Safe and secure, with a clear vision of where they belong

When we traveled in Haiti in April 2016, I was caught off guard by the images of children along the sides of the roads.  Children of all ages, some as young as 5, walking hand-in-hand, along curving mountain roads, miles a day, to get to school.  These children were enthusiastic, they carried their bodies tall and confident, they were wearing a school uniform and they knew where they were going. They knew someone had sacrificed and cared and believed in them enough to dress them in the school uniform that said You Matter and You will have a future. These children walked in stunning contrast to the children along the side of the road wearing tattered rags and standing, staring, waiting, nowhere to go, no options for their futures. And I recognized the power of the school uniform in Haiti: tangible evidence that you belong and you have work to do.

Our children in Le Ecole Communautaire des EcoVillages de Colladere now have uniforms! They have a safe place to live, safe water to drink, a school to attend. Their families survived the great Earthquake, moved to build their homes in the EcoVillages, planted crops, and worked hard to be sure these children are safe and secure and belong.

Help us reach our goal?

We are at 80% of our 2016 fundraising goal of $45,000.  Thank you for your generosity in bringing this school to life through your donation of funds, books, sewing machines, goats and so much more.  If you have space in your budget for charity this fall, please consider a donation.

Women to Women

In a show of love and concern, women’s groups at Good Shepherd Presbyterian and Emory Presbyterian assembled personal gift boxes for women in each of the 60 households of the EcoVillages. 

These gift boxes contain a hand mirror, a colored bandana, a small box with soap, clothes pins, a pair of gardening gloves, a large colorful tablecloth, a solar stake light, a pair of oven mitts, a 2-sided sponge for scrubbing and wiping, two small colorful microfiber towels and 2 cloths, a small sewing kit with twine and needles, small notepads with sharpened pencils, and a chapstick.

A Kitchen instead of a walkway

New Kitchen Started.  Before this year, parents assembled meals in the walkways of the school.  Now, a kitchen has been partially built.  Parent volunteers are harvesting beans from the school garden that they have cultivated and are starting to prepare hot meals for the kids.  Children cannot learn when they are hungry, so this is a vital step toward their educational goals.

School opens with new classrooms and new library books!

School’s Open.  The school begins its third year with enrollment at 140 students in Pre-K through 5th grades. 

New Classrooms. Two more classrooms have been built this summer, funded by the $25,000 construction grant from Presbyterian Women’s birthday offering.  We are closer to our goal of having a separate classroom for each grade.

New Library. During August, members of North Decatur Presbyterian Church bought 120+ books written in Haitian Creole.  Ranging from pre-K to 4th grade reading levels, these books will supplement the 2 workbooks (one for math and one for writing) currently in use.  These books will enrich learning and start a school library.

Half-Way There

After 2½ years, we are halfway to our goal of establishing a self-sustaining school to serve the EcoVillages and the surrounding area.  At this point, we have half the classrooms we require and more than half of the agricultural development required.  We are on track to meet our goal. 

Bags are filled and packed.

We are waiting to board our flight now. Our bags are filled with school uniforms for the students. Our hearts are filled with hope. 

Our minds are filled with budgets and options.

Listing, listening, learning

A delegation travels to the EcoVillages next week to listen and learn. On Wednesday 13 April four representatives from the Atlanta Church Group arrive in Haiti. They will meet with the leaders of MPP to set goals for the upcoming period. They will see the school and meet with the school director and absorb the joy of children learning. 

Follow our News blog to see updated photos and posts as they travel. Hold the hopes of the community in your hearts as they seek ways to change the futures for so many. 

Party for Haiti!

Registration has been extended to March 1 to include YOU! Come join us as we celebrate a very positive and exciting project in Haiti.  Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taste-of-the-caribbean-a-fundraiser-for-the-haitian-eco-villages-school-tickets-21134983304.

TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN – MARCH 5, 7 TO 10PM

Please Join Us!

You are invited to TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN:  A Celebration of the Haitian Eco Villages School on Saturday, March 5, 7 to 10pm at Decatur Art House.    All are welcome who have a heart for service and education. You can support our Haitian brothers and sisters striving for self-sufficiency, the flourishing of the eco-villages, and the thriving of the eco-village school - and have a little fun too!  Please register by March 1 at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taste-of-the-caribbean-a-fundraiser-for-the-haitian-eco-villages-school-tickets-21134983304

What’s Up with Those Goats?

December 12, 2015 –

Now in its second year, the Holiday Gift Program is off to a great start.  North Decatur Presbyterian Church sold 5 goats 2 Seed kits and 3 bags of seeds at their Alternative Gift Mart last weekend.  Emory Presbyterian and Good Shepherd Presbyterian will be offering goats and seeds for sale each of the next 2 Sundays.

Last year’s donations provided 20 goats to the villages in the Spring of 2015.  There are now 47 goats in the program due to successful breeding.  It is estimated that once the herd gets to about 200 goats, the program will provide needed cash for the school and sustain itself.

First discussed during our trip in October 2014, it was suggested that the parents could start a livestock program to benefit the school.  The “revolving model” for this program starts with the recipient of a pregnant goat. The first offspring goes to the school and the 2nd offspring to a community member not in an eco-village, and then they get to keep the future offspring.  

So last year at Christmas time, we created the Holiday Gift Giving Program where givers can purchase an animal or seeds to benefit the school and the donor gets a card to give as a gift.  This model has been a successful holiday tradition to benefit third world people and made popular through organizations like Heifer Int’l.

When you travel through rural Haiti, you’ll see goats all along the side of the road usually tied to a tree or a cactus.  The people raise goats for their meat and many of the meals we were served during our visit in Haiti featured goat meat.  Raising goats for breeding and later sale is one way that parents are able to contribute to the funding of the school’s operations.

MPP encourages collective care of animals in each village.  So whatever animals we end up funding, they will be equitably distributed throughout the villages.  

To purchase a goat or bag of seed to benefit the Ecovillages people, see Becky Evans @ North Decatur PC, Kathyrn Hornsby @ Emory PC, or Ginger Stapley @ Good Shepherd.

- Article submitted by C. Calia

Holiday Livestock and Seed Gift Program

Give a Goat. Help the EcoVillages families support their children's education!

What better way to make Christmas meaningful than with a gift from Seeds

of Hope?  You can be a part of a growing holiday tradition by investing in a

sustainable future for the families of the EcoVillage School in Haiti.

Instead of material items, choose to honor your friends and loved ones with

gifts that help struggling Haitian families provide for their children's

education.  Every goat or bag of seeds given by you this Christmas is an investment in

helping the EcoVillage families grow their crops and livestock, with the

proceeds going towards covering the operating costs of the school. 

2015 Goal

2 Male Goats per Village; 1 Goat per Family = 12 Male Goats and 60 Female Goats

Thank You!

Here's are examples of how your gifts will be spent. 

$1000    Dairy Cow

$ 650    Stud Male Hybrid Goat

$ 350    Male Smaller Goat

$ 120     Female Hybrid Goat

$100      Seed Kit - with tools

$ 20       Bag of Seeds

You can click the Donate button below to access the paypal site.  All donations are processed through our member church and go directly to support this program in Haiti. If you would like to make a specific donation, please email your wishes to sowseedsofhope@gmail.com.  Thanks for making wishes come true!