Haiti Trip Report

2013 NBLSA C.A.R.E.S Haiti Service Trip

SUMMARY

Through the NBLSA C.A.R.E.S. (Contributing through Advocacy, Resources, Education,

and Service) Program, the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) provided an

opportunity for ten law students from across the United States to serve the country of Haiti. For

the second year in a row, ten Haiti delegates worked in partnership with the Vincentian Family

Worldwide organization.

The ten delegates were chosen from a vast pool of strong applicants. Under the guidance

of our partner in Haïti, the students were able to visit and assess various start-ups and ongoing

projects. This report prepared by Ericka Aiken, National Director of Community Service of

NBLSA, is comprised of: a) background information about NBLSA C.A.R.E.S., b) a synopsis of

the Vincentian Family organization, c) short biographies of the participants, d) an inside look at

the experience from the perspective of a student delegate and e) a summary of the impressive

projects the students tackled.


About NBLSA and NBLSA C.A.R.E.S.

The National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) is the nation's largest student-

run organization representing over 6,000 minority law students from over 200 chapters and

affiliates throughout the United States and six other countries. In addition to articulating and

promoting educational, professional, political and social agenda of Black law students, NBLSA

has undertaken many initiatives, like NBLSA C.A.R.E.S., that touch lives beyond the borders of

the United States.

NBLSA C.A.R.E.S. is a program designed “to expose law students to service on an

international level. It fosters an appreciation for international pro bono work before these

students enter their legal careers,” said Ericka Aiken, National Director of Community Service.

For the last five years, NBLSA has collected over $9,000.00 and volunteered more than

1000 hours on behalf of issues affecting Haïti. NBLSA C.A.R.E.S. has sent dozens of students

from various law schools across the country to volunteer in Haïti.

This year, under the direction of Ericka Aiken, the 2012-2013 National Director of

Community Service, NBLSA C.A.R.E.S. sent ten NBLSA student delegates to Haïti to work in

partnership with the Vincentian Family Worldwide organization, an initiative dedicated to

effectively serving marginalized people around the world. Specifically, the participants evaluated

the viability of starting a women’s sewing cooperative for a group of Haitian women and

prepared legal documents for the start of a fish farm for local Haitian farmers. In conjunction

with the service trip, NBLSA donated $1,000 to the Vincentian Family Worldwide organization

to support the development of small businesses in Haïti.


About the Vincentian Family

The Vincentian Family is a worldwide network of nonprofit charitable organizations

with a well-established organizational structure in more than 135 countries. The Vincentian

Family has its roots in the life and works of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, who

together identified the needs of and cared for the poor through food distribution, hospitals,

orphanages, spiritual ministries and other services in 17th century France.

Today, the Vincentian Family consists of more than 1 million members, including the

Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the International Association of Charities, Jeunesse Mariale

Vincentienne, the Daughters of Charity, the Sisters of Charity Federation of North America, and

the Congregation of the Mission. To learn more about the Vincentian Family, you may visit

www.famvin.org.

In commemoration of the 350th

anniversary of the passing of St. Vincent Depaul, the

Vincentian Family has created a partnership with several organizations: the Haitian micro-

finance institution, Fonkoze; a diaspora association, Haitian Hometown Association Resource

Group; and Depaul University. The ultimate aim of the partnership is to nurture, develop, and

generate financial support for Haitian projects that respond to one or more of the UN’s

Millennium Development Goals. Social projects are poverty-focused amelioration programs that

do not garner profits.


About the Participants

BINTA MAMADOU

Ms. Binta P. Mamadou, originally from Niger, is currently a third-year

law student at The George Washington University Law School (GW

Law). Ms. Mamadou is interested in immigration law and international

business law. She is a member of the Immigration Law Association,

the Cancer Pro Bono Program, and serves as the Chair of the

BLSA Patricia Roberts Harris Committee at GW Law.

Ms. Mamadou has held legal internships at TV One, the U.S. House of

Representatives' Committee on the Judiciary, and Linklaters, LLC. Prior to law school,

Ms. Mamadou worked for six years in the private and public sectors.

