Leslie Rolling | Clean Water for Haiti

About Leslie Rolling

Leslie has been with Clean Water for Haiti full time since 2005. After 17 years living in Haiti full-time she now serves as our Executive Director for Canada and the US, supporting our team in Haiti and making it possible for them to continue getting filters to families who need them most.

The Season of Hope

Dec 1, 2017

Today is the first day of December and I find myself sitting here wondering how we’re almost at the end of another year. I’m very much aware that I haven’t written much here in many months and as I think back I see calendar pages full of crazy busy times of moving between construction and office work, managing our little family, and spending social times with our community of people here. This time of year always seems to be a time of reflection, doesn’t it?

The past two months especially have been very busy as we pushed to get the guest house finished, the last of our buildings at our new site. We now have a beautiful, very functional building that has already seen it’s first guests with a visit from my family, and this next week will be filled with students coming to a Technician Training class and reps doing a site visit from CAWST (cawst.org). We’ll have more family visiting later this month, too. After over two years of not having guest accommodations, I can’t tell you how exciting it is to get back to welcoming people to Clean Water for Haiti and being able to share what we do in a very personal way. We’ve missed this!

The past two months have also been filled with travel for Chris and I as we’ve each taken trips to do fundraising. He spent time in Florida and I went up to Canada. Both trips gave us time to be with Board members and attend fundraisers. He got to speak to students and faculty at Florida Gulf State University, and I got to present to the Kal Lake Rotary Club. He got to do a radio interview and I was invited to a dinner fundraiser that raised almost $8000! The past two months have been very encouraging as we’ve connected with donors old and new.

As you know, Kim joined our staff in October, and has been such a huge blessing to all of us. She has jumped in and filled holes that Chris and I knew we just didn’t have the ability to fill. Her skills and gifts meet the needs that we have in a way we had only dreamed of. I’m so excited to see where we’re going to go as an organization in the coming year because of her help.

If you haven’t heard already, we’re running our Make Waves Campaign until the end of December. We set the goal of raising $20,000 by year end, and in the month of November about $16,000 was already received! I’m feeling very hopeful that we’ll exceed that goal. If you want to know how to give a gift on behalf of friends or family visit our Make Waves campaign page.

As we move through December I hope that you’ll be able to take some time away from the hustle and bustle that is inevitable during this time of the year, and reflect on the good things that have come your way, and what you’re anticipating in 2018. The beginning of December marks the beginning of Advent for those of us in the Church, and at Clean Water for Haiti we want to take time each week to focus on the different aspects that this season of anticipation brings – Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. What brings us hope? How do we love well? Where do we see and find joy? And lastly, how can we focus on peace and let it reign in our hearts in such a busy world?

My hope and prayer for you this holiday season is that you will truly experience hope, love, joy and peace and that your celebrations will be sweet with those that you love and cherish. #advent #hope #tistheseason

~Leslie

Haiti Post Irma & Ethical Fundraising

Sep 12, 2017

This past weekend I think we all anxiously kept eyes on Irma as she raked destruction through the Caribbean and Florida. I lost track of how often we refreshed the storm tracker sites that we follow. On Thursday and Friday we hung out at home just waiting to see what was going to be doled out to us. In all honesty it was a combination of stress that ended up being anti-climactic, and that was a very good thing.

Haiti is typically hard hit, but this time it was like watching a miracle unfold as Irma slightly bumped north. It was just enough to have it move past Haiti far enough out in the ocean that we experienced very little damage. In fact, it was weird how little damage Haiti experienced. I’ve been here for almost 12 years and we’ve had more rain and wind from smaller storms than the country experienced with Irma this weekend. We had more rain the previous weekend during normal rainy season weather. Again, we’re really grateful for that, especially after having Matthew make landfall last October. Typically storms that move to the north of the island bring a lot of rain and flooding, something that is very literally disastrous here where there are very few resources to deal with that. In years past it has meant almost 10 feet of mud sweeping through major cities and killing thousands.

