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Web-Site: www.haitihero.org                 E-Mail: info@haitihero.org

Friday, September 23, 2011

Hiring and Firing Staff in Haiti

To Make a Donation Visit http://www.haitihero.org/

Presiding over the H.E.R.O. Residence for Orphans is filled with heart-warming experiences and events that I am proud to share through Facebook and my blog.  It brings us tremendous joy to watch Robenson count to 50 in English or to see Valencia smile as she admires her newly braided hair.  The lives of the children in our care have changed tremendously.  From living in squalid shacks with no running water or electricity to now receiving 3 meals a day, a solid education, and a safe and secure place to live, watching them evolve into well-behaved and respectful children is a true delight. 

Behind the scenes of these stories and experiences, however, is the very real day-to-day management that is vital to the successful operation of the H.E.R.O. Residence.  We are truly blessed to have a wonderful staff that is the true core of H.E.R.O.  I take pride in the quality of the staff members that we employ at H.E.R.O.  Together we have built an understanding that being part of H.E.R.O. is not simply a job.  We are a team, a highly skilled team, with the sole goal of helping the children of Haiti.

For the first time in my life, as the President of H.E.R.O., I am responsible for hiring and firing staff members.  Our very first hire, the current Residence Director (former driver), Brice Smith, has been a blessing.  I have and continue to rely on Brice for helping me navigate the country of Haiti, finding electricians, plumbers, maintaining community relations, acquiring birth certificates for our children, and hundreds of additional tasks that are too many to name here.  Finding a quality employee like Brice is like finding a needle in a haystack, but guess what, we did it, and we aren’t letting him go!

Along this road, however, I have had the displeasure of firing staff, also a first for my life.  The first time was definitely the hardest.  After she allowed one of our children to leave the compound without permission, and not reporting that he had left, or trying to find him, it was time for this staff member to leave.  I was nervous, I admit, and didn’t want to do it.  But, after relieving her of her duties, well, let’s just say it was a slippery slope.  I fired the karate teacher for not coming on time and missing days of work.  I fired the tutor because she was spending more time on her phone than helping the children.  And most recently I fired the new house mother, who lasted all of one week, because she decided that H.E.R.O.’s plan for the children was ineffective and inefficient, and wanted to do everything her way (which FYI, just wasn’t good at all).  All new hires now begin on a one month probationary period.  I explain to them that working with H.E.R.O. is about working as a team.  In fact, I would much rather work with individuals that lack the capacity, but understand the team objectives than someone with the capacity but who doesn’t want to be a team player.  Some will make it, some won’t.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Brice, Iloude, and Cecilia, the 3 full-time Haitian staff members that have been with H.E.R.O. nearly one year.  Thank you for working as a team to help the children of Haiti.

Sincerely,

Steven Kirby, Ed.D
President

To Make a Donation Visit http://www.haitihero.org/

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Building Relationships and Shelves in Haiti

To Make a Donation Visit http://www.haitihero.org/

Greetings Friends!  This past weekend was filled with construction, visitors, and a trip to church.  There is still much to be accomplished before the opening of school on October 3rd, so we are quickly arranging all the necessary clothing items, school supplies, enrollment forms, and school fees to ensure that Franky, Robenson, Valencia, and Dayanna have a successful school year!

The orphans in our care have lost both of their parents.  While there are many residences for orphans that accept children that have perhaps lost one parent, or no parents at all, H.E.R.O. is committed to helping the true orphans of Haiti.  This does not mean, however, that the children in our care do not have any family to speak of.  In fact we have a responsibility to work diligently to maintain contact with any living family members that our children do have as they will play an important role in the lives of our children as they grow older, and especially as they exit our program.  The maintenance of familial social networks is vital to the success of our children as they must realize that while H.E.R.O. is their family, they also have blood-relatives that can help them become successful citizens of Haiti.  This past Saturday Valencia and Robenson’s aunt and grandmother came to visit.  You can see a brief video of their visit below.  The Aunt and Grandmother were thankful for having found H.E.R.O., a residence for orphans that truly provides and satisfies the needs of each child.  They talked about looking for other residences for orphans for Robenson and Valencia, but found some where the children were physically abused by the other children, meals were an irregularity, and the conditions unsanitary.  It is my goal to continue to provide the children in our care with the utmost opportunities for success in Haiti and the world.


Additionally, this past weekend we completed 2 of the 10 shelves that are being built to house our donations, school supplies, and other items.  We want to have a residence that is as organized as possible to ensure that our programs operate smoothly, all items are easily accessible, and to demonstrate to our children the importance of keeping a well maintained environment.  Below you can watch as Billy and Robenson put the finishing touches on our shelves.  I have already bought the plywood and boards for the next shelves, all of which we hope to have finished by the beginning of the school year on October 3rd.


If you would like to find out how you can become a part of the H.E.R.O. residence for orphans and join our movement to serve the most disenfranchised youth of Haiti you can visit our website at www.haitihero.org or send an e-mail to steven@haitihero.org.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Steven Kirby, Ed.D
President

To Make a Donation Visit http://www.haitihero.org/