Ms. Mamadou has always had an interest in socioeconomic development, particularly through

entrepreneurship and microfinancing. She is a co-founder and vice president of the Organization

for the Relief of Underprivileged Women and Children in Africa, Inc. (ORUWOCA) –a non-

profit that has implemented programs to advance the socioeconomic needs of women and

children in Niger and Burkina Faso. Ms. Mamadou graduated from Georgetown University with

a bachelor's degree in International Economics with a concentration in Economic Growth,

Transition & Development.

ROOSEVELT DONAT

Roosevelt J. Donat is a third year student at Rutgers School of Law-

Newark. At the law school, Roosevelt serves as the Associate Editor

for the Rutgers Business Law Review. He is also a recipient of the

Dean’s Merit Scholarship. Additionally, he has the privilege of being

the Director of Corporate Relations, for Northeast Region of the

National Black Law Student Association.

Roosevelt received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown

University, Washington, DC where he double concentrated in

Government and Sociology. While at Georgetown University, he was the recipient of the Bank

of America (formerly MBNA America Bank) Full Four Year Academic Scholarship. While in

law school, he works in the urban economic development industry in a historically unprivileged

and economically depressed city- Newark, New Jersey. In his work capacity, Roosevelt is

dedicated to fueling economic development in Newark, which is aimed at retaining, attracting

and growing businesses, enhancing small and minority business capacity, and spurring real estate

development within the city.


He traveled to Haiti five days after the 2010 Haiti Earthquake to volunteer with a UN affiliated

medical team. Because he is fluent in Haitian Creole, he was able to translate for medical staff at

the compound. Roosevelt also currently advises Local Energy Technology (LET) on its Haiti

penetration strategy. LET sells energy technology solutions that make energy consumption and

billing in Haiti more streamline and intelligent. He also traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico to build

latrines and assist in other service initiatives.

APRIL JOHNSON

April Johnson is a 3L at Georgetown University Law Center and serves as

Georgetown BLSA's 2012-13 President. Ms. Johnson obtained a Bachelors

of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2008. Prior to

coming to law school, she started a tutoring company in West Los Angeles

to provide affordable supplemental education services to traditionally

under-served communities. She also sold mortgages and investment

products for ING Bank and worked as a legal and marketing assistant to a

prominent attorney in Beverly Hills, California, where she served as chief editor for the website

Vampire.com.

At Georgetown, Ms. Johnson was selected as a 2011-12 Legal Research and Writing Fellow and

is a 2012 recipient of the Sidley Austin Diversity Scholarship. She was also selected as a finalist

for the 2011 Arent Fox Diversity Scholarship. She previously served as one of BLSA's Career

Co-Chairs where she devised BLSA's hugely successful Speed Networking Reception and Public

Interest Series. Ms. Johnson brings a keen sense of leadership and vision to BLSA and is

committed to improving the lives of Georgetown's Black law students as well as helping to

effectuate change within the broader DC community. With a strong belief in stewardship and

service, she plans to improve BLSA's community service and social action efforts this year. Ms.

Johnson enjoys ballet dance and is a self-proclaimed foodie. She looks forward to leading BLSA

this year and continuing Georgetown BLSA's legacy of excellence.

STANLEY MONTFORT

Stanley Montfort is a 3L at Fordham University School of Law.

Stanley is a United States navy veteran and received his

undergraduate degree in criminal justice from Kean university

while serving active duty in the military. He received a master’s

degree in international political development from Fordham

University.

While in law school, Stanley serves as the Associate Editor for the

Environmental Law Review. He also received the Thomas Oliver Jr. Humanitarian award.

Stanley serves as the Alumni Chairman for Fordham’s Black Law Students Association and is a

member of the Dispute Resolution Society. Stanley is also enrolled in a dual degree program


that deals directly with international development work. During Stanley’s first year of law

school he was involved with a law school organization called the Distaster Relief Network. As a

part of that organization, Stanely traveled to Haiti for volunteer work. Stanley is conversational

in Haitian Kreyol and helped with translation on the service trip.

