His collarbone severely fractured in the January 12 earthquake, Haitian journalist Yves Adler Boissonniere needed considerable medical attention—care that he could not get in his devastated country. With US$40 and a few gourdes (Haiti’s currency) in his pocket, Boissonniere decided in late January to cross the border to the Dominican Republic in hopes of getting care. Yet his situation remained exceedingly difficult: A few dollars could not pay for the X-rays, examinations, and treatment he needed. This week, Boissonniere’s prospects brightened when he received grants from international organizations, including CPJ, that will allow him to seek immediate care.
In a telephone interview from the Dominican Republic, Boissonniere described the difficulties he has faced. The 27-year-old, a reporter for Radio Amicale FM in the city of Leogane, saw his home collapse around him during the earthquake. Boissonniere said he and his mother spent more than two hours under the rubble before being freed.
After arriving in the Dominican Republic, Boissonniere settled temporarily with a friend in the capital, Santo Domingo. But a clinic in Jimani turned him back for lack of money, one in a series of rejections. Hospitals in Santo Domingo also declined to treat a patient without the means the pay.
After learning of Boissonniere’s needs, CPJ circulated his story among international humanitarian and press freedom organizations. On Thursday, after evaluating Boissonniere’s case, a team from Copenhagen-based International Media Support delivered a US$1,000 grant. Today, CPJ was able to wire Boissonniere another US$1,500.
Editor’s Note: If you have any information on journalists and media outlets in Haiti please post a comment below or notify us via e-mail msalazar@cpj.org, or Twitter: @HelpJournalists. We are collecting funds that will go directly to Haitian journalists. If you’d like to make a contribution, please click this link and enter “Haiti” in the “Notes” section on the second page.