A three-month update report

Dear Friends,

	PIH Executive Director Ophelia Dahl

Our colleagues in Haiti have seen incredible suffering and losses as a result of the January 12 earthquake, but they have persevered, saving thousands of lives and bringing hope to hundreds of thousands more. It is with deep admiration for their efforts and gratitude for your support that I present our three-month progress report on Partners In Health's relief and recovery activities.

On my last trip to Haiti, I found myself struck, more than usual, by how important our work is in serving as an antidote to despair, not just for our staff but also for all of those we serve. The ongoing suffering of the Haitian people--particularly the hundreds of thousands of displaced people living in Port-au-Prince--weighs heavily on my mind. But what gives me and so many others hope for the future is witnessing the daily progress we make in trying to relieve such misery. We see patients with amputations stand for the first time on their new prosthetic legs; we watch children escape needless death by receiving treatment for diarrheal disease or other treatable conditions in our settlement clinics; we deliver food to displaced families and assist with long-term agriculture assistance in the heavily burdened rural poor areas of the country; and we join meetings with the dedicated Ministry of Health leadership to develop national plans for strengthening the public health sector.

I remain steadfastly convinced that, with your commitment to making a difference in the lives of people who are living in such dire conditions, we can serve as a beacon of hope for Haiti and all of the communities around the world in need of a better future. As you will read in the report, we are not just saving individual lives in Haiti but also helping to transform entire communities and setting an example of what is possible in the months and years to come.

Again, thank you for your engagement--our goals are unachievable without your support.

-Ophelia Dahl
 PIH Executive Director