GENEVA CAMPBELL

Geneva Campbell is a third-year law student at the University of

Pennsylvania Law School. After receiving her B.A., magna cum laude,

from Penn, Geneva served as a Development & Communications

Associate at Philadelphia VIP—an organization that provides equal

justice for the poor. During that time, Geneva recruited attorneys for

pro bono services, identified and acknowledged donors, and planned

fundraising events. Geneva received a Masters degree in Bioethics from

Penn’s Perlman School of Medicine focusing on the history of bioethics

and clinical mediation. While pursing her J.D. at Penn Law, she serves as Managing Editor of

the Journal of Business Law, Member of the American Inns of Court, Vice President of the

Christian Legal Society, Professional Development Chair for the Black Law Students

Association, Pre-Law Advisor for Penn Career Services, and Civil Gideon Task Force Intern for

the Philadelphia Bar Association. After law school, Geneva will clerk for The Honorable

Raymond A. Jackson of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

ERICKA AIKEN

Ericka Aiken is currently a third-year J.D. Candidate at Georgetown

University Law Center. She serves as the National Director of

Community Service for NBLSA. Ericka was also the Community

Service Director for her local BLSA chapter in prior years and held

that position in two other campus organizations, including the Women

of Color Collective. She is a founding member of the Pro Bono Board,

a small collection of appointed students who assist the Office of Public

Interest & Community Service in Pro Bono and service matters. She also serves as the Executive

Editor for the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy.

Ericka attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC where she graduated magna cum

laude with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and minors in Physics and Criminology.

While at her undergraduate institution Ericka served as the Student Body Community Service

Chair for two years and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Ericka received the NC

State Philanthropy Project of the Year Award for her efforts in providing disaster relief to the

victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. She was a member of the Society of African-Americans

in Physical and Mathematical Sciences and tutored students in science, math and Spanish. Ms.


Aiken was a Junior Scientific Researcher and received an award from the American Physical

Society for her research in nanocomposites and tissue engineering.

LILLIAN BAKER

Lillian Baker was born in Austin, Texas. Ms. Baker is a third year Juris

Doctor candidate at the University of Houston Law Center in Houston,

Texas. Ms. Baker attended Temple University where she was a double

major in Psychology and African American Studies, and Syracuse

University for a master’s degree in Pan African Studies. In her

undergraduate years, Ms. Baker developed a passion for travel, vowing

to fill in every page of her newly obtained passport and to launch an

international career. Prior to beginning law school, Ms. Baker lived in the Czech Republic and

has traveled extensively in central Europe, and to various African countries.

In the summer of 2012, Ms. Baker completed an internship at the United States Embassy in

Niamey, Niger. This proved to be an amazing experience that will hopefully pave the way for a

career that fuses Ms. Baker’s love for travel, formal law training, and interest in international and

United States diplomatic relations. As a second year law student, Ms. Baker served as the

president of the International Law Society, and continues to be active in her local Black Law

Students Association chapter.

SIMON BURGER

Simon Burger is from Medford, New Jersey and attended Rutgers

University, where he earned a BA with a double major in Philosophy

and Political Science and an MPP in Public Policy. He then taught 7th

grade mathematics for three years in the Kensington section of

Philadelphia.

Simon is a student in the Penn/Wharton JD/MBA program. He is interested in housing finance,

small business development and finance, and educational finance. Ultimately, he is interested in

practicing finance and finance law in low-income communities.

ETEENA TADJIOGUEU

Eteena Tadjiogueu, originally from Albany, NY, is currently a second-year

law student at Washington University Law in St. Louis, MO (Wash U).

She received her Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Boston

University (BU) where she studied abroad in London and spent a semester

as an intern with the International Crisis Group in Washington, DC. After

graduating from BU, Eteena spent nearly four years working in the NGO

sector—at ORBIS International and the Sabin Vaccine Institute—on issues


related to vaccine development, blindness prevention, neglected tropical diseases and global

health advocacy. Eteena is currently President of the International Law Society at Wash U and

retains a strong interest in international affairs and international development.

KENNETH WATSON

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Kenneth R. Watson, Jr. is a cum

laude graduate of North Carolina Central University’s Political Science

Department. In the interim between undergraduate and law school,

Kenneth worked at the United States Sentencing Commission, where he

was exposed to a diverse set of legal issues, allowing him to

demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and good judgment, which

furthered his desire to dedicate his career to the law.

