I’ve been involved with Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO) since January 2011 and this was my first trip with the organization. Traveling to Haiti allowed me to see the inner-workings of WWO’s organization and deepen my level of involvement as a Board member. Here are my thoughts and impressions of a journey that showed me why our support of Haiti’s orphans is so vital.

Introduction

Ok, too much status quo is soul sucking and it is good to question everything about anything. Where our faults lie? How we interact with our society? What we take for granted? Traveling to Haiti was the escaping of one’s self. It helped to find a balanced middle. Most of us in the developed world are fortunate to not have to think about where our next meal is coming from everyday. If our homes burned down tonight (as long as everyone we loved escaped) we could rebuild in a matter of months…these people and this country can’t and hasn’t. It was mind blowing seeing the abject poverty and the orphans who need so much attention just to get a chance to go to school, to read and write, let alone become a professional of some sort. Basic medical and dental care in Haiti is a luxury that most live without. This experience made me thankful for my life and want to give back more because I can. It also made me want to encourage others to give back either in time or money. As we age, it becomes clear that we don’t have the answers to all that we’ve contemplated. But I can say how valuable this experience was for me and I encourage all of our individual paths to be further explored.

One of the goals of the trip was to film a video for this year’s Worldwide Orphans Foundation Gala in NYC. The net result was stirring and so much more.

Day 1

Our WWO coordinator was waiting to greet us with much-needed water and sustenance.  With 30 minutes to freshen up, we’re off to Port-au-Prince, where we met an 8 year-old boy, Monley, who was pulled out of the rubble 9 days after the 2010 earthquake naked and severely dehydrated but alive.  His parents had been crushed and killed less than ten feet away.  WWO works closely with Monley’s Uncle Gary who has been parenting Monley and his 2 brothers. It quickly became apparent that Monley has been having behavioral problems – trouble focusing and having difficulty at school.  I’m fascinated watching Dr. Jane converse and observe him as she tries to diagnose what is afflicting him.  On our drive, she reminds us that half of the world’s 2.2 billion children live in poverty without access to food, security, medical care and education.  And with these major cornerstones of life and society missing, we must also think of all we have and that these children deserve. Monley has no toys; he has asked for a bicycle.

I follow Katie and Charles, our film producer and cameraman, and hope that they can capture the destruction I am seeing and emotions I am feeling. Debris filled streets are lined with shanty homes of concrete. Sixty percent of Haiti’s buildings were shoddily constructed and unsafe before the quake. Concrete roofs have replaced collapsed concrete roofs making the new buildings equally dangerous in a city prone to earthquakes.  Many structures appear uninhabitable. A few homes were replaced by wooden shelters, erected within the skeletal remains of the former buildings.

Despite these horrid conditions in Monley’s neighborhood, he and his friends are remarkably playful. They congregate in the street looking for fun, enjoying the lollipops we brought and absorbing our attention. We admire their friendship and camaraderie, a bond built from surviving the difficult world they share.

Day 2

Dr. Jane tells us the children of Haiti are starving.  I can see the orange tinge of their hair…it is strange and sad to see every child with it as it means they are all malnourished.  We realize they cannot thrive in such an environment.  They are tired and hungry, and yet to my astonishment they are NOT listless with empty faces. Enormous smiles greet us as we enter a room. There is no begging, as one might assume, instead there’s an abundant desire to be held and to be played with. The children just want our love and attention and we are happy to give it to them.

Since arriving in Haiti our group has been accompanied by Nick Brophy, a WWO Board member and Samantha Cleland, a WWO supporter, interested in learning the operations of WWO. Bouncing little babies in our laps and using our cameras we entertain the curious and sweet children.  Regardless of not sharing a word of English or “un petit peu” of French, precisely French Creole, together we sit and are still able to communicate and bond.  Two special orphan friends have latched onto me. We hold hands and walk from the community center to their orphanage. They won’t let go and I begin to realize their deep psychological and emotional needs. These children have lost parents to death and disease, others have been abandoned by parents who lacked the resources to care for them.

