Do you know what I mean?

   We see the tragic Haiti, the Haiti captured in the critically acclaimed documentary "The Ghosts of Cite' Soleil" and the Haiti so often spoken of using terms such as "boat people" and "coup." Yet, as nearly any missionary, Peace Corps volunteer or other philanthropic sort will tell you, there is another side of Haiti seldom seen in the media. "The Road to Fondwa," directed by Dan Schnorr, captures the beauty of Haiti and its people along with the spirit of a people determined to overcome their obstacles and create a better life for its citizens. The film opens with a terrific scene of a young mystic and farmer, Sandelwi, talking about the unity of Haitians as the camera majestically captures him riding atop a bus along the winding curves on the road to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti's capital city.

   Having played in film festivals throughout the country, "The Road to Fondwa" documents the experiences of the University of Fondwa, the first rural university in Haiti where Schnorr taught immunology and genetics during a 10-month stay and became extremely dedicated to the university and its mission.  It is reported in "The Road to Fondwa" that Haiti suffers from having the worst brain drain in the world, meaning that 84% of those who are educated in Haiti end up leaving the island nation for better lives elsewhere. The University of Fondwa is trying to change this fact and focuses its educational efforts on veterinary medicine, micro-finance and agriculture with a vision that those who study will stay in Haiti and work on the nation's development and infrastructure.

   While "The Road to Fondwa" is an inspiring film that starts off quite dazzlingly, over the course of the film's 38 minutes much of what is reported begins to feel repetitive and the documentary short begins to move away from its celebratory beginnings and into a more structured, methodical and predictable documentary of such subject matter.

   "The Road to Fondwa" is most effective when it rests solely on the shoulders of the Haitians who are accomplishing magnificent works, especially given that they've often started off with nothing. An example is given of an effort to start a banking system that, quite literally, started off with a small group committing to savings accounts. A mere few years later, this same system has 30 branches, employs several hundred people and holds $10 million in financial holdings.

   While the film's pacing and interviews occasionally lag, when "The Road to Fondwa" celebrates the people of Haitians it is an awe-inspiring and marvelous film. For more information on "The Road to Fondwa" and how it is raising funds for Haiti, visit the film's website.