In Haiti Next Week
October 22, 2009
I (John Engle) go to Haiti early Monday morning. It’s exciting as there will be a group of 10 of us going to a remote village on the island of La Gonave to begin filming.
We’re creating a short documentary–with funds provided by Vista Hermosa Foundation–about Haitians in very difficult circumstances who are working together successfully to provide their children with a quality education. While the final DVD will have subtitles in English, French and Spanish, the target audience is Haitians. We hope that this gets aired on national television and we’ll also use it in our trainings all around the country. It’s an inspiring story and deserves to be told.
I will be a host on the second half of my 8 days in Haiti. Co-worker Kent and I have a great group of 5 friends joining us from Friday, October 30 through Monday November 2nd. The group includes two Haiti Partners board members along with our senior adviser. Our itinerary is relatively typical when we have a group for a quick visit. We pack a lot in and will make it possible for visitors to meet with a combination of leaders from four distinct sectors in Haiti: government, business, ngo (international non-governmental organizations) and grassroots leaders and educators.
We will break up into small groups–each having an interpreter–and spend one night in the countryside with Haitian families hosting us who are involved with a community school that we’re partnered with. Click here to download in PDF our full itinerary along with bios of visitors and people we’ll be meeting with.
We are excited about these friends coming to see the work that they are helping to make possible. In fact, they will help us carry 12 laptops for participants in our LEADERS Program, a three year training with 40 strategic community leaders and educators. Below is a video of Haiti Partners board member Johanna Jones and my wife Merline helping test and prepare laptops with necessary software for their recipients.
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Back to Life by Michael Deibert
October 19, 2009
This is a great article by journalist Michael Deibert who I (John Engle) happen to know and deeply respect. My colleagues and I have had the privilege of working closely with Concern Worldwide on a number of projects to encourage dialogue and peace building including the one mentioned in this article.
The violence, poverty and corruption that has blighted Haiti over the past few years has given way to an air of peace, efficiency and optimism. Michael Deibert reports.
Politically aligned gangs warring across the ramshackle capital of shanty towns and gingerbread houses are a thing of the past in Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti, and visitors cannot help but be struck by the feeling of change in the air. read article
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Insitute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti
October 10, 2009
Haiti Partners feels honored to be working with Haitians doing extraordinary things to improve their communities and their country. Most of what we focus on and talk about are the wonderfully positive things happening in Haiti.
There are also terrible injustices that need to be exposed. We are encouraged by the work of organizations in Haiti, the US and elsewhere whose “raison d’etre” (purpose for being) is to promote justice and expose injustice.
We honor the work of Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti and I (John Engle) have the deepest respect for Director Brian Concannon. I have had the privilege of working with him, his colleagues and groups that they are advocating for.
Chapo ba Brian ak koleg ou yo (hats off to you and your colleagues) for your work toward defending human rights in Haiti. The clip below was produced by the New Media Advocacy Project.
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The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind – Incredible!
October 9, 2009
Haiti also has capable young people like William Kamkwamba, who is from Malawi and built his own windmill from spare parts and scraps in a remote village. Check out this fun and touching interview with Jon Stewart. Inspiring in and of itself–and also when we think of giving more children in Haiti the opportunity for education:
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| William Kamkwamba | ||||
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Photos of Cite Soleil Community School
October 3, 2009
I (John Engle) returned from Haiti last night. Click here to see gallery of photos of Cite Soleil Community School along with several other interesting sites in Haiti. Photos by friend and co-worker, Luke Renner, who is creating a promotional video of the school and is also working with us to create a 15 minute documentary of a success story in Haiti where parents created social enterprises to generate income so that they could build schools and pay teachers to educate their children.
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Bill Clinton in Haiti
October 2, 2009
Former President Bill Clinton who is serving as Haiti’s Special Envoy to UN was in Petion-Ville yesterday for a conference at Caribe Hotel and Convention Center. (It’s a beautiful place!) More than 200 investors from Latin and North America and Europe attended along with local business leaders. Click here for article. I (John Engle) look forward to getting the inside scoop on the event from a friend who was part of the planning committee.
I continue to be amazed by infrastructure improvements that I witness with each visit. Yesterday I visited the OASIS being built in Petion-Ville. It’s amazing. Roads are being improved in major ways, new office buildings, hotels and apartment buildings being constructed. Continued improvement in security is rippling out, bringing a multitude of positive initiatives. And, there’s a long way to go. But there’s positive movement!
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