Over the past year, our partners in Haiti sent us photos and stories from the people in the Haiti EcoVillage School community. These stories were collated by our team and read aloud at our fundraising event on November 4, 2023. This video captures the images and sounds from that event.
Overcoming Obstacles: The Story of a Successful School Year
Some students walk great distances each day to attend the EcoVillage School but they are glad to have this safe place to learn and thrive.
Last Fall, we reported that the Haiti Ecovillage School did not open on schedule due to violent protests in the country including towns near the school. Fortunately, they were able to open the school at the end of November. We are happy to report that they successfully completed the school year by extending through the end of June.
Attendance was low in that first month because parents feared for their children’s safety. But enrollment grew as it became apparent that the school was a safe space.
We planned for an enrollment of about 270 students based on past years attendance. But, it turned out that other schools in the area were unable to open and so the enrollment of our school grew to 390 students in 10 classrooms. We reported this to you with a story titled “No More Room on the Bench”. Working with our partner, MPP, we were able to find the funds to get the additional supplies and desks to accommodate the additional students. This included computers and school supplies donated by our member churches.
When the school year started, teachers had a tough time getting to the school because of a fuel shortage. Again, we worked with MPP to help them with transportation so there would be teachers in every classroom every day for students eager to learn.
It is too dangerous for us to travel to Haiti now and bring you the stories of the school. So, we contracted with a Haitian man to go to the school and interact with the staff and students to bring those stories back to us. As a result, we have monthly reports from the Principal of the school and stories from some of the children.
In September, the Ecovillage School will begin its 10th year. Your support has made it possible for us to keep helping this community. The proceeds from the garage sale this past April are a substantial portion of the funds needed to keep the school going for another year. But, we’re still a little short of the funds to meet the budget so we are going to have a Flavors of Haiti fundraising event on November 4th which will be held at Emory Presbyterian Church. More details about that will follow in the coming weeks.
The future of the school is an open question. We were successful in building the school and getting it nationally accredited so it would qualify for government funding. But, there is no functioning government at this time.
So we work to keep the school open so that it can be self-sustaining when the government is re-established.
Please pray for the School to open in September as planned, for the 400 students, all the teachers and staff and for an end to the dysfunction and violence in Haiti.
"Education is the Best!"
I am Rosegaële Alfred and I am a 7th grade student at the Haiti EcoVillage School. I am 14 years old and I live with my mother, Eliane Estenat and my 2 brothers and 4 sisters. We live in the small village of Beganabe so I walk about 10 minutes to get to my school in the EcoVillages.
Education is The Best! It is the key to changing the lives of little children like me from poverty to a better life. My mother is a sales woman by trade but in Haïti right now this is very challenging because of the violence and insecurity in our country. My father is a policeman. Unfortunately, the police in Haïti are in grave danger from gangs that control parts of the country. And, my father finds it difficult to make enough money to meet the needs of his family. Even though my parents work very hard, there is often not enough for our family because life is so hard.
I take my studies at school very seriously because I hope to bring change to the life of my parents and my family and myself. My teachers tell me I am very intelligent. I work hard (like my parents) because I understand my parents fight for me to have a better tomorrow.
I am very grateful to the Haiti EcoVillage School Partnership for helping the school. Ke Bondye beni gwoup la ak fanmi yo! (May God bless the group and all their families.)
Thank you for Giving Me a Chance, by Lorens Dorvil
I am Lorens Dorvil and I am a fifth-grade student at the Haiti EcoVillage School. I live in the nearby village of Beganabe—I walk about 10 minutes to arrive at the school. I live with my mother Aliane Joseph, my father Djenms Dorvil, and my 4 brothers and 2 sisters.
I am 14 years old--older than many of my classmates. When I was younger, there was not a school I could attend so I was very late starting lessons. Now I can attend school in the EcoVillages and this gives me a wonderful opportunity to get the education I really need.
It is true that I am one of the best students in my class. My teachers say I am very smart. I know I study hard to obtain the highest grades in my class. My favorite subjects are mathematics, chemistry and biology. I hope one day to become a medical doctor.
Recently, I was sick, and my parents had to take me to the hospital. I couldn’t go to school until I was healthy again, but I was able to keep up with my studies and did all my homework so I would not fall behind again.
At home, I help my family by doing regular chores. I tend the garden, feed the animals and help to clean the house. I play soccer in my free time--I love soccer so much! Soccer can lead me anywhere in the world!
I am blessed because the economic situation of my family is stable. My family can work the land to grow food. This is our only hope to have food to eat.
I am one of 377 students who depend on the EcoVillage School for our primary education. Your support means that children like me can work hard and grow in the hope of a better future. Mesi!