Kenneth attends the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University of America and has been

awarded with the First Lap award, which recognizes first year students for their dedication to the

law school community. His first year in law school, he worked part time for a multi-

media/eLearning firm and held an executive office with the Black Law Students Association

(BLSA). Also in that year, he was accepted into the Comparative and International Law Institute,

which allowed him to take classes to further his knowledge in international issues. Kenneth was

selected to be a writer for the CommLaw Conspectus Communications Law Journal, President of

the BLSA and a Legal Intern for the House Committee of Oversight and Government Reform.

These extracurricular activities help to solidify his interest in the law.

EDWARD WILLIAMS

Edward Williams is a 2L at Georgetown Law where he serves as the

Vice President of the Georgetown Law Student Body, a member of

the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics, and during his 1L year

worked with the New Orleans Juvenile Public Defender Organization

as a part of alternative spring break. Edward graduated from Howard

University in 2009 with a BBA in International Business and Finance

with honors. While at Howard, he participated in two week long trips

to London to study the international banking system through the Howard University School of

Business Executive Leadership Honors Program. Edward is an alumni of the Metro Atlanta

Corps of Teach for America through which he taught third grade for two years in Atlanta Public

Schools.


AN INSIDE LOOK:

For many of us, this service trip was our first time visiting Haiti. The first day proved to be

challenging, eye-opening, and enlightening. Check out the following blog post from one of our

trip participants about the first day of our experience:

Haiti Blog Post January 2, 2013:

“Well, I can’t exactly say we got a warm welcome. But hey, at least we made it!

We started the day by making our very own episode of Real World Miami, just only a lot less

booze and a lot more law school chatter. Eleven somewhat random specially selected law

students from all over the country met in M-I-A to embark on a week-long adventure (service

trip) in Haiti. One-by-one the lawyers in training made their way to the shining (handwritten)

“NBLSA” sign where we were met by a camera crew and a celebratory drink (Ericka Aiken),

NBLSA’s National Director of Community Service. Ericka soon designated the party master

himself (Haitian born, sunglasses clad Roosevelt) as our trip leader. Hailing from such

outstanding institutions as Catholic University, University of Pennsylvania, Washington

University, and Georgetown University Law Center, us lucky folks quickly began to loosen up,

finding a shared link in our parents’ concern for our safety on this trip. We instantly knew we

were in for a good time.

And cut! But on a more serious note, we really do have an awesome group of students

participating on this year’s NBLSA Haiti service trip. I just only wish we had as awesome of an

experience at the Port-au-Prince airport. No need to go into much detail here as I’m sure that

pointing out that six of our eleven students ended up with missing luggage, we were repeatedly

hustled trying to secure the few bags that did arrive, and we were then cussed out because we

tipped too low even after we repeatedly refused service should give you a pretty clear picture of

the situation.

Yet, as sad as we wanted to be about this treatment, I think we all understood that this is exactly

why our help is so needed. It is not news that Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world,

but it should nevertheless be alarming that so little has been done to combat such extreme

poverty and hopelessness. Through the work of organizations like the Vincentian Family

Foundation and with the aid of groups such as NBLSA, efforts at sustained economic growth via

innovative entrepreneurship and investment structures may offer Haiti an opportunity for true

internal change. And so yep. That’s why we’re here; to provide legal services that ensure these

structures are both legally compliant and substantively beneficial for the Haitian people.

In the coming days, I’ll share more details about our work. But for now, let’s get back to the nitty

gritty of Day 1. On the way from Port-au-Prince to our mission house in the relatively wealthy

Peitonville, our van was repeatedly bum-rushed by people begging for money and street vendors.


Adding to the craziness, we almost got into several wrecks on the way due to the lack of lanes

and traffic signals that plague most poor countries. Somehow though, we made it. I was in shock

that this area was considered wealthy and even more astounded when I found out the cost per

square foot in Peitonville is higher than that in Manhattan! Errr?! A wealthy neighborhood

where there are armed guards at almost every corner and beggars rushing you every time you

step foot outside of your car?

