling paintings, and fine-tuning the guest list that created the reception. And all these things were done by people with big hearts, who understood that our work is not supposed to be easy, and it is not up to us to feel frustrated or impatient. From seeing the half-complete clinic in Haiti last March, to starting the event-planning in August, and finally to last Thursday night, I was reminded again and again that hard work takes time, dedication, and responsibility. I could not be prouder of our team for coming together in building something magical from zero.

Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board Danny Aronzon MD giving an address

Manny Singh '15 introducing the Project

We are also honored to have the support of so many members of the local community, medical or otherwise. It is because of them that 7,000 people from Chermaitre and its surrounding villages now have continued access to healthcare. We look forward to many more opportunities in the future to involve the community in the work we do, sharing with them the joy of our endeavors, and the realization of our agency to actively make a difference. VHP’s fundraising efforts here yield tangible results in Chermaitre, and it is from taking part in the Project that we realize that the here and the elsewhere are really not that far apart.