Translated and paraphrased
Thank you for Making a Difference in my Life, by Naica Sinfinice
I am Naica SINFINICE. I am a fifth-grade student at the EcoVillage School. I am 10 years old and I live in EcoVillage 4. My mother is Annette Auguste, and my father is Carel Sinfinice. I have 2 brothers and 6 sisters.
I only feel good when I am in school, because every day I learn new things. I want to become a nurse after my studies or a doctor. Whatever things you would like to become in your life, if you don't have a good education, you won't become what you desire. Without education, life has no meaning. My school is well-run, and my teachers work effectively with the students.
My health is good today, but sometimes I get sick and my parents cannot always afford to take me to the hospital. I know my parents' economic situation is very difficult because my parents only live from agriculture and now the land does not produce like before. Sometimes my mother works as a janitor at the school. My father was a truck driver, but he has not found a job for a few years.
When I’m not in school, I study my lessons, do my homework, and I do some chores around our house like cleaning.
I am very grateful to the people in Atlanta who support the EcoVillage school. Please continue to help the school and the students. I hope that someday the school will expand with new programs for the children--especially during the holidays and in the summer so we can learn to do more things instead of just playing.
Translated by Saintilus WESLY and paraphrased
Record Enrollment: “No more room on the bench”
The Haiti EcoVillage School re-opened after the Christmas holiday with 377 students — 100 students more than attended before Christmas and the largest enrollment in the school’s 9-year history. The reputation of the school as one that provides quality instruction with professional teachers is driving the growth.
Fall opening of school was delayed because parents were reluctant to send their children fearing the violence that has plagued Haiti since the assassination of the President.
The increased enrollment creates challenges. There are not enough classroom materials for all the students since this number of students was not in the budget. Benches designed for 4 students are occupied by 5 students.
Many schools in Haiti have been closed due to lack of government funding to pay teachers. But, the teachers at the EcoVillage School are paid due to the faithful support of the partner church (NDPC, Good Shepherd, Emory) communities, and the children are fed lunch each day due to the resourcefulness of MPP, our Haitian partner organization.
Grateful hearts!
The EcoVillage School opened on Monday with 80 students in attendance. On the second day, 150 students came to school. Last year’s enrollment was 300, so there are still many who either (1) have not gotten the word, (2) are fearful for the safety of their children or (3) are embarrassed to send their children without uniforms or supplies even though Directeur Ramin waived those customary requirements due to the hardships of the past year which impoverished so many. Now, the parents who have been unable to feed their kids, know that the school will feed them lunch.
We are staying in touch to learn about the rest of the first week. How many will return to school? Are they providing extra security? Are the teachers able to find gas for their commutes or are they walking the 5+ miles to reach their classrooms? What might we do to help the school return to normal?
The opening of the school is only possible because of support from our community. Join our families as we give thanks with the school children using the grace that they taught us.
Thank you for our food. Thank you for those who provided our food. Watch over those who have no food.
Students Succeed at the EcoVillage School
Jessica Estin (left) and Shmiderlie Étienne (right) are two of our 9th graders who passed the National Proficiency Exam this year. Seventeen 9th graders took the exam; 14 received scores necessary to graduate from the fundamental school and continue to the next level of education in Haiti. Their successes demonstrate1` the quality of education at the Ecovillage School.
Jessica was the top scorer on the exam. She is the oldest child in her family and she lives in Ecovillage 1. In an interview this summer, Jessica said that she performed very well on all of the exam but the physical science was a little bit difficult for her. Jessica wishes to attend high school at St. Louis Joseph Janvier College in the city of Hinche. Jessica is grateful to the Atlanta Partnership for how they support the school. She acknowledged how the Partnership: has provided students with school materials to allow them to work better; has paid teachers, and has helped the most vulnerable by providing uniforms and shoes so they could attend. She says, “May God continue to protect your life, your family and always put money in your hand to continue supporting the school”.
Shmiderlie is another student who passed the official exams from the school. She lives in the nearby town of Beganabe with her mother, Eveline and her father, Kenson. Shmiderlie plans to continue her studies at Lycee Dumarsais Estimé (a college prep high school) in Hinche. Shmiderlie gives the Atlanta Group a big thank you for supporting the school and the students, and she says, “may the almighty God always bless them and their entire family”.
With the political and economic turmoil in Haiti at this time, the progress of these students in their education is only possible because of the financial support of the Haiti Ecovillage School Partnership.
Our Teachers: Champions of Hope for Haiti
Our teachers are our heroes—they persevere under great hardships to show up each day to teach our children. Recently our communication liaison Guerda met with the teachers who shared information about their lives and their experiences today in Haiti.