As we all watched Irma make landfall in Cuba and then head north, I will not lie, we all breathed a sigh of relief because we were fully aware of how bad it could have been for Haiti. And we feel that tension between being very grateful, and yet grieving with those all through the Caribbean and Florida and the south eastern US who have lost so much right now.

As reports started coming in from around the country on Saturday in the networks that we’re part of everyone was surprised. Yes, there was some flooding in the north because of the amount of rain dumped on the Dominican Republic, causing rivers to swell. There definitely was some wind, but most reported a few trees down and the occasional tin missing. There were a few injuries, but nothing like in other places that experienced Irma.

In our specific area, which would also include the Artibonite Valley where the bulk of our filters go, we heard of some flooding when rivers and canals swelled with water from the rain in the Dominican Republic. We decided to wait until we came back to work yesterday and were able to start connecting with our Community Promoters in the areas that we serve to get on the ground reports of any damage. While some have had their gardens and crops flooded, we haven’t heard of situations where homes have been lost or where people are feeling there is a crisis.

As an organization funding is always at the forefront of our minds because it enables us to do what we do. We also want to be able to respond in the best way possible when there is a need here in Haiti. For us that means knowing what we do, and what the best application is for our filters that will lead to the greatest impact over time. Over the years we’ve learned that we are not a relief organization, we are a development organization. After a crisis where assistance is needed, we are better suited to be in the second wave that comes as people are rebuilding their lives, so we can help to give them tools for the long term.

In 2010 Cholera was introduced to Haiti, and it has been an ongoing battle ever since. When the rainy season hits we see spikes in cases, especially in the area that we serve the most. We are very aware that many of the families affected by Cholera are in very rural areas, too far away from medical resources. Cholera, in a weakened immune system, can kill in 48 hours, and yet is completely preventable and treatable. As an organization we have focused on providing a tool for families to use to prevent the spread of Cholera so they don’t get sick in the first place. Every person drinking treated water exclusively is cutting off the spread of disease.

A canal in the Artibonite Valley.

This week we are seeing the long term impact of all the work that we do as an organization. This morning I spoke with Richard, our delivery co-ordinator that works with all of our Community Promoters to make sure that we’re meeting the demand for filters. The Promoters that he’s been in contact with over the weekend have reported that while some have lost gardens, there are a lot of people who now want filters because they know the threat of Cholera is very real and they’ve seen how those that have filters are not getting sick. Because there are few sanitation facilities, flooding leads to the spread of feces, the greatest contributor to the spread of Cholera and water borne disease. Those that have filters are not afraid for their health right now, because they know that they have a very effective way of protecting themselves.

As an organization we will always put a priority on being transparent and ethical in our fundraising efforts. We will always be honest with you about the reality, not exaggerating things just to raise funds. So, I am here being very honest with you right now in Irma’s wake – Haiti is not in crisis. We don’t need relief money right now. Not on the level that other countries do right now. Yes, there may be some communities that have had some impact, but it is not wide spread, and it is not a crisis. There might be some people or organizations that won’t like that I just said that, but I’m okay with that because it’s the honest truth.

We WILL tell you that we are hurting right now for finances because of a slump in donations, and that we would really appreciate your support as we continue to help families take control over their health. Your gifts WILL be effectively used. We’re seeing that this week as those families that would normally be heavily impacted by not having a source for clean water are drinking safe, clean water this week. It’s taken years to get here, but we’re rejoicing right now because we’re seeing all that hard work pay off.

Water sources like this are what most people have available to them in the Artibonite Valley.

We want to reach those families that are needing and wanting filters now, that don’t have another way to treat their water. But, we need your help. We would love it if you would donate so that the next time Haiti goes through a natural disaster, because we know that day will come again, those families will be equipped to care for themselves. Together we can help eliminate Cholera in Haiti. We’re on the way.

