Unity Is Our Strength: A Call to Action to End Poverty in Haiti

By Dr Enock Alcine

"Haitians in the diaspora, those in the homeland, families, and friends are called to bring your talents, knowledge, and finances; to form a coalition and arrest poverty that is lamenting the lives of so many of our Brothers and Sisters in Haiti.
• Everyone is precious
• Everyone has a purpose
• Everyone is a piece of the puzzle
Kind Regards,
Your Brother”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dorrance Publishing Company
• Release date: Aug 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886837834

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The contents of this work, including, but not limited to, the accuracy of events, people, and places depicted; opinions expressed; permission to use previously published materials included; and any advice given or actions advocated are solely the responsibility of the author, who assumes all liability for said work and indemnifies the publisher against any claims stemming from publication of the work.

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2023 by Dr. Enock Alcine

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, downloaded, distributed, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without permission in writing from the publisher.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I am extremely thankful to all who opened their hearts and doors to assist me in becoming my best self. I am grateful to everyone who makes me feel like I am a part of the puzzle. My professors had the greatest influence on my life; they freely offered their knowledge and taught me how to assess, evaluate, and execute so that I could be a part of the change. My wife Miriam Pabon deserves special recognition for her unending support. Lawrence, Adam, Nick, Evan, and Daniel are my children. Nora, Nola, Noah, Milo, and Charli, my grandchildren who have given new meaning to my life. Dr. Ilena Wagner and Rev. John Wagner of Epic Church International, Sayreville, NJ, are my spiritual leaders. My heart felt gratitude goes to my professor, Dr. Rodericks Willis for his generous words of encouragement, leadership, and preparing me to reach this far.

In loving memory of my Dad

Jean Arius Alcine (February 3, 1935 – February 10, 1993)

He taught me how to be a man.

&

Lucienne Pierre Alcine Louissaint (September 16, 1938 – Present)

She taught me how to be a gentleman.

A Thank You Letter to America

I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong.

 – George Washington

The land of America has brought solace to many whose feet have landed on its ground. Regardless of strife or turmoil, the American spirit has prevailed within the hearts and hands of all who work within this country. Before providing you with insight regarding my life, as well as the stories of Haïti, I would first like to thank the United States of America for all that it has given me, from a young man to the developed professional I am today.

In the United States, there always remains room for improvement. However, the difference between us and others is the willingness to accept the need to change and to place our focus on the future. All individuals within the United States contribute to the positive growth of this nation. Together, blue-collar workers and the businesspeople of Wall Street can find commonality in giving back to the country that has served us all so well.

The American spirit has greatly guided me towards success. I have embraced the American Spirit as a means of bettering myself as well as bettering the lives of my family. Through the American spirit this process was viable. I was able to adapt quickly, gain new opportunities, and better myself; that way, I can now better my home country. The benefits of the American spirit are boundless and grounded within the diversity of the many young and old souls across this country. As a young boy, I would grow to love the American spirit that I had admired in those that visited Haïti in my young life. Now, I am able to look back and consider how persevering and meaningful this journey has been, both for me and my family.

In this story, I tell the journey I traversed as a young boy. But it is grounded in the wonderful opportunities that have been provided to me as a young child and throughout my life. I hope to share these meaningful memories with all of you through this book. I desire to show that the American spirit is something that can be both held in our hearts, and even held in our hands, if we are to end suffering across this global setting.

America does everything in a glamorous way. Look at the architecture of the buildings and at the design of the roads, bridges, and highways in America. Look at the way Americans organize anything they do. Look at how they care for each other and how very hard they work to improve conditions for the next generations. America may well favor one group over another, but I do not believe they go out of their way to destroy another group of people. I believe one of the successes of America is in its mass production of goods tactic. For America to favor one group over another, it will consume too much energy. As parents, we love ALL our children but there is one, if you are lucky, you may have two among them, who make it difficult to say no to. Simply because that child understands you before you can find a way to explain yourself. Among all your children, there is one, not certainly all of them, who truly put you first, and it becomes very difficult not to be a little more attentive to that child.