Our teachers travel to the school from various parts of Haiti but most live in the nearby city of Hinche. Some have motorcycles to ride the five miles to school, but many must hire a ride for their commute. Fuel is very expensive (about $12/gallon now) so transportation is a huge personal expense for them.
Our teachers struggle to make ends meet and provide for their families. Inflation is rampant. The Haitian gourd has fallen to 1/3 of its value since we opened the school in 2014. The teachers are very grateful to our Haiti EcoVillage Partnership that provides their salaries (most teachers in Haiti are not being paid anything!).
Our teachers agree their biggest concern is safety – for themselves and their families. Without a functioning government, the country is without law and order. Crime, including kidnapping for ransom, has spread from the cities into the rural areas. Our teachers and parents worry every day about the safety of the children attending the EcoVillage School.
Our teachers tell us some children have not been able to attend regularly due to poverty at home and fear for their safety. Because of the severe poverty, teaching materials are difficult to obtain and several of the teachers mentioned the lack of materials for the children as a top challenge to teaching.
Our teachers show up to teach. When asked what keeps them going, they all say: these children are the future of Haiti. If Haiti is to solve its problems, the next generation must be prepared. The children are the hope for Haiti. Hope keeps the teachers motivated, and it keeps us inspired as well.
See photos of the teachers and read more about them on our new teacher page at https://www.haitiecovillageschool.org/teachers
The school receives no government support to pay teachers. For this reason, your financial support to our mission keeps that hope alive.
We are now raising funds so that the school can remain open for the 2022-2023 school year.
Please continue to support our school through your donations using one of these options:
Option 1: Online via https://www.haitiecovillageschool.org/donate (PayPal) .
Option 2: Send a check to North Decatur Presbyterian Church, 611 Medlock Road, Decatur, Georgia 30033 designated for Haiti Mission.
Option 3: Make an eGift on the GSPC website at https://goodshepherdpc.org/give/ and designate your gift to 'Haiti Mission'
Children Learn About Clean Water and Our Mission in Haiti
Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church held a 3-day Vacation Bible School this year on July 12-14. The theme of VBS was “Everyone deserves clean drinking water”. It was an opportunity to teach about the challenges many people have in other countries to find clean water and a time to talk about our mission work in Haiti. We opened VBS on the first day with a photo presentation from our many trips to Haiti showing the life of children living in the Central Plateau and the role that water plays in their lives.
You can view the kid-centric program about our Haiti mission using this YouTube link:
and the supplemental video titled “A Girl in the Eco-Village” here:
Continuing in the clean water theme, the programming on that first day included the Bible story of Moses striking a rock in the desert to release refreshing water for the parched Jews. The children also enjoyed snacks of mango slices and plantain chips representing two of the many fruits eaten by the people in Haiti. The children also got to try balancing a 5-gal bucket on their heads which is a common way that people in third world countries carry their water.
This was the first in-person VBS that GSPC has offered since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was offered to the 78 participants in the Summer Camp program of the Good Shepherd Preschool. Thank you to all the teachers and volunteers that made this VBS possible and thank you for the opportunity to talk about our mission in Haiti.
We are All Mothering
My mother taught me kindness. She accepted each person she met with a gentle curiosity that filled your being. She wanted to know you and share your journey. She rarely ever said a harsh word and she never judged anyone. Her kindness and acceptance awe me.
The mothers I’ve met in Haiti have taught me courage and resilience. They accept their situations with grace and faith. They work tirelessly for their children in a world so foreign to us it is unfathomable. They struggle to feed and clothe each child. They fiercely fight to enable their children to attend our EcoVillage school. They pray for us! They don’t give up even when earthquakes shake their world or violent gangs threaten their existence. Even when there is no food or expectation to find food, they can smile. Their courage and resilience awe me.
In our work locally to support this school, we have met many people—mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. They listen to our stories about our families in Haiti. They ask questions. They pray. They follow up with more questions. They weep when they hear the news from Haiti. Their generosity and caring awe me.
Yesterday, our Haitian partner wrote: “we now face an unparalleled struggle where some Haitians are threatening to stop their fellow Haitians from surviving and thriving.” She writes many have been killed, injured or reported missing and thousands have been forced to flee from their homes.
She awes me with her words: “We thank all the supporters of the school in Atlanta who are still praying for us in Haiti. We know that with the help of prayer we have a day to breathe. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, on behalf of the MPP organization, parents AND students of the EcoVillage School for collaborating with everyone else in the community. With prayer we will break down the walls of insecurity that stand before us.”
Kindness. Acceptance. Courage. Resilience. Generosity. Caring. Determination. Conviction. Love. All words that encompass the powerful spirit of mothering. We are all mothering and being mothered by each other in our walk together, Haitians to Americans, Americans to Haitians.
Carolyn French