Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra Romulus.
Hi Sandra , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story is really a story about purpose. It is about how my deep love for people, my connection to Haiti, and a desire to make a difference. All this gradually came together to shape who I am today.
I have always been drawn to caring for others. That calling led me into nursing, a profession I have been blessed to practice for over three decades. Throughout my career, I have cared for people in medical-surgical and trauma settings, mental health, community health, research, and, more recently, substance-use and recovery care. Nursing has taught me to see the whole person. To listen, to meet people where they are, and to understand that healing is not always about treating an illness. Sometimes, it is about giving someone hope.
My connection to Haiti is deeply personal. Haiti is more than a place to me; it is part of my heart and my identity. When the devastating earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, I remember feeling overwhelmed by the suffering and destruction. Like so many people watching from afar, I wanted to help. But I also knew that Haiti needed more than temporary assistance. Communities needed opportunities to rebuild, to become stronger, and to create a future for their children.
That realization became a turning point in my life.
I founded Tree Angels for Haiti with a simple but powerful belief: we could plant seeds of change, literally and figuratively. What began with the desire to help after a tragedy evolved into a long-term commitment to environmental sustainability, education, food security, reforestation, and community empowerment.
Over the years, I have witnessed things that have stayed with me. I have seen children proudly plant trees. I have watched teachers continue teaching despite having very limited resources. I have met farmers and community members who simply want the opportunity to work, grow food, and provide for their families. I have seen women use their creativity and skills to create opportunities for themselves and their communities.
Those moments remind me that sometimes the greatest impact does not come from doing something enormous. It comes from consistently doing something meaningful.
One of the projects that means the most to me is the Morel Botanical Garden in Léogâne. Watching this vision slowly become reality has been incredibly emotional. What was once an idea is becoming a place where children, families, students, farmers, and community members can learn about Haiti’s beautiful natural environment. It is a place for education, conservation, recreation, and hope.
There is something deeply meaningful about planting a tree when you know you may not be the person who sits beneath its shade. You plant it for the next generation.
That philosophy has become a guiding principle in my life.
My nursing career and my work with Tree Angels for Haiti may appear to be two different paths, but I see them as one. Both are rooted in wellness. Both are about prevention, education, compassion, and creating healthier environments where people can thrive. Whether I am caring for a patient or helping a community plant trees, I am ultimately trying to contribute to healing.
Today, I continue to dream, build, learn, and serve. I believe that our health is connected to the health of our communities and our planet. I believe that education can change lives. I believe that women and young people must be given opportunities.
My journey has not always been easy. There have been financial challenges, setbacks, disappointments, and moments when I wondered how we would take the next step. But whenever I felt uncertain, someone stepped forward: a family member, volunteer, donor, teacher, community member, or friend and reminded me that I was never walking this journey alone.
Above all, I have been blessed with a loving and supportive family who has been my foundation and my rock. My husband and my children have stood beside me through the challenges and the victories, encouraging me to keep believing in the vision even when the path was difficult. My grandmother, who is no longer with us, was also a tremendous source of love and strength in my life. Her presence and the values she instilled in me continue to live in my heart and influence the way I serve others today.
Their love and support have given me the strength to keep going, to keep dreaming, and to keep planting seeds of hope, even when I could not yet see how those seeds would grow. lead. I believe that even small acts of kindness can create ripples far beyond what we can see When I look back, I realize that I did not necessarily choose this journey all at once. The journey revealed itself one step at a time.
A career in nursing taught me to care for people.
Haiti taught me to care for community.
The environment taught me to think about generations beyond my own.
And Tree Angels for Haiti gave me a way to bring all of those passions together.
I am still planting seeds. Some will grow quickly; others will take years. But I have learned to trust the process.
Because sometimes, the most important work we do is work whose full impact we may never live long enough to see.
And that is okay.
I plant anyway.
