Haiti Recent History-Staggering Blows for A Poor Nation
According to the United Nations’ World Food Programme (January, 2015), Haiti is the poorest nation in the Northern Hemisphere with over 2.5 million Haitians living in extreme poverty. Two out of three Haitians live on less than US $2 per day.
Two years before the catastrophic earthquake of 2010, four hurricanes (Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike) killed 793 people.
The calamitous earthquake of 2010 was the worst natural disaster to devastate the nation of Haiti. Estimates of the death toll vary from 220,000 to 316,000. The number of schools damaged or destroyed by the earthquake was 3,978 (CNN).
The United States, France, and Canada honored their pledges for assistance after this disaster.
Weeks after the earthquake, a cholera epidemic began (rumored to have been introduced by UN aid workers). As of mid-May 2016, cholera has sickened over 780,000 Haitians. Over 9,000 have died.
The cholera epidemic became even more devastating with the arrival of Hurricane Matthew in October, 2016. This Category 4 hurricane impacted over 1 million Haitians, destroying many homes, schools and crops, including those in the areas served by Educate Haiti. The village of Durissy lost 62 homes. Four of those were re-built by Dan Benson of Benson Custom Builders and their friends from Wisconsin. With typical Haitian generosity, villagers in already-crowded homes welcomed other community members who were homeless. The preschool structure was blown down. Yard gardens and small farm animals have washed away. So, the loss of gardens meant no supplemental food for families in 2016, and few seeds to plant in 2017.
What We’ve Accomplished
The not-for-profit entity of Educate Haiti evolved after several ecumenical groups from Bloomington and Angola, Indiana visited Haiti from 2013-2016. Although not official members of the Catholic Parish Twinning organization, these volunteers were introduced to Fr. Yves Anis through an informal connection with Parish Twinning and with the St. Thomas Aquinas Neuman Center at Purdue University. NOTE: Several lines deleted!!
After the first trip to Haiti and after much deliberation and discussion with our Haitian partners, we came to the conclusion that education was the number one need. So, Educate Haiti, Inc, was formed to focus solely on education as a beginning to the solution of many problems in Haiti. We are a registered 501 (c) 3 organization.
Thanks to generous benefactors in the U.S.and volunteers in Durissy, Haiti, there have been many accomplishments:
∙ Developed a close relationship with community—The families who live near the school are now our friends. They look forward to our visits, just as we eagerly await our January trips to Durissy. There are always invitations to visit specific homes. All visiting is done on the front porch and in the front yard. Chairs from the home appear for the guests and others sit on the ground or the porch. Even without a translator, the smiles and gestures indicate their welcome. We chat about their children, recipes for rice and beans, how to grind coffee, and our shared dreams for their children.
∙ Constructed and dedicated a new 7 room preschool in 2018—Formerly the preschool was held in a tent/shack with pallets as dividers between the four rooms. The noise level was challenging and when one class sang the ABC song, all classes joined in! In 2016 Hurrican Matthew destroyed the preschool. The amazing teachers set up classrooms in a condemned building and frequently taught outdoors. The children drew their letters and numbers in the dirt with sticks. The new pre-school is constructed of cement blocks and fortified to withstand future hurricanes and earthquakes. The classrooms rooms are painted with bright colors. A local carpenter built the tables and cabinets. The open porches give space for classwork or recess on rainy days. 500 local Haitians attended the dedication!
∙ Sponsored over 200 students (tuition, books, lunch). When we first interviewed the teachers, their number one request was for textbooks for every child. Previously, three or four children shared one book. Through these sponsorships of $250 each, the children all have books. One result is that the school scored in the top 10% nationally on the government tests. Now people from other areas, who used to call the mountain people “hillbillies” are clamoring to have their children attend this modern school. The school population continues to increase. Currently, 474 students are enrolled in grades Pre-K through 13. The student population increased by 50+ in 2018-2019. Each time we visit Haiti, we interview and photograph children. Sponsors receive yearly updates. Some sponsor pairs exchange letters and drawings.
- Helped sponsor school lunch—every school day three women work in an outdoor kitchen to prepare rice and beans for the 474 school children. This is often the only meal the students eat each day. Many of the kids walk 1-2 hours along mountain goat trails to reach the school. If the lunch program is not funded, attendance drops significantly. The annual family income is $100 yearly on Durissy.
Received over $200,000 in grants in 2018-19—With gratitude to all these groups!!
Charitable Foundation of the Energy Bar Association (CFEBA) awarded Educate Haiti $100,000 for installation of solar power in all three building in Durissy.
Installing solar power in the summer of 2019—lights and 5 fans for every classroom—imagine an area where there is no electricity. The days follow the sunlight’s rule. When we announced to the students that a partnership with Charitable Foundation of the Energy Bar Association (CFEBA) and Twende Solar Foundation of Portland, Oregon, would mean the dark and humid classrooms would be brighter and cooler, they stared at us in amazement. We wonder what their reaction will be when they open the door to a computer lab in the near future. They are jumping from the 19th to the 21st century.
Twende Solar Foundation in Portland Oregon, provided a project manager and an installation crew to travel to Haiti, as well as materials and components donated by their contacts in the solar field.
ASML—Engineering/Technical company-gave us $55,000 for a sanitation project that will provide a restroom and flush toilets for the preschool. Sanitation—plans are ready to build a restroom and install water supply for the flush toilets. This will require a ¾ mile trench. However, this project has become a huge undertaking. Parents will provide the labor to dig a ¾ mile trench to connect to the water supply. Then, a leech field must be constructed. Estimated completion in 2019-20.
Algona, Iowa Columbians- generous donations from Knights of Columbus group and from individual members
Diocese of Austin, Texas-presented Educate Haiti with $25,000 grant to help fund the operating budget of the school in Durissy.
Play360-Jon Racek-founder-On-site advisor for playground design and installation
Sponsoring 4 graduates in Univ. in Port au Prince—One high school girl near graduation in Durissy approached the co-founders with this statement, “There is no room for dreams in Durissy.” She longed to go to nursing school in Port au Prince ($2,500 per year at an accredited school). Her promise to return to the school and community and serve their needs sealed the deal. Sponsors stepped forward with donations specified for these three university students. They are excelling in their studies of pre-dentistry, nursing, and engineering.
Classroom at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Durissy
GET INVOLVED WITH THE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL- GOALS FOR 2019-2020
Support 100% of school operating budget through individual sponsorships and donations. Once the educated children can obtain good jobs, there will be money for the school. That could be 20 years from now.
Teacher and staff salaries
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- Currently (2018-2019) school year), teachers are paid US$ 125/month for 12 months or $1,500 annually.
- There are 37 teachers and staff at Durissy.
- This amounts to annual expenses of US $64,500 (half the operating budget) in Durissy.
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- School infrastructure is a major need at the school -Supplies, books, furnishings, and computers are ongoing needs.
∙ Purchase computers for the teachers and provide training for them.∙ Acquire computers for the high school students
∙ Sponsor 300+ more students
∙ Fill empty library shelves and stock resource room
∙ Provide adult education—-literacy/agriculture/business skills/trades
How Educate Haiti Meets Those Needs
Educate Haiti meets the needs of the school children in Durissy by raising funds to help both with the infrastructure and the operating expenses.
- Student sponsorships at US $ 250/year for tuition, textbooks, and school lunch
- Teacher monthly sponsorships at US $125, or US $1,500/year
- Twice yearly newsletter with specific requests for donations.
- Grant applications
