Surviving Earthquakes and Giving Back: Next February 2011

Every now and then a story comes along that touches your heart.  In July last year I caught a story on TV ONE's Close Up about Haiti earthquake survivor Nelsonian Emily Sanson-Rejouis and her daughter Alyahna.  They had both survived the massive earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010.  One-year-old Alyahna miraculously survived 22 hours trapped beneath the rubble of their Port-au-Prince apartment.  Now, I love a good story of survival (Castaway, Alive, 127 Hours) but, what broke my heart was the news that Emily's husband Emmanuel and two of her daughters, Kofie-Jade, 5, and Kenzie-Jaz,3, weren't as lucky and sadly lost their lives that day.  I wept.  Not only for the unfathomable tradedy of such an event, but for the incredible strength of this woman on TV speaking about the day she lost them, her grief and the miracle of Alyahna's survival.  She also spoke of her efforts to rebuild a school in her late-husband's home province and how honouring Emmanual in this way was helping her cope with her grief. 

And so it was with much joy and tredipation (I knew the tears would return) that I picked up the latest issue of Next (February 2011) to see the cover-line Haiti Survivor One Year On: A Kiwi mother's loving legacy.  I didn't read it straight away.  I did flick through other parts of the magazine but this story deserved my full attention.  Kylie Bailey's words and observations of Emily and Alyahna are poignant and heartfelt.  Emily's own words "I don't want to be known only as a woman of tragedy" are reflected in the beautiful photographs taken by Jim Tannock of the mother & daughter duo - happy and having fun.  The whole point of the story fittingly titled Hope after Haiti is that they are moving forward with their lives whilst always acknowledging and honouring their lost family members.

Immediately following the earthquake, Emily established the Kenbe La Foundation (‘Kenbe La’ means “Never Give Up” in Haitian Creole), a registered charitable trust, to provide educational opportunities for children in need.  The foundation is a testament to her husband's wish that every child in the world has access to education.  "He knew that education was the stepping stone to opportunity and by igniting those dreams in children they have potential to change the world" says Emily in the Next article. 

The Foundation has since established Purple Cake Day a specific day to celebrate and connect children from around the world.  It is inspired by Kofie’s compassion for children less fortunate and by Zenzie who wanted not one, but two purple cakes for her 4th birthday.  This year Emily will launch Purple Cake Day on March 1.  It is a fabulous way to support and raise money for the Kenbe La Foundation and help children become aware of global citizenship.  The website has all the details of how to run the day along with a downloadable resource kit for schools.  Funds raised by the Foundation in 2010 and 2011, including those raised by Purple Cake Day, are going towards the Foundation’s current project of building a school in Leogane Province, Haiti, one of the regions most severely affected by the earthquake.