GIVE NOW

$100 will help provide a filter for a home. That filter will typically provide clean water, every single day, for 5-10 people. We visit each filter we install 3 times in the first year, and have just started 5 year visits. We know that over 95% of our filters will still be in use after the first year. That means that this time next year over 95 homes will still be using their filter in every 100 that we serve. In people that means over 475-950 people will daily have clean water available to them in their homes. They don’t have to buy it. They don’t have to worry that the water treatment boutique they might buy from, if they have money, isn’t working at 100%. They don’t have to worry that they only have canal water that looks like a mud puddle will be their only source. They will have control over the water they drink indefinitely for $100. $10-20 per person for long term life change. Seems like a great investment to me.

~Leslie

Eyes on Irma

Sep 4, 2017

If you’ve been keeping up with weather news you’ll know that there’s a major hurricane that’s formed in the Atlantic. A couple days ago meteorologists were still having difficulty predicting Hurricane Irma’s path, but now the storm seems to be figuring itself out and is on a path for the Caribbean, and potentially the south eastern coast of the US.

The south of Haiti is still recovering from Hurricane Matthew that blasted through last October. At this stage we’re still a few days out from seeing exactly where Irma will go. Predictions are that it’s going to continue heading west with a gradual veer north. This means it’ll sweep by the northern part of Haiti. Irma is currently rated as a Category 3 level hurricane, but they’re estimating that it’s going to pick up force overnight and build to a Category 4 sometime tonight.

What we’ve learned about storms like Irma and Haiti over the years, is that very few actually make landfall, but that doesn’t mean Haiti won’t see considerable damage. In 2004 it was Hurricane Jeanne, a storm that moved north of Haiti, that dumped so much rain on the island that Gonaives saw excessive flooding that wiped out half the city, and resulted in over 3000 deaths.

While we might not know exactly what to expect from Irma at this point as far as exact path and the force of winds, we do know that we’re going to be getting rain this week, and probably lots of it. It’s already very overcast with little systems moving over our little island.

We’ll be keeping an eye on Irma in the next few days and will be sure to update things here and on Facebook as there’s news to share.

~Leslie

The Terrifying Things

Aug 29, 2017

Every once in a while someone will ask me what I’m most afraid about with living in Haiti. I think my answer sometimes surprises them.

You see, Haiti is a country that has a history of unrest. It’s a country where it’s citizens have had to fight for every last thing that they have. It’s the only country in the world that became an independent nation because of a slave revolt. That ability to rise up and fight is always bubbling below the surface here, and while that can be really alarming, it’s honestly not the thing that gives me the most fear about living here. If there are situations that get “hot” as we like to say, we simply stay home and stay out of it. Once things are calm again, we go about our business. Living in a rural area we’re actually removed from a lot of that when it does happen, and can just keep doing life. I’m thankful for that.

No, the thing that scares me the most isn’t unrest or crazy stuff, it’s getting in an accident. Worse yet, getting in an accident with my kids in the car. That terrifies me because Haiti doesn’t have 911. It doesn’t have quick medical response. There is no ambulance system. The police won’t quickly show up at an accident scene and get to work to make sure that everyone is okay.

Driving here is honestly one of the most dangerous things we do. There are very few rules to the road, and unless you’re stopping at a police check where they make sure your license and registration are all in order, no police officer is going to chase you down and issue a ticket for a driving infraction. This means that people drive as fast as they want (us too, not just Haitians – there are no speed limits) and you hope and pray people will stay on their own side of the road. Yes, we have lines on most roads now (I was SO excited when this happened!) but those are really just a suggestion – it’s not abnormal to see vehicles drive right down the middle of the road, just because.

Just the other day I was going to pick the kids up from school, and I came upon an accident. It had just happened a couple minutes before because people were still dazed and slowly climbing out of their vehicles. Drivers here love to creep out around the vehicle in front of them to see if anything is coming so they can pass, but they don’t just pop out and then pop back into their lane. Noooo, they like to pop out then actually drive there, peeking out from behind the vehicle in front of them, typically some really big truck like a box van. And then the guy behind them does the same thing, and the guy behind him… Getting the picture here? In this case, all that peeking meant that when the box truck hit the dump truck, everyone behind it sandwiched together. Because people we’re creeping and peeking and not driving in a line.

