Cooperative Living November/December 2015 - 18

Normally, co-op workers in the
U.S. have a cooler strapped to the
back of their truck, allowing easy
access to cold water on the job.
Not so in Haiti.
" Water was hard to get. In
Coteaux, there was a water-andice
plant, where you could get
drinkable water in pint-sized bags
that were sealed, " he said.
With electricity, he noted,
people can have refrigerators and
not only have cold water all the
time, but also have the option to
store perishables that would otherwise
spoil.
Medved and others hand-tamp
a pole in Haiti.
nobody has electricity, " he said.
" So, everybody knows everybody
and talks. "
Small things that we in the U.S.
take for granted are major items
to Haitians, Medved said, things
such as a light switch, a receptacle
and a refrigerator.
" Until you see that first-hand,
" The economic impact would
be positive, as stores could
remain open past dark without a
generator. Fuel is expensive,
especially if you have to drive an
hour and a half to get it, " he said.
Another benefit to having
electricity, which sounds basic
enough, is the addition of streetlights.
" Some
of the areas (in Haiti)
are very dark. On the main roads,
there are solar-powered streetlights,
but on some of the side
roads and smaller villages there
aren't streetlights, " he said.
Medved said the positive feelings
brought about by a day's achievements
were equaled by that of
time they spent after work getting
to know the locals, who made
them feel like they were part of
their town and family.
" It made me feel great to go
help out, " he said. " We always had
an audience wherever we were
working, whatever we were doing.
Sometimes the Haitians, and people
in the community, would help
us carry poles in, if we couldn't get
a truck to a location. "
Lasting Impressions
In keeping with the cooperative way,
Medved and the others from the
NRECA group went above and beyond
their jobs in what they brought to
Haitians - especially the little ones.
" We took gifts - I brought some little
flashlights to give to the kids, one guy
gave candy, and another some coloring
books and crayons. We would hand
them out and hang out with the chil16
dren
and the townspeople almost every
night, " he said.
The camaraderie between the
NRECA group and the residents was
exceptional, he said, adding that the
Haitians were very friendly.
" There was more of a community
feeling than in most places. People
would talk and walk around - they
spend a lot of time outside because
you really can't grasp how different
the world is in a developing
country. There are people who
have never had, and who don't
know, what ice cream is. That's
just a simple thing, and in the big
picture, it doesn't amount to anything,
but that is their current situation, "
he said.
Medved said the Haitians know
what's important - families,
friends and their religion.
" The majority of Haitians are
Catholic, and I had the opportunity
to go to a Catholic Church with
[HREC Project Manager, NRECA
International] Dana Brosig and
most of the kids in the community
were in attendance. There
were probably at least 100 children
there, and they put on a
program where they sang. You
could tell it was very important
to them, " he said.
Medved said that when it was
time to come home, he wanted to
stay, noting that things that initially
seemed very different to him
had become normal, and that
coming back would mean another
transition period.
" I know my family got so tired
of me talking about my trip, I
had to watch myself, " he said with
a smile. " I'm better about it now,
but the first couple of weeks I
caught myself saying, 'Well, in
Haiti,' a lot. "
The opportunity for altruism was
not lost on Medved. " I was thankful
that Shenandoah Valley Electric
Cooperative and the NRECA
International Foundation gave me
the opportunity to go to Haiti and generously
supported me in my efforts to
help out and give some hope to those
less fortunate, " he said.
Cooperative Living/November-December 2015
Cooperative Living November/December 2015

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