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HANDBOOK FOR VOLUNTEERS
Operation Love the Children of Haiti
#23 Route Neuve Leogane, Haiti
Phone: 011-509-4785-6664
Email:
At OLTCH we believe in changing the world one child at a time!
Thank you so much for considering your time to volunteer at OLTCH. We pray that as you prepare for your travels, you would begin to pray for God to use you according to His will while in Haiti. Most visitors give us very positive feedback and we pray you will bring back with you many wonderful memories! We also pray that a piece of your heart will stay in Haiti as you return to your home country and share your story. Your compassion and love for the children of Haiti is precious to them. Your choice to come and make a difference in the lives of the children here at OLTCH is rewarding for all of us and to you personally as you will return knowing you have participated in changing the world one child at a time.
IMPORTANT: Before you book your airline tickets; please contact Natalie Ames at to make sure we have space to accommodate you during the dates you wish to travel. She will then direct you to our website, www.oltch.org, to complete the proper forms pertaining to you and your travels.
Please look on our website for needed supplies and personal items that have been requested. The priority for packing will be to utilize the large 50-pound checked luggage for materials and supplies for OLTCH. Your carry on should be utilized for your clothing and toiletry needs for your stay, in addition to a backpack/purse for readily accessible items while you travel. You will also be informed if someone will be shipping items to your home for you to bring along, or if there are needed items that you may ascertain through monetary and material donations. Check with your airline for information concerning the number of checked bags permitted and any costs for extra checked bags.
In this volunteer handbook you will find important information, instructions and guidelines for you and your stay at OLTCH. You will need to review the information prior to your arrival and please feel free to contact us regarding any questions you may have.
Table of Contents
Page
Travel and arrivals in PAP...... 3-4
Your contact info while in Haiti...... 4
Paying for your room and board...... 4-5
How much money should you have...... 5
Guidelines while at OLTCH...... 6-7
Your health and well-being...... 7
House Rules...... 7-8
Duties and Rules as a Volunteer...... 8-9
Rules for children...... 9-10
Money conversion chart...... 10
Visa card and Customs card examples...... 11
Travel and arrivals in PAP
You will be flying into Port Au Prince airport (PAP). Someone from OLTCH will pick you up as well as drop you off at the end of your stay. When you are ready to start looking at flights, Natalie () will give you some possible selections of dates to work with. Please do not book your flight until she has approved your dates. Please be cognizant of the long drive to and from the airport.
If you will be here for more than 3 months, you will need to leave Haiti for a short period of time (a few days to one week) as visitors can only remain in the country for a 90-day period before having to return home/travel to Dominican Republic/etc. If you plan on staying for more than a year, you will need to apply for a Resident’s Visa or Permis de sejour.
Make sure you have the following information with you when you fly:
· The airline bringing you to Haiti will give you two cards to fill out on the plane. The green one is your temporary visa, which may not be given to you until you get off the plane, the other is for customs. When you fill out the cards for your visa, your address is: #23 Route Neuve, Leogane, Haiti. The phone number is 4785-6664.
· The purpose of your visit is pleasure.
· For your customs you have nothing to declare.
· An example of the visa and custom form is in the back of this packet.
When you get off the plane, follow the other passengers to the immigration section of the airport.
· Immigration will take the visa card you filled out and the passport. They will stamp everything and give you the bottom part of the visa card as well as your custom paper and your passport. Keep this card as you will have to give it back to immigration when you depart from Haiti. (You will need to give the customs paper to another official after you have your luggage as you are exiting the airport)
You will no longer need your passport so you can secure it in your bag at this point. The visa card and the customs forms are in French and English. Remember, when you fill them out, you have nothing to declare. DO NOT DECLARE ANYTHING.
· Proceed to the baggage area and find the carts for your luggage. You may rent one for $2 US dollars (a very good idea). Then go to the luggage carousel to locate your luggage (if a Haitian bag carrier approaches you, just say Non mesi in a determined voice). Go through customs and hand them your custom paper after you have gathered your luggage. You may also need to hand your luggage claim tags to another official before coming out of the airport. Exit the baggage area following the other passengers, to the end of the fenced area. Stay inside the fenced area until you see someone with a card saying OLTCH on it. DON’T LET ANYONE ELSE HELP YOU, OR PUT YOU IN A CAB!!!
· Whoever meets you will bring you right to the waiting vehicle and driver. Your driver will most likely be a Haitian driver and possibly does not speak English. He has been given instructions to put you on the phone with the director of OLTCH once you are all seated in the car. This way we can confirm you have been picked up. You will need to pay the driver $50 for your transportation from the airport to OLTCH.
**If you let someone help you with your bags when exiting the airport, you will be expected to tip them. Approximately $1-$2 per bag. Wait until you are at the car and your bags are all in the car before handing out a tip (if anyone inside the terminal asks you for money or says that they will not help until you give them money, ignore them and proceed to exit the airport with your bags). **
Expect lots of people talking to you in French or Creole. As you exit the airport there will be lots of noise and people wanting to take your suitcases and help you. Act as if you know EXACTLY what you are doing, even if you don’t. Be FIRM when you say “Non Merci” (no thank you) or you can say “Pa Touche” (don’t touch!).
Your contact info while in Haiti
Internet is available while you are staying at OLTCH, but it is limited.
