LEPP Donations Help People in Rural Haiti Gain Access to Affordable Health Care
LEPP donations of dental equipment were transferred by partner organization Food for the Poor, Inc. to Bethesda Community Health Center in a rural community of Onaville, Haiti. Most people in Onaville do not prioritize oral health because the majority of clinics are either inaccessible or too expensive. Most residents only seek treatment after symptoms worsen. Left untreated, many of these conditions become chronic.
Bethesda Community Health Center was built right after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, spearheaded by health professionals working in remote areas to address the urgent health care needs of displaced communities. In partnership with Food for the Poor Inc. and other generous donors, the center was established to provide a permanent space to treat acute and chronic diseases for populations residing in Onaville and the surrounding communities.
François Leclerc (pictured getting treatment above), 31, came to the center from his small home-town in Canaan, a community located 10 kilometers from the Bethesda Community Health Center. It was his very first visit to the dentist. “Growing up, going to the dentist was viewed as an unnecessary expense and a luxury by my parents – lately, I have been in so much pain, I could not eat, I could not even touch my face,” said François.
Aided by the dental equipment donated through LEPP and Food For The Poor Inc., François received the appropriate care and treatment at the health center. “The clinic is very affordable, I paid 150 gourdes [approx. $1.60], for a consultation,” he added.
About LEPP – Transferring Physical Capital to Aid U.S. Emergency and Development Programs Overseas
Vysnova partners with USAID’s Limited Excess Property Program (LEPP); an innovative and cost-effective program that transfers millions of dollars worth of federal surplus property to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and USAID Missions to supplement their development and humanitarian projects overseas. LEPP is yet another example of Vysnova’s strategic focus of cultivating partnerships that support sustainable, locally-driven development endeavors.
In FY 2019, LEPP successfully transferred over 43 million dollars worth of surplus property to 18 developing nations. Partner organizations that are faith-based accounted for approximately 50% of the federal surplus property transfers in the fiscal year. LEPP has already transferred 13.7 million dollars worth of surplus property just in the first four months of FY 2020.
These LEPP donations included medical supplies such as ultrasounds, infant incubators, hospital beds, ophthalmology, laboratory and dental equipment, autoclaves, generators, laptops, computers, and school furniture. Physical capital donations to Latin America and the Caribbean were transferred to Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Peru. Transfers to Asia were made to Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines; while transfers to Eastern Europe benefited underserved populations in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, and Ukraine. The majority of property transfers to Africa were made to Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
erators, laptops, computers, and school furniture. Physical capital donations to Latin America and the Caribbean were transferred to Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, and Peru. Transfers to Asia were made to Pakistan and the Philippines; while transfers to Eastern Europe benefited underserved populations in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, and Ukraine. The majority of property transfers to Africa were made to Tanzania.
