Mario’s Full Interview
CHP: How long have you been involved with the Colorado Haiti Project?
Mario: I have been involved in Colorado Haiti Project about three years.
CHP: What do you do for work with the Colorado Haiti Project?
Mario: I have been working for Colorado Haiti Project as an interpreter, and I have met some of their groups from the airport to lead them to Petit Trou De Nippes and lead them back to the airport. I have acted as a security adviser for them on the road.
CHP: What is your favorite part of working with CHP?
Mario: I like them all.
A) Working with Teresa Henry and her students at the sewing school. For example, last week I was very happy to receive a phone call from Rica (one of the sewing school instructors). She said, “Mario, I am on the bus driving through Leogane now to go to Port Au Prince. Please when you talk to Teresa tell her that I say Hello!!” We know each other because I have had chance to work with CHP in Petit Trou. I really like that, it’s like a new family relationship that I have had with the people in Petit Trou de Nippes.
B) I like working with the doctors. That creates a very good relationship between me and the patients. For example, one time I was in Port au Prince, I heard someone called, “Mario! Mario!” And he said “Don’t you remember me? you were my translator with the doctors came at Petit Trou!” I was very happy to hear that.
C) I had very good time working a survey with Jennifer Fish from Old Dominion University in Petit Trou de Nippes. Jennifer came with Colorado Haiti Project, that makes me meet more people in the community, talk to them and know them better. It was such a good experience. I like it so much.
CHP: What do you think about the way CHP works in Petit Trou?
Mario: I think that CHP has worked in a very positive way in Petit Trou (Haiti). What do I mean by that? CHP has been investing in people; in people’s education. For example, in addition to the Kindergarten, the primary and high school, they have added the sewing school and the scholarship program for some of the young people at St-Paul to go and learn outside and to come back and work in Petit Trou. Those two (The sewing school and scholarship programs) are like two very good engines to make the community work well. Yes, it’s a very good investment. As it’s said, better teach someone to fish than give him a fish every day.
CHP: Is there anything else you would like to say about the work of the Colorado Haiti Project?
Mario: I would like to say, my special thanks to all of you part of Colorado Haiti Project, who have done an incredible work in Haiti, Petit Trou. I want to let you know that, my community (Momance, Leogane) and I are the big winners of that too. Because since I have worked with CHP, I have learned so many very good things and I have taken them back to my community project. Thank you is not enough to say, my friends.