My name is Berenize and I am from Haiti. I used to live in the Dominican Republic, but when my father died I had to go live with my aunt so I wouldn't be on my own. She could not find any schools for someone my age so she sent me to the República de Chile school in Port-au-Prince. This school held the dreams of many girls and their families, but one day the walls fell and the dreams escaped. Today we can begin to dream again because the school has been rebuilt thanks to caring people who have come from far away to help us. We are all so happy because we can once again study, play and do everything we used to do before the earthquake.

I first met the America Solidaria doctors Manfredo, Marco and Andrés in 2005. Since that time America Solidaria volunteers have been carrying out health-related activities in the mountain community of Cadette Bainet. Before they arrived, some 80 year old people had never seen a doctor before and had no idea what they could do. From the moment they were examined by a doctor they learned just how much of an impact on their lives they could make. - The reality is that we have to cross 34 rivers to get here. It is a very isolated and mountainous area. It takes 4 and a half hours to walk to the nearest village. My mother was a victim of poor health in this region and I do not want that to happen again to anyone else. Building a clinic and instructing the community on how to take advantage of it has been a great project not only for this area, but also for me personally and for America Solidaria. We are very grateful and happy. This has meant an important change for us.