I have a nickname: Panda. The Haitian children enjoy it. When I say, “Je m’appelle Andrew,” they can’t reply, unable to pronounce Andrew. When I say “Je m’appelle Panda,” they smile and shout PANDA! It is heartwarming. Dr. Jane decided everyone in our group would have a furry animal nickname from here on out.

Day 3

As the sun sets, we watch amazing dance performances in the Kenscoff Community Center amidst a packed house. Our WWO program coordinators have been teaching dance – a fusion of African and Haitian styles. There are drums, clapping to complement the music humming from a nearby electric speaker. With thunderous applause, I am overwhelmed when I see the children come out at the show’s finale wearing blue pipe-cleaner glasses:  a tribute to Dr. Jane’s signature “look” and the “branding” of WWO.  They recite a poem concluding with the final verse of “thank you” to WWO.  It is in English and we are moved.

Afterwards, my new young Haitian friends sit on my lap, snuggled to my chest. We continue to play with my camera and share smiley face photos.  When it comes time to leave, we are sad that we cannot stay longer. On our walk back to the B&B, we discuss the day with Dr. Jane who describes the children as “not the same as children who have unconditional love of an adult and a full belly; these are not the same children who lead busy lives, who have time and resources to play. Play can be about nothing, but “play” is the work of a child; play that busies their brains with ideas; play that fills their brains with synapses which transform their brain neurons into connections that are the intellectual power of their being. No play = fewer synapses and less intellectual ability and more developmental delays.”  We agree on how desperately we want to provide MORE for the WWO volunteers and these children. One detail is clear – the WWO volunteers do a great job. We hope that is the case in all the Haitian orphanages but have heard dark stories about human trafficking and pre-teen child pregnancies. Our hearts have opened like never before and our determination to help is stronger than ever.

Day 4

Tent camps dot the main square.  Neg Marron, facing the Palace, is a powerful and evocative sculpture. A black slave with arms outstretched and a leg shackled with a chain, he is blowing the conch and calling on the other slaves to fight for their freedom.  Neg Marron has become an even more poignant symbol of Haitian pride as it is the one significant monument to survive the quake unscathed.

Our fourth day in Haiti is spent visiting local orphanages. They are dark and gloomy.  We learn that a single bed accommodates four children. One orphanage has twenty-five children living in three bedrooms, some in beds some on the floor, with a small outdoor dining area. Their kitchen is cramped and filthy. We see leftover food on a dilapidated stove covered with flies. The rooms are dark and unctuous despite being cleaned in anticipation of our arrival. Every fifteen minutes we must go outside for air. In stark contrast to us outsiders, the children playing are beautiful and full of life. We believe their happiness derives from companionship with one another and their daily escapes outside this orphanage.

After the orphanage visits our excitement felt at the Cathedral vanished, fortunately the determination of the Haitians remain. They share an unwavering commitment to rebuild. I imagine it’s like trying to create a new life after someone close has died. What does the future hold? What is next for the Haitians? Only time will tell. What we can be sure of is that the dire situation following the earthquake is far from over. And we, like the Haitians, must not give up.

For me a lot of questions remain unanswered, but I have witnessed enough to know that I want to do more to help the people of Haiti grow and have hopes and dreams. That is why I am here.

Saying Goodbye

Our last stop was a trip back to Monley’s home. As we bid farewell, said “a bientôt,” we presented him with a new bicycle. This gift did not mean to belittle all that he and all Haitians need in the form of national policies and economic stability yet sometimes it is a tangible and immediate item – the gift of a shiny new bicycle – that can bring a group of seven adults to tears as its proud new owner rides off into the sunset.

A bit of background 

Haiti is the second oldest republic in the Americas – inspired by the French revolution of 1789, the Haitian slaves began their own revolution in 1791 becoming the first black colony to cast off their colonial bonds. After a decade of war, Haiti declared independence in 1804. The Haitians were Africans brought over by the Spanish and French to grow sugar, coffee and indigo. Once the wealthiest colony in the Caribbean, the Haitians were suppressed under what was described as the most “brutally efficient slave colony.” Their victory over the French was both unimaginable and inspiring to African slaves throughout the world. Sadly there has been nothing but corruption since. It’s shocking that Haiti’s democracy is only a few years younger than America’s, yet they are plagued by constant political turnover, economic malaise and extreme poverty.