Sandra
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it has not been a smooth road. My journey has been filled with both beautiful moments and very difficult seasons. Along the way, I have experienced many losses—people who were not only deeply important to me personally, but who were also part of the foundation that helped me begin this journey.
My grandmother, who raised me and was one of the most important influences in my life, is no longer with us. I have also lost uncles who were like fathers to me, and the loss of my younger brother was especially painful. Losing the people who loved me, guided me, believed in me, and helped shape the person I became has been incredibly difficult. Their absence is something I carry with me, but so are the lessons, love, and strength they left behind.
There have also been financial struggles and losses. Building an organization and sustaining meaningful work is not easy, especially when you are committed to creating long-term change in communities with significant needs. There have been times when resources were limited, and I questioned how we would fund the next project, support the people depending on us, or take the next step. There have been disappointments, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty.
One of the greatest challenges has been continuing to travel to Haiti and personally help move our planting and environmental projects forward. Getting to the communities, coordinating planting activities, supporting the people on the ground, and making sure that the work continues despite limited resources can be physically, emotionally, and financially demanding. But being there, seeing the trees being planted, and witnessing the commitment of the local communities makes every challenge worthwhile.
These experiences have taught me resilience. I have learned that sometimes you have to keep moving forward even when you are grieving, when resources are limited, or when you cannot see the entire path ahead.
I think about the people I have lost often. In many ways, I feel that I am carrying their legacy with me. The love my grandmother gave me, the guidance I received from my uncles, and the memories of my brother continue to inspire me. They helped shape my values, and those values are reflected in the way I care for people, serve my community, and continue working toward a healthier and more sustainable future.
I have also been blessed by the people who have stood beside me along the way. Especially my husband and children, as well as family members and close friends. Their love and support have reminded me that even when the road is difficult, I do not have to walk it alone.
So no, it has not been a smooth road. But I have learned that a difficult road can still lead somewhere beautiful. Every loss, every setback, and every challenge have shaped me, strengthened my faith, and deepened my sense of purpose.
I continue to move forward, not because the journey has been easy, but because I believe the work is worth it. Every time I see a tree being planted, a child learning, a community coming together, or a project taking another step forward, I am reminded why I must go on.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work is centered around helping people and communities become healthier, stronger, and more hopeful.
I am a registered nurse with a little over three decades of experience in healthcare, including trauma, mental health, community health, research, and substance-use and recovery care. I have always believed that true wellness goes beyond treating an illness—it includes the environment, education, community, and opportunities people have to thrive.
That belief led me to found Tree Angels for Haiti, a nonprofit focused on reforestation, environmental education, food security, and community empowerment. I am especially passionate about the connection between environmental health and human health.
What are your plans for the future?
Looking ahead, I want to continue growing the work I have started while creating an even greater and more sustainable impact.
One of my biggest goals is to see the Morel Botanical Garden in Léogâne fully developed into a thriving center for environmental education, conservation, and community engagement. I want it to become a place where children, families, students, farmers, and visitors can learn, connect with nature, and understand the importance of protecting Haiti’s environment.
I also hope to expand Tree Angels for Haiti’s reforestation, education, food security, and community programs while creating more opportunities for local people, especially women and young people and motivate them to participate and lead.
Professionally, I look forward to continuing my work in nursing and wellness while exploring ways to connect healthcare, environmental health, and healthy living. I believe these areas are deeply connected, and I want my future work to reflect that connection.
On a personal level, I want to continue being present for the people I love. I look forward to continuing to be a loving and supportive wife, mother, daughter, sister, grand-mother, aunt, and friend. My family and friendships are an important part of who I am, and I want to continue nurturing those relationships and being there for the people who have been there for me.
Most importantly, I am looking forward to continuing to learn, grow, and serve. I don’t necessarily have every detail of the future mapped out, but I know the direction I want to take: more service, more sustainability, more education, more love, and more opportunities to make a meaningful difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://treeangelshaiti.org
- Facebook: Tree Angels for Haiti on Facebook
