The subject of this week's cover story in New Times is Dr. Patricia Wolff, who's trying to cure malnutrition in Haiti with use of a vitamin-enriched peanut butter. Her efforts are nothing new to South Florida's own Aaron Jackson, who built an international charitable organization off his wages as a golf caddy.
Jackson says he runs into many aid workers in Haiti, some a bit suspicious, a few downright crooked, and others, like Wolff, are doing amazing things with little resources. "She is definitely one of
the better relief workers in Haiti," Jackson says. "She's very committed
to what she does."
Jackson
and Wolff haven't met in person, but they've talked over the phone
several times about their separate efforts. Jackson's organization, Planting Peace, has opened orphanages in Haiti and hopes to cure the island nation of intestinal worms.
Asked by email about Jackson's efforts, Wolff said: "Aaron has managed to import thousands of albendazole pills into Haiti, and we have distributed many of them to our contacts around Haiti." Children who take the deworming pills gain weight and be less sick for six months, she said. "Aaron's efforts have brought a lot of health to a lot of people."
Wolff,
along with her efforts working with the miracle peanut butter, also
hands out de-worming pills. Jackson says she has asked for a huge
shipment: a million pills. But so far Jackson hasn't been able to get
them for her.
The peanut butter Wolff is using does help those
suffering from malnutrition recover, but Jackson says a major benefit
of her efforts is that she's working with local farmers to supply the
peanuts. "It works, that's for sure. It works at all angles, because if
you can create something curing malnutrition and also give people jobs,
you can't beat that."
