I wasn’t feeling that bad when I called my doctor’s office last Friday. I didn’t expect them to instruct me to quarantine from my family and get tested for the coronavirus on Monday.
They say that what you don’t know can’t hurt you and that ignorance is bliss, but sitting here in isolation — waiting on test results — I’m conscious that not knowing something can be lethal.
The only way we stop this virus is through knowledge — by learning whether we’re infected, how to prevent the spread, and, eventually, what is needed for a vaccine.
Information really is power. Centuries of oppression and isolation denied many Haitians access to the basic health education needed to understand how contagions spread and how to protect themselves and their families.
Central to Beyond Borders’ COVID-19 Emergency Response is getting the most disadvantaged Haitians the critical information they need — so they neither dismiss the virus as a conspiracy, nor react in fear by attacking those who they believe are infected.
Our teams and partners are working tirelessly to get this kind of critical, life-saving information out through:
- the widespread distribution of printed educational materials,
- radio programming across urban and rural communities,
- mass text messaging,
- Whatsapp videos and messages, and
- trusted school and community networks.
We are reaching some of Haiti’s most disadvantaged populations and remote communities with critical virus-prevention information — but we need your help to reach even more people.
Will you join this effort and make a life-saving gift now?
Your gift is matched: To encourage a rapid response, a group of long-time supporters have collectively pledged to match all gifts dollar-for-dollar until we raise the $250k needed to fully fund this emergency response.
In addition to sharing critical health information, your support for this emergency response will also:
- provide families most in need with home hygiene kits,
- purchase materials and train local volunteers to mass produce masks,
- get emergency cash assistance to the most vulnerable families, and,
- help rural hospitals get what they need to treat COVID-19 patients safely.
Time is critical. Because of Haiti’s relative isolation, the virus is just now starting to spread more rapidly. Each day brings a new spike in confirmed and suspected cases.
That’s why it is so important that you make a gift now.
Many others have stepped forward — you can see the latest total raised by clicking here — but we still need your help.
Please give generously, right now. Thank you so much!
With deep gratitude,
David Diggs
Co-Founder and Executive Director | Beyond Borders
PS – Just now as I was writing to you I learned that my test came back negative. Knowing this is of course a big relief for me; but it in no way reduces the urgent need Haitians have for the kind of life-saving information that we often take for granted. Please, please click here to make a generous gift now.