The result of Haiti’s poverty, political corruption and faltering economy has been the scalping of a once beautiful country, literally. Haiti ranks in the top three most deforested nations in the world. The Haitians cut down every tree they can to enable cooking to feed their families and warm their homes. Their continued struggle after so many years of freedom raises many important questions. Ineptitude? Slave mentality? No, the study of Haitian politics and culture will not lead to one simple answer. The Haitians are not only beautiful and remarkable people, but when provided with education they make an extremely generous contribution to the arts and sciences of the world.

The devastating earthquake of 2010 killed 316,000 people and displaced 1.5 million in an already impoverished country of 10 million people.  More than 500,000 remain in temporary settlement camps, tent cities. Haiti had approximately 380,000 orphans prior to the earthquake. It is estimated that there are close to 1,000,000 today – equal to one tenth of their population. As Haiti struggles with a reconstruction effort that has been thwarted by a messy election, political paralysis and absence of aid coordination between humanitarian organizations, millions of people (and children, of course) remain displaced.  Schools, medical care and housing are still at the utmost of need, and I fear that their plight, having fallen out of our news cycles and awareness, is waning from our consciences. On this, the second anniversary of the earthquake, there is remembrance and hope towards a new beginning.

Andrew Drexel Allen

For further information on the Worldwide Orphans Foundation please visit: www.wwo.org

*Footnote: Historical facts sourced from Wikipedia

 I was asked to join the Board of Directors of the Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO) in January  2011. The mission of WWO is to transform the lives of orphaned children by taking them out of anonymity and helping them to become healthy, independent, productive members of their communities and the world. This entry captures the experience of the event on May 4^th that I’d like to share…

Most charity events are created to combine a good time with a good cause. Many of them struggle to hit the mark, but a rare few do it just right. One such event was the Worldwide Orphans Foundation’s reception in Los Angeles on May 4, 2011. It had just the right chemistry of venue, attendees and worthiness of cause.

I was fortunate to travel there from New York with the generous and gracious Janet Kagan, Chairman of the Board of WWO.  Janet is one of those rare individuals who uses her charm, and profound intelligence to get things done. I have been inspired by her tenacity, decisiveness and unwavering commitment to the cause. 

The evening’s reception (WWO’s sixth event in California) was held on the rooftop of the beautiful L’Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills. There were 130+ guests, including co-chairs and actors Connie Britton (of “Friday Night Lights”) and Carla Gugino (who is starring in the upcoming movie, “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” with Jim Carrey). Carla’s and Connie’s presence there was a far cry from the typical celeb “philanthropic fly-bys.” They were informed, welcoming, cared genuinely for WWO, and were in attendance for the duration.

Several of the devoted guests brought along their children, which added a warmth and joyful spirit to the evening. I spoke with actor Brooke Smith (from “Grey’s Anatomy”) who was there with her husband, and their two daughters (one of whom was adopted from Ethiopia).

Dr. Jane Aronson, the founder of WWO and a renowned pediatrician, has been a practicing adoption medicine specialist for the past 17 years. She has treated the children of countless parents (celebrity and non). Many of them were there that evening to express their gratitude to her.

Overlooking the glistening city of Los Angeles, Dr. Jane spoke of the enormity of the plight of AIDS and orphans, and revealed some staggering and heartbreaking statistics:

• There are more than 153 million orphaned children worldwide.
• More than 18 million children are orphaned by AIDS, many of whom are HIV-positive themselves (if you’d like to read more, visit www.wwo.org).  

Dr. Jane gave a speech that was followed by a short film that put real and sweet faces to these bleak statistics. As a father of three miraculous boys, I couldn’t help but be deeply moved by all that…

 As I watched the children gathered around eating cupcakes (donated by Crumbs), and excitedly swapping their “schwag”- the cool, and colorful flip-flops (donated by Havaianas), I thought of my own three little boys.  I wished they were there, and missed reading them their nightly bedtime story.  It is hard for me, since joining WWO, not to revel in these activities with them that I frequently took for granted. The evening reinforced my commitment to WWO, and their amazing mission to help improve the lives of the worlds’ orphans.