There was a dump truck pulled over on the far right side of the road. Not a problem. But for some reason a box truck ended up side swiping itself to a halt in the side of the dump truck. Then the car that had been creeping out behind the box truck smashed it’s right front corner into the back left corner of the box truck. And the pickup truck that had been behind that car did exactly the same thing into the car. Need a visual? Here ya go…

I thought that was bad. You know, 4 car pile up. Until we were on the way home and I saw it from the other direction…

Yeah, there was one unfortunate car that just drove right into the back of the box van. In case you’ve lost count, that’s 5 vehicles, all crumpled together. Thankfully it looked like no one was hurt, but that’s usually not the case here as big school buses used for public transit go careening down the roads at lightening speeds. Half the time the frame is twisted so the busses are actually driving down the road sideways. People don’t use their signal lights the way we’re taught to back home, so a left flashing signal light might mean the person is going to turn left, but probably not. It will most likely indicate that you should pass them on the left, or that they just felt like turning on their signal light because… I haven’t even mentioned the tap taps – small pick up trucks with benches in the back to carry passengers as local public transit, that typically don’t have working brake lights and that will stop at the drop of a hat to let someone off or pick someone up. And then there are the motor cycles. No, driving in Haiti is not for the faint of heart, and it gives new meaning to “defensive driving”.

I share this to say that driving, is honestly one of the scariest things to do here. And most anger inducing, but that’s another blog post :) My biggest fear is getting into an accident, especially with my kids in the car, and being incapacitated and not able to make sure I get the care I need, or that my kids do. Hospitals are less than top notch here, and the ones that are good, are all at least an hour and a half away from where we live. It terrifies me. Like if I think about it too deeply I’ll start crying terrifies me. And it’s a daily struggle because just driving the 15 minutes to get my kids from school often has me avoiding at least one accident per day. That’s not an exaggeration. That’s being conservative because our parents are reading this.

So let’s talk about today, during the morning drive to school. I was cruising along with the kids, chatting away and listening to music like we do. Normally Chris does the morning commute and I do the afternoon, but he had to make a trip to Port au Prince today, so I was on deck. I was driving along a straight stretch, just before the turn to the kids school, and in what felt like slow motion, I see a full sized goat get the brilliant idea to run into the road.

Oh, I didn’t mention the goats? The dogs? Chickens? Yeah, all of these are present on the highways here too, along with donkeys and cows and horses. And most of the smaller ones are just wandering aimlessly.

Did I hit the goat?

Yes, yes I did. I hit that sucker straight on, dead center, at almost 100 km/hour.

Thankfully, because I was paying attention, I was able to get a good grip on the steering wheel and managed to maintain full control of the car. The goat went right under, bounced off every tire, because it was spinning under us, and flew out the back where it spun to a dead (very dead) stop in the middle of the highway. I did hit the brakes a bit, so there was some slight skidding, but I stayed in my lane and managed to not hit anyone or anything. In a situation like this, there’s no point in stopping because it’s the same as hitting a stray dog, so we kept going to school and I managed to keep a complete breakdown to a little bit of eye misting (thank you sunglasses) and gave a lecture to Little Miss in the backseat about the fact that we don’t start wailing over a goat that was dumb enough to run into traffic and yelling at Mom about it when WE COULD HAVE ALL DIED!!!

This is the first time that I’ve hit anything alive while driving here that I can remember, which I’m very thankful for. I could tell you many stories about other situations that we’ve been in, like following a motorcycle with 3 people on it and watching a dog run right in it’s path, or the time we hit a slippery part on the road during the first rain of the season and barely missed hitting about 10 school kids on the shoulder… My point is, while I worry about all the possibilities of accidents here, I’m also keenly aware of all the ones we actually do avoid, and while I know that not everyone reading this will share my beliefs, I do believe there is a God, and I believe in and have very much felt his hand of protection over us on the roads here. Like everything goes quiet and still and slow motion kind of protection while I watch something not happen than should happen. And those are just the situations that I’m aware of.

So, for today you get a little window into my deepest fears, a glimpse at daily living here, and knowing that if you’re praying for our family, those prayers are much appreciated and needed!

