Board Member
“I was born and raised in Haiti. Organically my heartstrings vibrate to the crescendo and decrescendo of hope for the people of Haiti. This intimacy is also why I have been skeptical of most non-Haitian organizations helping in Haiti. Despite all good intentions, they often apply “off-the-shelf solutions” to problems that are often laced with cultural, environmental and spiritual challenges that are endemic to the Haitian people.
I first heard of the What If Foundation through a co-worker whose recommendations I value. The simplicity and clarity of their mission statement reads like a breath of fresh air. Instead of trying to overlay their own solutions to local problems, they listen to how Haitian communities prioritize their problems and how they intend to best solve them.
Over the last 20 years, What If Foundation has been raising funds to support Father Jeri’s vision through the grassroots organization Na Rive to fund programs that remain Haitian-led and Haitian-run. And that to me is the chief reason why I am delighted to be a part of this organization.”
Sophis is IT Project Director for the Department of Public Health in the City & County of San Francisco.