To sum up the rest of our day out: (1) we bought tasty rum and snacks from an upscale grocery

store where we (not ironically) also saw the most white people we had seen all day, (2) we

picked up food from a local spot also known as the McDonalds of Haiti, where we had to hold

out our receipts in hopes of getting service for over twenty minutes only to receive cold, bland

food (please note: a self-proclaimed foodie is the author of this blog, so apologies in advance for

repeated food references), (3) we got very very few smiles, and (4) one of us (err me)

succumbed to the sadness of seeing such an impoversihed nation of beautiful black people and

broke down crying in the van.

Luckily, Father Frank and a warm, tasty meal prepared by none other than chef Rosebear

awaited us when we returned to our home. We then talked legalese with Noel, legal counsel for

the World Bank in Haiti, and took our tired butts to sleep!”


HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE

The Haïti experience through NBLSA C.A.R.E.S Program was an emotional one for each of us.

Our experiences ranged from witnessing vendors who were irate from not making a sale, to

seeing dozens of impoverished mothers bringing their sick children to a local hospital in an area

the UN once called “the most dangerous place in the world.” We were essentially on an

emotional rollercoaster with highs and lows of joy, sadness, frustration, and compassion. We

became increasingly invested in Haïti’s condition and began searching for solutions. With the

opportunity to build the legal framework for Haitian businesses, it was clear that there was hope

for a brighter future.

THE PROJECTS

The Fish Farm Initiative Goal:

“In the city of Corporant collaborate with the entities already operating and pull in new partners

to execute several concentrated methods to eliminate poverty in the community. The two

methods will be a social business and a human development program. Implement a Social

Business in the form of a fish farm and a Human Development Program in the form of breeding

center with livestock, focusing on woman entrepreneurship skills. These two additions will

complement existing entities in Corporant and offer possibilities to expand their work. Corporant

is an ideal place to launch a test of the SMV concept because of its need and its geographical

placement near the capital. Corporant, however, has much aid.”

– VFHI Strategic Plan Fall 2012

Daughters of Charity Sewing Cooperative Goal:

“After approximately four decades of training dozens of women in sewing, embroidery, and

artisanal crafts, the efforts have blossomed into an unintended factory. Since many of the women

have continued to attend the workshop well after the first year, the current number of women is

120 in three stations (embroidery, sewing, and artisanal crafts). Given the length of time many of

the women have attended the workshop and the periodic payments from special orders, many of

the women have come to consider themselves employees of the DC. This is problematic because

it creates a contractual relationship with the DC and also stretches the resources of the program

originally intended for a one-year training. Many women in the factory have the professional

skills and craftsmanship to work at a sophisticated level. However, given the serendipitous

fashion that the factory grew, many of the women lack incentive to produce at a high quality.

This solution is to create a co-operative partially owned by the VFHI and by the women workers.

This cooperative will be a separate entity from the existing DC workshop. This would, therefore,

alleviate the currently growing stress.”

– VFHI Strategic Plan Fall 2012


SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR TRIP LEADER

Regine Theodat, ESQ:

Regine Theodat is the Project Director for the Vincentian Family Worldwide in Haïti. Although

Regine was raised in the United States, she maintained a deep connection to Haïti after her

parents decided to move the family to the United States in 1986. This connection facilitated her

relocation to Haïti in 2010.

In Regine's first year working in Haïti she worked with the staff of a small nonprofit to launch

one of the first full-service human rights offices in a slum. The office addressed various

violations of human rights, e.g. inadequate housing, voting rights and access to sanitation. In her

current capacity at the Vincentian Family, Regine seeks and develops projects in Haïti that

impact sustainability including primary and secondary education scholarships and micro-

financing for small and medium-sized businesses.

Regine completed her undergraduate studies at Simmons College in Boston, where she studied

Political Science and Managerial Marketing. She is a graduate of Northeastern University School

of Law, where she was a Teaching Fellow for both a project developing a plan of

implementation for decreasing barriers to entry for minority-owned small businesses and a

Constitutional Know Your Rights Literacy Course for high-school students in Hyde Park, MA.

Prior to moving back to Haïti, Regine practiced at a medium-sized law firm in complex criminal

and civil law.

Haiti Trip Report

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