The rumblings of an earthquake
On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, leaving more than 230,000 dead, 300,000-plus injured, and 1.5 million homeless. Kerry Kennedy, president of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, traveled to Haiti to advocate for a safer, more sustainable Haiti through a strong commitment to human rights and transparent, accountable international aid.
Like many worthy endeavors, Health eVillages began with inspiration. As a child with a disability, Donato Tramuto was inspired by Robert F. Kennedy’s dedication to equal rights and justice. The challenge of hearing loss, followed by the loss of his sister-in-law during childbirth, drove him to dedicate his life to improving healthcare. He created Physicians Interactive, a provider of online and mobile clinical resources.
After learning about Kerry Kennedy’s experience in Haiti after the earthquake and countless reports of dire healthcare infrastructure needs and the ensuing public health crisis, Donato saw an opportunity to provide support to the Haitian people. He donated medical reference data and digital clinical tools by Physicians Interactive on mobile devices and with these devices, founded Health eVilliages in partnership with the RFK Center.
For more than 30 years, Donato Tramuto has demonstrated the passion for making the world more just through his philanthropic and business initiatives that reflect my father’s ideals.
The story is ongoing. Today, clinicians in the world’s most challenging environments have access to the latest medical research, treatment protocols, training resources, clinical decision support, and other tools, with mobile apps that are transforming health care in developing nations. Since 2011, Health eVillages has provided support to physicians, nurses and Community Health Workers who serve more than 50,000 patients in underserved areas each year.
To help the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights continue their work, we gave them $200,000 in grants. But this is not just a story of a grant—it’s the story of the power of partnerships. We believe the quality of the relationships we form results in better solutions. The synergy and collaborative spirit between The Tramuto Foundation and the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights resulted in something bigger than either party could have imagined alone. This is what is unique about us.