My name is Cole Honeycutt. I’m a rising junior in high school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Last year, I took a global issues class that looked at the country of Haiti and the problems there that have presented themselves. In June of this year, I traveled to Haiti to work in La Gonave, a remote, rural island off the coast of Haiti, with the La Gonave Haiti Partnership. The Partnership focuses on many aspects of health in La Gonave, but the aspect I was really struck by was the Medika Mamba program. Medika Mamba is a program that has created a peanut-based paste called “Plumpy Nut”, which they use to treat severe malnutrition. This paste is packed full of nutrients necessary to rapidly bring the children back to normal body weight. The La Gonave Haiti Partnership closely monitors the weight and growth of kids who are entered into the program. I saw many of these children in the clinic in La Gonave and heard stories from parents about how Medika Mamba saved their children’s lives. These experiences were what truly inspired me to do this. The cost to enter a single child into the program and for them to receive adequate treatment is a mere $90. Therefore, it goes without saying that any donation could potentially have a life-changing impact on an individual. 

This is the introduction he wrote for his Indiegogo campaign to raise money for our Medika Mamba program. Cole is 15 years old and already has the courage of his convictions. In 8 days Cole has raised $9,255.00. Enough to put 102 children back on the road to health.  As of today, Cole still has 53 days left to run on his campaign. The last week before entering his Junior year in high school, Cole spent working on this campaign, learning how to set up an Indiegogo program, and sending it out to his friends and family.

This is an inspiring story that teaches us the power of our youth, the power of sharing what your believe in, and the power of asking others to share your passion.

Having had the pleasure of being on this trip with Cole I can tell you that he is a young man who will make a difference in the world. He listened with intention, he asked pertinent and probing questions, and, when he returned to his life in North Carolina, he acted on what he learned.

What he can’t know is how much he inspired me to work harder. To reevaluate myself and see if I am really doing all I can to help the people of La Gonave. To help me remember to share the desperate situation that afflicts the people of La Gonave every day of their lives, even though they are positive and friendly each time I visit.

Thank you, Cole, for giving us fresh eyes and new inspiration through your hard work to help the children on La Gonave. And, for the 102 children you have helped to date, and for their mothers who are desperate for them to be well again, God bless you and your work. Our work has more meaning knowing there are young people coming up behind us to take over the challenges.

Please help Cole get the help these children need. Donate now…and tell your friends about Cole’s work. The Indiegogo site is:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/medika-mamba-and-la-gonave-haiti-partnership/x/7818548#/story