A Diva State of Mind

Marie Lucie Mentor

January will mark the one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake that shattered Haiti.  Since then, the road to recovery has been extremely slow.   Thousands of people are still living in tent cities where violence and rape against women is unfortunately very common.

I was moved by the January 2011 ESSENCE article titled “Fighting Back” that discussed the women of the camps and how they are helping each other fight back against violence and rape; honestly it made me uncomfortable to read these women’s stories. It was also unsettling to know that many times, courts would negotiate financial agreements between rapist and the victim’s family instead of the criminal going to jail.

One woman who is making a difference in the lives of these women is Marie Lucie Mentor. She is the founder of KALMI (creole acronym for Haitian Committee for a Better Life) and provides financial, medical and other assistance to other 2,000 people infected with HIV.  While she does the best she can to support women and children of Haiti, her resources are incredibly limited.

The women of Haiti are the focus of this month’s Diva Spotlight because they are survivors. They have not allowed the horror they experience to define them and stop them from living their lives.  Marie Lucie Mentor and other women organizations are vocal and present in their community, changing the way women cope with the aftermath of violence.

Many people made donations to Haiti after the earthquake, but those who need it the most have yet to receive the resources.  ESSENCE magazine list three ways YOU can help numerous women like Marie Lucie Mentor who are doing the best they can to help the women of Haiti:

1. FONKOZE USA:  501(c)3 organization offering microloans and educational services to rural Haitian women. Go to DONATE NOW at fonkoze.org and in the restriction box type “Marie Lucie Mentor’s program, KALMI” to send make a donation.

2. MADRE: An organization focusing on saving women in Haiti by providing humanitarian aid, whistles and flashlights through its Helping Hands program and other resources to support those who are victims of violence.  Log on to madre.org to donate.

 3. PARTNERS IN HEALTH:  Provides medical supplies required for cholera, HIV/AIDS, and other illnesses to those in need on a consistent basis. Visit pih.org to donate.

I know many of you made a donation last January to help the country, but please think about helping these women. Through the organizations listed above, your generous donations will reach the hands of those who are in desperate need of help while the country continues to wait for recovery efforts to begin.

The January 2011 issue of ESSENCE is on stands today.