Wedgaline is a 26 year old lab technician who has worked in the clinic since March 2017. She was born in Port-au-Prince, but has lived in Cabaret most of her life. Both of her parents are living. Her dad used to work farming plantains, but he left several years ago and lives in another country. Her mother sells all types of foods in the market for income. Both of Wedgaline’s grandfathers have died, but her grandmothers are living. She is the oldest of 6 children. She has 2 brothers and 3 sisters. One of her brothers has left the country and is living abroad. One of her sisters is a teacher. The rest of her siblings are still in school. Most of her family all live in the same area in Cabaret.
She lives with her mom and remaining siblings in a rented 3 room, cement block house with a tin roof. It has an outdoor kitchen, outhouse, and bathing area. They don’t have running water, but there is a place about a 5 minute walk away where water can be purchased for around $0.06 for a 5 gallon bucket. It is a well that was drilled and has a hand pump. There is also a truck that comes around to sell drinking water in a 5 gallon Culligan jug that costs $0.94. Their house is near a soccer field and the national school in Cabaret. She likes living in this town because she has lived there most of her life and she is comfortable there. She would like for the leaders to fix up the soccer field and also improve the water situation for the people in the area.
She tutors children in her area and also teaches children at her church about God. She also likes to do decorations for parties and weddings.
There are many things that she likes about the work she does, but she especially enjoys working on the microscope. She is happy when only has to stick the patient one time to find the blood to do the test. The worst part of her job is when she sticks patients many times and is unable to get the blood she needs to do the test. She thinks that her job would be easier if she had a machine to do the differential WBC counts.
During a typical day of work, she starts the day in prayer and devotions with the clinic staff. She goes to her room to turn on all of the machines, cleans, and prepares for the patients to come. As the patients come, she takes their lab request forms and writes them down in the register books. She draws the blood or obtains the specimen and runs the test. She records the results in the register books and on a paper that she gives to the patient and sends them back to the provider. If it is a slow day, she will help in the pharmacy counting pills or entering medications that have just come in the intake register. She also helps pull patients’ charts and make new charts for patients. At the end of the day, she cleans and turns off the machines to close everything down for the night.
Her job has helped her to learn new machines and new techniques. She has also learned new things when she has observed in the dressing room. Her job helps others because she can pay for her sisters’ schooling and things at home. She sees that her work uncovers illnesses and helps the doctor and nurses to give good care. If there was one thing she could change in her work it would be that she could have a bigger room.
She thinks that RHFH helps poor people receive good health care and gives food and care for those that are unable to pay. RHFH helps people in emergencies situations get the care that they need. They help parents be able to care for their children better and also care for children that are severely malnourished. They have saved many, many lives from cholera. RHFH has helped others know about Cazale and that has helped it develop. They give out FMSC rice boxes to those that are hungry and can’t buy food. They give good care and good medications. The patients and parents are satisfied. They always preach for God and tell people that He can do all things. God sends us all to help others.
During the recent protests, there was lots of gunfire by her house and it scared everyone. The kids couldn’t go to school for many weeks because the schools were closed. The price for drinking water went up. The price of a motorcycle taxi ride went up and it was hard for her to get to work (30 min ride). There were many times that the roads were blocked and the driver had to take back alleys, footpaths, and cut in people’s yards and gardens to get through to come to work.
She is a Christian and goes to New Jerusalem City Church of God. She asks that you pray for her father who once was a Christian, but has now renounced God. She asks that you also pray for her future goals as she would like to get married, build a house, and have a family.