In 2007 we established a Jeep Fund to raise money to buy a new Toyota 4-wheel drive jeep. These jeeps are the best vehicles for the rough terrain we routinely drive on in going up the mountain to our clinic site from the town of Jérémie. This jeep will be used for the following purposes:
-Transport staff from Jérémie to the clinic site in Gatineau and back
-Transport patients from our clinic to the government hospital in Jérémie for those in need of hospitalization
-Transport to the clinic of patients from communities around the clinic site, when they are too ill or weak to walk
-Transport of staff and visitors to other rural clinics where we occasionally offer medical expertise and assistance
In August 2009, we received a grant of $42,000 from the F.I.S.H. Foundation to complete funding for this new jeep. We are grateful, not only to the F.I.S.H. Foundation, but to all the individuals who contributed to this fund.
Here is the timeline of events related to the jeep purchase:
September 2009 – down-payment was made on a new Toyota 13-passenger Land Cruiser Jeep, which was ordered by the Port-au-Prince Toyota dealership directly from Japan. Expected delivery in Haiti January 2010.
January 2010 – ship containing a load of vehicles intended for the Port-au-Prince Toyota dealership was diverted to Santo Domingo, DR after the January 12th earthquake destroyed the port in Port-au-Prince.
End of February 2010 – our jeep arrived in customs in Port-au-Prince. Paperwork started for the long process for release of the vehicle through customs.
August 16, 2010 – we finally were able to take possession of the jeep from the dealership in Port-au-Prince, registration, insurance and licensing completed.
Here is the jeep in our driveway in Jérémie and a photo on our first trip up to the clinic. The patients are saying “Thank you” to all who made the purchase possible:
Copyright 2009 Friends for Health in Haiti, Inc. All Rights Reserved Friends for Health in Haiti - U.S. Office - P.O. Box 122 - Pewaukee, WI 53072 (262) 227-9581