Courtesy photo
Retired WHRHS Nurse works to help Haitian orphans
Global Health Share
Global Health Share is a non-profit which since 2019 has been dedicated to supporting an orphanage as well as education programs and marketable skills training for children and families in Haiti. The 501c3 charity recently held its second annual Caribbean fundraiser at the Country Lakes firehouse in Browns Mills, NJ. One of its founders is Nan Masterson, who was formally the head school nurse at Watchung Hills Regional High School from 2000 through 2015
Global Health Share provides funding for food, free elementary and secondary education programs, daily after school help, basic healthcare when funds are available, and marketing skills training to poor families in the communities that they serve. The country of Haiti does not provide free education to children, so if parents are unable to pay for tuition, uniforms, and supplies (which cost about $400 to $500 per student per year), the children cannot attend school.
“Since Haiti became an independent country in 1804, they have endured major political and environmental challenges. Two years ago, the President of Haiti was murdered, and gangs took over Port au Prince, the capital city of Haiti. Recent news reports refer to Port au Prince as the most dangerous city in the world. The children and programs that Global Health Share supports are located far enough away from Port au Prince to be out of harm’s way, and the education programs can continue most days. The biggest issue now is access to food and clean water due to the fact that the gangs have closed ports that receive imports of food, and food is scarce. The cost of food has escalated, and Global Health Share, with generous donations has been addressing these needs” said the organization’s founder, and President, Nan Masterson.
While working at WHRHS, Nan Masterson addressed the healthcare needs of students, and states that she loved every minute of it. In 2016 she retired from Watchung Hills. After “retirement” she volunteered on two Chamberlain University clinical immersion trips for nursing students to Kenya. After the second trip she was asked to join their global health education program faculty. Over the next few years, she took students to India, Brazil, and Haiti. She began the non-profit in Haiti after a trip to the country in 2018 while training nursing students in community health.
“There was devastation in every country that I did clinical immersions in with students, however, nothing affected me so deeply as the conditions that the children were living in at an orphanage where we did health assessments in Haiti. It changed my heart forever, and knew I had to do something,” she said.
Since Masterson and her students’ initial purchase of one month’s supply of food for the children at the orphanage, Global Health Share has grown to support two school programs in Leogane and Gressier providing funds for food, uniforms, teacher salaries, structural building repairs, and much-needed supplies, as well as weekend skills-based training workshops. Baking, sewing, computer literacy, and English language instruction have been taught to help the families develop marketable skills for earning a living.
The Caribbean Fundraiser featured regional food, live steel drum music, hula hoop fun, a Caribbean trivia contest, drum circle conga line, basket auction, and 50/50 drawing. During the event Masterson recognized planning committee members Mark and Elisabeth McCartney for their support.
For more information, or to make a donation visit globalhealthsharecharity.org.
