2 days ago
Rochester-based organization providing aid to Haiti reacts to international travel ban
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – The Trump administration has imposed a travel ban on 12 countries, which took effect Monday. The ban is prohibiting those primarily in Africa and the Middle East from entering the U.S. out of concerns of national security and terrorism.
Haiti is among the countries affected. News 8 spoke to the leader of one local organization overseeing mission work there for years.
Dr. Ralph Pennino co-founded Intervol in the late 80s and for more than three decades, the Rochester-based organization has helped to provide countless medical supplies and equipment in developing countries each year.
In 2017, Dr. Pennino helped to create a school in Leogane, Haiti, which is not far from the country's capital of Port-Au-Prince.
'Right now, we've got grades 1 through 9. These are kids that wouldn't have a choice in education otherwise,' said Dr. Pennino.
Regarding the travel ban, Dr. Pennino says the future of volunteerism is unclear. With a population plagued by poverty and violence, he says it only makes matters more complicated.
'Haiti, interestingly enough, has the highest number of volunteers per capita for a population that comes down to try and help Haiti. To be quite honest, there's probably going to be a lot of repair work to do because people are going to be afraid. And I understand. They're not going to go want to go there,' said Dr. Pennino.
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While there's no immediate answer as to when the travel ban will lift, Intervol continues to meet with students online for services like medical checkups or educational lessons.
'We'd normally send doctors down that would go to some of the remote villages to do primary care and the surgeons would go to part of the hospital. That part of what we do, I don't know how long it's going to be,' said Dr. Pennino.
Dr. Pennino added for the first time in the Haitian school's history, their ninth graders are about to complete their national exams. He says that has been a positive in the midst of uncertainty.
More information on ways to donate or help support Intervol's cause in Haiti can be found here.
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