When Nadine Post arrived in Boston last July 8 to report a profile on the nonprofit Build Health International, which constructs and maintains modern hospitals in Haiti and other low-income regions, she was alerted that BHI’s Jim Ansara, his staff and their Boston-based hospital-operator partners might be distracted during interviews. The day before, Haiti’s President, Jovenel Moïse, had been assassinated. Anyone with any ties to Haiti was in shock and concerned about the safety of their loved ones and colleagues. Buildings editor Post says that under these trying circumstances, she was impressed anyone kept their appointments with her.
Fast forward to Aug. 14, two weeks before Post was set to write the BHI profile. A magnitude-7.2 earthquake hit the southern peninsula of Haiti. Two days later, Tropical Depression Grace hit.