~Leslie

The Mechanical Side Of Things

Jan 27, 2017

If you’ve been following along with Clean Water for Haiti for any length of time, you’ve probably heard or seen us refer to the need for a new truck. Our trucks work hard every day, to the extent that it can be difficult to explain what that looks like.

This post isn’t going to be an appeal for a new truck. I’ve already done that and we’re on our way to the halfway point of having the funds to purchase one. We’re hoping to do that sometime this year, and crossing our fingers that we don’t have any issues before then that would mean a lot of down time and people not getting filters.

No, today I’m not going to talk about that. Instead, I’m going to try and give you a little window into how hard these beasts work, and what goes into maintaining them.

Yesterday Richard, one of our drivers, went out to buy a load of cinder blocks for the walls in the new guest house/training center. Most of the drive was on the highway, with the exception of the few minutes on our road getting out to the highway, and going from the highway up to the block yard – about 5 minutes on a gravel road.

Mid-way through the morning I got a call to say that he had a flat tire and he was going to be late coming back because of having to change over to the spare, etc. Typically, if we get a flat and time allows, we go right to the next tire repair boss, a guy on the side of the road with an air compressor and a small fire in a piston that he uses to heat patches on the tire tubes. It’s really fascinating to watch them do the whole thing by hand.

Because of the nature of what we do and the roads we have to drive on, we always make sure that every vehicle has a full size, good condition spare on it so we can swap it out and keep going, then get the flat fixed as soon as possible. Very rarely do we let a vehicle off site without a good spare that’s ready to go. Sometimes, but rarely, a spare has lost air from sitting so long, but that’s usually easily remedied.

Richard eventually got back and everyone went about their day as usual.

This morning Chris asked me if I knew that Richard had a blow out yesterday. I told him I was just told the tire was “ampan”, which means “broken down” or not working or flat. Creole has a variety of meanings for a single word, so you just sort of pick the best one for the context. The other day the car overheated and while I waited for it to cool down so I could put more coolant in it many people came by asking me if the car was “ampan”.

When Chris said “blow out” i just thought that a part of the tire had, you know, blown out. And then the whole thing had gone flat, the spare had to be put on, etc.

Well, I was wrong…

When Preval, another of our staff, went to put it in the car this morning so Chris could have it taken off the rim, and get another spare mounted on it, this is what he was moving:

Yep, a complete blow out.

Many times we like to talk about businesses, and how there’s a “cost to doing business”. Very rarely do we apply that to the non-profit setting. But, whether we apply it or not, it is there. When we have to do the math to figure out what our cost per filter is, one of the things we have to factor into that is maintenance on our work trucks. They’re a vital part to our program. We can’t deliver or do repair visits on filters without them, and each full load of filters we take out is about 5 tonnes of weight. Many of the roads that take our staff into the communities we serve are nothing more than a dirt track. Sometimes they’re crossing rivers. Sometimes they get stuck up to the axels in mud, and have to unload everything to get unstuck, then reload it again.

When we talk about “the cost of doing” business in relation to our trucks, one of those maintenance items/expenses is tires. I had a car when I lived back in Canada before moving to Haiti and I cringed when I had to replace tires. My dad is a truck driver, and when he owned his own trucks, I remember many an hour passed in the waiting area of the tire shop while things got changed out. When it comes time to change out a set of tires on one of the trucks we’re always aware of the expense, but it doesn’t ever make the sticker shock any less.

You see, each of our work trucks has 6 wheels. And we need to put good quality, beefy treaded tires on them to get where we need to go. All in, when it’s time to replace the tires we have to buy at least 6 new ones, usually at the tune of about $1600 US. If we need to replace a spare, that’s one more tire. Typically we’ll take one of the best condition old tires and use it as a spare, and probably keep a few of the others for that purpose if we can.

I share this just as a way of expanding your view of what’s involved in what we do here. We often say “it’s not just about filters” because there are so many things that need to work together to make the filters possible. When we do fundraising, and you hear us talking about “cost per filter” now you know more of what’s involved in getting to that number, and some of the things we have to stay on top of doing this thing we do.

~Leslie