A Desire to Break the Cycle

Founded in 2001, ServeHAITI was born out of the collaborative efforts of volunteers from the United States and Canada, with a desire to break the cycle of temporary interventions in the region. Our goal has always been to provide the necessary resources to empower the people of Grand-Bois to build and sustain a healthy and economically viable community for themselves.
Hundreds of patients waiting to be seen by members of the first medical delegation in February 2001.

Creating a Model of Continuity & Stability

In February 2001, Tom Reichert, director of outreach for Sacred Heart Church in Atlanta, Georgia, assembled the first delegation of medical volunteers to travel to Grand-Bois to provide humanitarian aid.

After a grueling ten hour journey, the group established a makeshift clinic in the back of the local church—St. Pierre Parish. Hundreds of people seeking medical care inundated the small clinic and it quickly became apparent a permanent commitment to the area was needed.

Delegates on the initial trip included:

Mary Kate Costin
John DePasquale, MD
Bill Johnson, RN
Jane Johnson, RN
Mark Lehman
Tom Reichert
Wendy Strassner
Donna P Williams
Father Richard Zivic

Leopold Bourgouin, MD, a young physician with a practice in Port-Au-Prince, shared this view and agreed to sign-on as the clinic’s medical director.

Now with its first full-time staff member, ServeHAITI began the difficult work of planning, building and staffing the only medical clinic in one of the most remote parts of Haiti.

ServeHAITI Medical Director, Dr. Leopold Bourgouin, and ServeHAITI Driver, Anice Boule Philibert

Construction of the Health
Center began in 2003
Dr. Leopold Bourgouin holds a birthing class in
the St. Pierre Church in February 2005

A Health Center & Expanding Mission

Through the hard work and commitment of volunteers and the generous support of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Sacred Heart Church in Atlanta, GA and many other donors, ServeHAITI built the two-story St. Vincent de Paul Health Center, opening its doors in June 2005.

The Center is the only source for healthcare in the region. It offers primary and acute medical services, dental and malnutrition care, perinatal and obstetrics, pharmaceutical and community health education services.

Under the leadership of Dr. Bourgouin (“Dr. Leo”), the St. Vincent de Paul Health Center now serves more than 16,000 patients annually. ServeHAITI employs over 50 Haitian medical and support personnel who see patients 24 hours/day, 365 days/year.

Of course, access to healthcare is not the sole determinant of health outcomes and well-being. Built environment, education, and economic stability each contribute to long-term health outcomes. Recognizing this interconnectivity, ServeHAITI began to strategically expand its mission to improve access to other essential services for the people of Grand-Bois.

Water

ServeHAITI installs a well at the St. Vincent de Paul Health Center to provide clean drinking water for patients and staff. This initial well launches a long-term commitment to bring sanitary water to all Grand-Bois residents. To date, XX wells have been dug throughout the region with XX additional wells planned.

< Well being drilled in the town of Jakace

Education

The Teacher Training Program begins, training 45 teachers with new skills and techniques to help them engage, enlighten, and empower the children of Grand-Bois. In 2013, ServeHAITI builds on this commitment to the next generation by creating Restore Our Schools, an initiative to upgrade the infrastructure of area school buildings.

< Graduation from Teacher Training Program, 2010

Economic Development

ServeHAITI launches their Entrepreneur Program to help foster economic independence in Grand-Bois. The objective of the program is to identify, train and support potential business owners and offer them the resources necessary to grow and sustain their business. The following year, ServeHAITI begins working with partners in the region to provide microloans to seed start-ups and encourage job growth.

< January 2018 Entrepreneur Training Graduates

As a pediatrician I realized that to make a difference we needed to provide continuity of care — a permanent presence in the community — and that meant hiring local medical and nursing staff to best administer to the needs of the people.”

– John DePasquale, MD
Patient names and data are recorded. The first medical charts are created.
Construction of the second level of the Health Center.

Our Impact

Total Patient Visits

Total Live Births

Our Community Health Workers

Learn more about our CHW Program

Home Visits

Dental Visits

Total Patient Visits

Eye Visits

Followups

Mamba Enrollees

Learn more about our
Medika Mamba program
Last updated June, 2022

Operational Wells

Bucket Systems

Home System Assessments

Aquatabs Distributed

Bucket Repairs Made

Last updated June, 2022

Total Loan Funding

Coffee Trees Planted

Entrepreneurs Supported

Types of Businesses:

Bean Resellers, Bakeries, Electronic and Solar Panel Sales, General Store, Raising Goats, and Agricultural Supply Stores

Learn more about our entrepreneurship program

Last updated June, 2022

Schools Restored

Teachers Trained

Schools:

La Pepinere (2014)
Communautaire – Lamothe (2014)
Solidarite – St. Pierre (2013)
Mardoche – Mambo (2014)
Adonai – La Twazon (2013)
Communautaire – Palmes (2019)
Coeur de Jesus (2017)

Learn more about our education programs

Last updated June, 2022