Nurse joins humanitarian mission to Haiti

Lending a hand: Registered Nurse Alisa Anguine

 leaves for Haiti this week on a humanitarian mission.

By Joseph Chin
MISSISSAUGA — On Wednesday, Alisa Anguine will be boarding a plane to the Caribbean.
Don’t, however, expect to find her on a sunny beach soaking up the rays and sipping a piña colada.
As tempting as that might be, the assistant director of nursing care at The Village of Erin Meadows in Mississauga isn’t trying to escape the harsh winter. Rather, she’s on a humanitarian mission to Haiti.
“No resort for me,” she laughs. “I’ll be working the entire 10 days.”
More than four years after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Caribbean nation, killing a reported 250,000 people and leaving a million and a half homeless, Haiti still needs outside assistance to get

Last November Anguine, along with 26 other members of Schlegel Villages, which owns the Mississauga long-term care home, was presented with just such the opportunity.Lending a hand: Registered Nurse Alisa Anguine leaves for Haiti this week on a humanitarian mission.back on its feet.
“I was ecstatic when I was chosen,” says the 32-year-old Brampton resident, who moved to Canada from Jamaica when she was just 8. “It will be life-changing for me.”
The Canadian volunteers will be assigned roles based on their areas of interest and expertise. A registered nurse, Anguine will be working in a Port-au-Prince orphanage.
Before she could start packing her bags, Anguine had to raise nearly $1,900 to cover the cost of her trip. Three fundraising events — a 50/50 draw and two dinners — were held within The Village.
“It amazed me how willing everyone was — not only to participate in the planned events but also to give freely. I received donations from $5 to $250 from people who simply wanted to be a part of it,” she says.
“In total our team raised $2,620, far surpassing what I anticipated. Not only will this cover my trip but also allows us to give a sizeable donation of $760 to Haiti Communitere to use towards their various initiatives.”
Located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti Communitere is an agency that provide logistics for international groups to launch aid projects. It also runs numerous community projects on its own.
Anneliese Krueger, the general manager of The Village of Erin Meadows, says Anguine is the ideal volunteer for the mission.
“She’s a wonderful, caring person who always has a smile on her face," said Krueger. "She makes everyone’s worries go away.”