It is no surprise to see a country as big as the United States with a population close to 340 million people have issues to resolve. Let’s look at family in its simplest form, as a group where people are supposed to come and stay together, yet the rate of divorce is rampant. We have difficulties keeping our families together. It should not be a shocker to see that our country has issues to resolve every day and every minute. A country like the United States of America, who is one of the top competitors in the world, will have to face internal and external forces just to stay among the top tiers. Some countries will blame the US for their missteps, their misfortune, and whatever wrongs life threw at them. Seldom, you will see competitors understand your position and appreciate your goodness. Despite all these forces, internal or external, coming against the US, I will encourage its citizens to remain strong, continue doing the right things, and make sure that the truth is on their side.

I believe in the goodness of humanity. I believe each one of us has at least one gift to share with the world. It is so unfortunate some of us showed up and have not left a positive trace of our existence while passing through. And some of us work so hard to make the world a better place for ourselves, our children, and others. I thank America for helping me to be a productive citizen. I believe wealth comes with a very heavy price; the more money one has, the harder someone must work to hold on to it.

I accept the fact that the US is exceptional, being one of the most powerful countries in the world is not an accident; it is the hard work of our forefathers. The foundation of the US was well thought out and well-constructed by those before us. We are truly standing on the shoulders of giants. To maintain these great traditions of keeping our country as number one, every one of us has a part to play. My dear American Brothers and Sisters, let’s keep up the good work.

A Letter to my HaItian Brothers and Sisters in the USA and Around the World

We hold in our human hands the power to eradicate all kinds of human suffering. Here is a plan to positively take one million Haïtians out of poverty and give them a life of purpose. I encourage Haïtians living outside of Haïti and around the world to come together and help change the trajectory of this land. Together, we can do better than what we think is capable. The world is moving faster than ever before. Advanced countries are investing more and more in the welfare of their people. They continuously upgrade their educational systems. They evaluate the health of everyone, including those who are less capable of taking care of themselves. Yet in third-world countries, especially Haïti, the people are extremely below the standard of living. There is a fine line between dreams and reality. God gives us dreams, and it is up to us to make them reality. Since God put this idea and this plan in my heart, I ask God to give me the strength and persistence to bring it to light with your help. By His grace, it will become reality. Every one of us has power stored within ourselves. When we understand and are ready to release it, it is truly a sight to see. Whenever there is fear of God, and love and respect for human lives, the environment will prosper by receiving supernatural blessings. Let us embrace today and join hands with one another to work hard to ease the pain of others; let’s not wait for another devastation such as an earthquake or hurricane to bring a helping hand to the Haïtian people in need.

This partnership between the Haïtian Americans from the US, Haïtians around the world, and the Haïtians living in Haïti will create thousands of jobs on both sides of the aisle. More importantly, the world will have the chance to see and deal with a new Haïti. We will all learn a valuable lesson on how to eradicate poverty in other places. I know this project will be a success because of what I witness in the streets of America, in American families, in their television shows, and in movie productions. Regular Americans take simple actions which look meaningful yet have a serious impact in their communities and around the world.

I learned the concept of giving back from the American Spirit. I have been so blessed in my life, while the people of Haïti have continued to suffer. The poverty there is almost overwhelming to consider, yet exists within. I desire an integral opportunity to better the people of Haïti. In 2000, I decided to build an education center for children, and I established The Alcine Foundation.

This was not an easy process, but one I have been committed to since I first saw the contrast between those who have and those who have not. My first step lies in the gifts of my ancestors. I had inherited some land in Haïti from my grandmother. Slowly, but surely, I built a school that could accommodate about two hundred children. The first floor was divided into three sections: one to teach masonry, one to teach music, and one to teach sewing and tailoring. I can proudly say that in the first year, we had more than one hundred students. I could see at this point that change is action, not only a wish for a bettered future but stepping forward into the future.

Over the years, as a teacher, a father, and a husband, I traveled back and forth to Haïti. The school was difficult to manage long; financially, I was also struggling to keep the school open. All the operations were funded from my own money. Though grateful that I could do this, it was not possible to complete this process long-term. After three years, I was forced to close the property due to limited financial resources.

After almost twenty years, I return to this consideration of bettering humankind. I believe that it is critical that I create a positive change through the work and effort that America provided me as a young man. I love this country, my adopted country, because of the can-do attitude and optimism of the American people. In America, it seems possible for anyone to accomplish anything if they just want it badly enough. When I was growing up in Haïti, it never occurred to me that I would have the education and learning I have acquired since coming to America. Getting a doctorate in education was something that few, if any, children from my group would think of in Haïti. But here in America, it was possible because I wanted to make it happen, and I worked hard to accomplish my