Your address while in Haiti will be: OLTCH, #23 Route Neuve, Leogane, Haiti.
The phone number you can be reached at will be: 011-509-4785-6664
You may also choose to get a Haitian phone once you are here, as they are more convenient.
Paying for your room and board
At OLTCH we raise all the funds for the support of the work done in Haiti. Our budget depends on gifts from various sources and that funding serves to care for the children we welcome at OLTCH. Therefore we ask that volunteers pay for room and board while staying at OLTCH so their stay does not become a financial burden to OLTCH.
Room and Board are as follows:
· $45 US/day for minors 17 and under staying 30 days or less
· $55 US/day for adults staying 30 days or less
· $35 US/day for anyone staying 31- 90 days
· If you are staying more than 3 months (90 days), the cost will be discussed individually. Please contact Natalie Ames for such matters.
· $50 for airport transportation each way (general maintenance of the car/gas/ paying the driver)
Room and board includes 3 meals a day, a place to sleep, coffee in the morning, drinking water, ice to keep it cold, sunscreen and mosquito repellent, and it covers daily maintenance and care around the compound. Please bring your own toiletries. You are always responsible for your own flight arrangements and air travel cost.
We require that you pay your room and board in cash when you arrive at OLTCH. You will be given a receipt for your payment. Please contact Natalie Ames if you need to be on a payment plan or have issues with paying for your stay up front. Checks written from a second party can be tax deductible for the time you are volunteering at OLTCH and a receipt will be issued at the end of the year. Those checks and only those checks should be sent to PO Box 46, Waconia, MN 55387. Any personal checks written for your stay will not be able to be given a tax receipt.
**If you are from another country than the U.S. please remit your funds equivalent to the US funds required.
How much extra money should you have?
We suggest you have $150 - $200 of cash available to you for each month you stay here.
Spending money: There are small convenient stores where you can buy various drinks and snacks. Also, souvenirs are available to purchase on your way to the airport (make sure to notify us if you want to make a souvenir stop so time can be provided). Take money with you for such expenses.
If you are with us for an extended period and want to shop in the PAP grocery stores when we go shopping for the orphanage you will be able to use a credit card. Most grocery stores accept Mastercard or Visa. American Express and Discover are not accepted in Haiti. You may want to notify your credit card company of your travels so your overseas purchases are not blocked.
Guidelines While at OLTCH
Meals: Haitian meals are provided for each meal of the day. Your room and board expenses cover these three meals, however, we cannot accommodate any special dietary requests or needs. We suggest that you bring some personal food items with you from home in case you cannot palate the foods that have been prepared (i.e. cereal bars, trail mix, beef jerky, protein bars, powdered drink mix, oatmeal, tuna packs, macaroni, etc). Also, you can bring some extra money to buy snacks and foods at the corner stores. Breakfast will always be between 7 and 7:30, lunch will be served between 12 and 12:30, and dinner between 5 and 5:30. A copy of our weekly menu is attached to the back of this handbook. Our food is mainly Haitian with American influence. You will be expected to serve yourself your own portion of food, help feed babies at mealtimes, and possibly help with washing and drying dishes. We ask that you would limit the waste of food to a minimum. Filtered water is also available at OLTCH along with a refrigerator to keep it cold. We ask that there would be zero waste of filtered water.
Water and electricity: At OLTCH we do not have any city electricity or city water. Our water must be pumped by generated electricity through our gas-operated generator. Our electricity is generated the same way. Therefore, there is a large cost attached to this method of supplying the compound with electricity. We have flushing toilets and showers. We do however ask that you would be conservative in your water usage. For example: no 15-20 minute showers. This means that you must take a “navy” style shower (get wet, turn water off, soap up, shampoo, turn water back on to rinse off). NO LONG SHOWERS. There is no hot water at OLTCH
Internet Usage: OLTCH no longer provides wi-fi. Internet can be accessed via a NATCOM flash drive that can be purchased in Haiti
Bathroom rules: FLUSH ALWAYS. For sanitary reasons, we ask that even if you only pee, flush it anyway. We have gravity fed toilets. You will have to turn on a water valve to fill up the toilets water reservoir. Please fill only half way and then start flushing and turn off the valve immediately afterward. Signs have been posted in the toilet area to assist you in this process once you are here if necessary.
Electricity conservation is very important. Always turn lights off in the rooms when you leave, along with the fans. Always charge your personal electronic items while the generator is running. The usage of hairdryers and other electrical equipment is allowed only when the generator is on. Electrical outlets are the same as in the US. We do have a TV room and computer plug-ins available.
At OLTCH we are fortunate to have a TV/DVD player, running water, and flushing toilets. This is not common for the mission field. We are thankful for it and pray that you will not take it for granted. REMEMBER TO TURN THINGS OFF WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR ROOM. Be prepared in case of power outage, etc. One thing that is very important in the mission field is to be FLEXIBLE.
Your Health and Well-being
Ø Always make sure you have adequate health insurance that would cover you in Haiti.
Ø In Haiti you will find yourself in a different environment than what you are accustomed. Parasites and bacteria for which your body is not prepared are present everywhere.
Ø Do not drink the water that comes out of any faucet. Use either filtered water or bottled water for brushing teeth and rinsing toothbrushes. The same goes for making coffee or powdered drinks. We use only filtered water to cook all of the food at OLTCH. Therefore, it is safe to eat.