As Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti celebrates 70 years of serving the community, we recognize that reaching this milestone would have been an even greater challenge without the support and commitment of our Alumni Network. As an early source of stability, the alumni have worked hand in hand to ensure that the standard of care has always maintained a level of excellence. Holding Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s “Reverence for Life” mantra close to heart, the care and patience alumni near and far have dedicated have provided essential support for a cause of utmost necessity.
Originally hatched as an idea by former HAS Head Administrator Bill Dunn, what began as a plan to create a support group aiming to gather several dozen would quickly flourish into a group of nearly 250. This group would later come together at the first HAS Alumni reunion to pay respects to Dr. and Mrs. Mellon, two immutable pillars of the hospital. Today, the alumni’s impact is still felt in the very fabric of what makes the work being done so special.
As an integral hand in recruiting professionals to aid the community, the Alumni Association paved the way for HAS to continue serving the people of Haiti and lay the groundwork for the trainings that would later amount to the staff of today being 100% Haitian. This milestone was only possible by the dedication and tireless efforts of the alumni who had aimed to encompass the immortal words of Dr. Schweitzer’s foundational ethics.
As the next generation of alumni grows, the lasting impact on HAS remains undeniable, as uncertain times have created an even greater need for the full capacity of care and compassion to serve the communities of Haiti. As Dr. Schweitzer did during his early mission work, his words echoing a desire to serve humanity remain as relevant as ever:
“Find for yourself some secondary activity, inconspicuous, perhaps secret. Open your eyes and look for a human being, or some work devoted to human welfare, which needs from someone a little time or friendliness, a little sympathy or sociability or labor.”
For the Alumni of HAS, these core values have always been at the heart of what drives them to support the cause as fervently and vigorously as they do, for there is no greater purpose than to give back to humanity where help is so direly needed.
As we take time to reflect on the lasting impacts of community outreach, mentorship, and sharing of knowledge from the alumni, we celebrate the efforts of all who have come before and paved the way, as well as those who will serve the community in the future.
From us, the team at HAS, and the communities that we serve in the lower Artibonite region, the most important thing we can say to our alumni is thank you; for reminding us of our humanity, for inspiring others to find their opportunities to contribute to the community, and for giving back to the people of Haiti.