About Us
Meet Our Partner
Centre de Sante de Limonade – the State Clinic
The State Clinic is the community health center established in association with the Haitian National Health Services. The clinic works under the auspices of the Haitian government but there is very little funding from the government. The staff includes one physician, three nurses, a counselor and four community health care workers. They see approximately 500 patients per month.
Konbit provides funding for the four community health care workers. The community health care workers role is to improve community health through education, prevention efforts, referrals to other healthcare providers as well as immunizing children and adults by going out to the people in the community. In addition to visiting homes, the community health care workers conduct community meetings where they speak about family planning, the prevention of cholera, sexually transmitted disease and the spread of TB as well as providing general health education.
Meet Our Ajan Sante
Left to right: Raoul, Mona, Myrielle, Nurse Thelus (retired), Jean, Dr. Myrthil
Konbit funds the stipends for four community health workers. These “ajan sante” are trained health workers and are connected to the local state clinic. The government clinic in Limonade has meager resources, so with our support, its outreach can be greatly amplified through the work of these ajan sante. They make house calls throughout the countryside checking on villagers. They identify new cases for referral to medical professionals. They organize community health meetings and disseminate important information for the control of diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and STDs. They choose the areas most in need of the twice yearly “pop-up” rural medical clinics.
Myrielle is a local grassroots organizer who teaches in a primary school during the mornings. Jean, a father of two young children, works overtime as an ajan sante, and rides his motor bike out into the countryside daily to visit the people. Raoul is an experienced community health care worker, as is our newest ajan sante Mona. The ajan sante are supervised by the director, Dr. Myrthil.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Shannon Horak, Board Chair
Shannon first traveled to Haiti in 2016 with a Columbus youth ministry group. The group installed insulation (to cool temperatures) at a child nutrition center in Jede. Since then, she has volunteered extensively for organizations who work collaboratively with Haitians in the Limonade area. Alfa Adult Literacy, Hands up for Haiti (child nutrition), and Water with Blessings (clean water initiatives), are a few examples. She recently relocated to NW Arkansas, but continues her efforts to bring awareness and financial support to vital programs that make a positive impact in Haiti. She has served on the Konbit board since 2017.
Carol Lyvers
Carol Lyvers have been involved in Haiti since her first trip there in September of 2010. Since then she has been to Haiti every year, sometimes more than once, with different focuses. Ranging from youth group trips, clean water initiatives, adult literacy, sponsoring young people’s education to Konbit’s work to improve health in the local population. One thing she has learned is that in order for any project or mission to work, we must listen to and work side by side with Haitians. She chose to become part of Konbit because of our partnership with the Limonade State Clinic and the ajan sante who work every day to improve public health.
Kathleen Sheehy, Secretary
Kathleen Sheehy is originally from the Pacific Northwest and has lived in Columbus since 1977. She is a former Speech-Language Pathologist, primarily working in hospital and longterm care facilities. Her husband is a retired physician, general internal medicine. They have 3 adult children and 7 grandchildren. She became interested in Konbit after participating in medical missions in Honduras. She found the “once-a-year for a week” model lacking. Konbit’s model of sustainability year-round with local health workers seems a healthier choice. Her only “claim to fame” was participating in a youth circus for several years in Washington state.
Anna Marie Horak
Anna Marie Horak traveled to Limonade, Haiti in the summer of 2016 and the people and the land have left a permanent mark on her heart and mind ever since. It was her experience in Haiti that first sparked her interest in non-profit work, and since then she has spent years accruing non-profit and humanitarian centered experience in Indiana, Washington, Ecuador, and Washington, DC.
Anna Marie is a 2020 graduate of DePauw University, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Spanish. She is currently a third-year student at Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington, where she lives with her fiancee, their dog Bear & their two cats, Merry and Pippin.
Anna Marie plans to practice public interest law so that she can better work towards making tangible and sustainable changes in regards to the equity of marginalized communities not only living in the United States, but around the world. She has served on the Konbit board since 2021.
Dr. Kathryn McAleese
Katia Hatter
Katia Hatter is pleased to be a part of the important work of Konbit Lasante. She is a certified Health Coach and President of Hatter Health, LLC, where she works to help individuals achieve their physical, mental and financial health goals. She previously worked in the marketing, public relations, not for profit, and government sectors, specializing in networking, relationship building and fundraising.
Katia is a 1996 graduate of Hanover College, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology. She is married to John and is mom to three kids, Willow, Paige and Sam. In her free time, she serves as an advisor to Upsilon Lambda Chapter of Chi Omega sorority at Hanover College, enjoys volunteer work, cycling, reading and spending time with her family.
Katy Ritter, Treasurer
Katy Ritter lives in Columbus, Indiana and has been on the Konbit board since 2019.
Tina Vujovich, Ambassador
Christine Vujovich retired after 31 years in 2009 from Cummins Inc. as vice president, marketing and environmental policy. Her interest in Haiti emanates from an early association with the scholarship program at St. Bartholomew Church in Columbus, IN. Konbit has allowed Tina to become aware of other needs in Haiti and so membership with Konbit seemed an opportunity to gain knowledge and use her resources to help.
Beth Parkhurst, Ambassador
Beth Parkhurst is a native of Columbus, Indiana and currently is the CFO for Cornerstone Development. She is a 1989 graduate of Franklin College, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. She is married to Barry. Together they enjoy spending time with their four adult children and one granddaughter. She also enjoys traveling and playing viola in local orchestras and string ensembles. Beth has recently become re-engaged with the Konbit Board and looks forward to working side by side with those we support in Haiti.