Links:
How you can help — Worldwide Orphans Foundation: www.wwo.org
Crumbs Cupcakes: www.crumbs.com
Havaianas Flip Flops: www.havaianas.com

There’s something to say about travel.  And, in particular, traveling with your kids.  Sure, there’s always an extra set of challenges that presents itself when traveling with children, no matter how far you might be going, how many children you are bringing and what ages they are. Some of my most precious personal memories are by-products of traveling with my sons, and these are the ones that I can “go to” as touchstones calling them up from my memory bank – - just when I need them most.

I’ve just returned from a memorable beach vacation, and it’s already up there in the Allen Archives as one of our best. It seemed that within seconds upon landing in South Florida, my boys had dashed onto the beach and into the Atlantic before I even had time to locate a bathing suit. “Daddy, this is awesome!” was the phrase of the day.  That, along with “sun” “sand” “beach” and “can we please go to the Chef’s Cupboard for donuts!”

It’s so important to break away from our routines and replace them, if only for a few days, with NEW activities that help us relax, rejuvenate and re-charge.  It is the chance to leave behind the distractions of our modern lifestyle. At the beginning of our time together, my children and I sat down so we could “carve out” the hours I’ll need to communicate with my office, have some “alone” time, etc. but since it’s discussed ahead of time, there isn’t that pervasive resistance, anger or guilt that has often clouded past trips. I’ve learned from those experiences and know how to set expectations well in advance.

What are the obvious benefits of allowing yourself to spend quality time with your children in a different environment?  There are plenty.  Our vacations usually involve some outdoor activities such as swimming, surfing, snorkeling, fishing and an Allen Family favorite, “Lizard Hunting.”  It’s a great time to afford children the opportunity to appreciate the magnificent value of outdoor life.  Plus, these are healthy activities that provide lots of exercise.

When you’re standing with your toes at the ocean’s edge catching a sunrise, or watching the sky morph orange, pink and rainbow colors – - you can’t help but be awed, especially when you are surrounded with scenes of outstanding natural beauty.  These moments start amazing conversations about life, earth, bonding, and a “lite” dose of existentialism.  Of course, with your kids, it better be the light version of existentialism, otherwise, they’re likely to head back to bed.

Learning about science isn’t always that easy for children and it’s important that they be exposed early so as not to lose interest. I was a curious boy growing up, and loved spending time outdoors. One of my earliest recollections was taking a nature walk as part of a 1st grade class trip, and being fascinated by the various wildlife and vegetation I was observing.  I didn’t even realize that I was learning!

I am particularly interested in sustainable energy and alternative energy sources.  I am on the Board of Trustees at Far Hills Country Day School, where I attended school and I’m the Chair of the Energy & Sustainability Committee.  This involvement has focused my efforts to get kids excited about science, hoping that they’ll gain a lifelong love of the subject.

These days, children are learning about energy earlier than we think. Thanks to revamped curriculums and increased attention to the subject in the media, kids today already know a tremendous amount about energy. The topic is definitely on their radar.  We are breeding a generation of kids that know about energy in a way I was never formally taught.  With my own children, we play a game making them “energy police.”  They get to look at how much light we use, what kind of bulbs we have in the lamps, if we’re careful to turn off lights when we leave a room, stand in front of an open refrigerator and how long, closing doors to unused rooms, locking windows, and turning down the thermostat little by little.  This empowers kids to take charge at home and hopefully whip some wasteful parents into  shape.

And why should kids care about wind energy? Wind is a clean, renewable resource that is good for the environment. Wind is the fastest growing source of electricity in the world.  A good citizen of the world should understand the different methods of generating electrical power and the consequences of these methods to the environment and the economy. At Far Hills Country Day School we have recently received approvals to install a series of Windspires. Our students were the one’s who went in front of the town planning board and achieved those approvals! You might say it was a lesson in energy, economics and politics all rolled into one.

Faculty and parents can teach children about wind power, which is not only one of the best ways to generate electricity but one of the easiest to explain. Explain that moving air can turn the blades of a wind turbine, which will turn a shaft, move a gear and power and generator, creating electricity.  Wind is a renewable energy source and that wind energy creates no pollutants or radioactive byproducts.