Haiti Partners in Christian Science Monitor
January 28, 2012
Click here to read an article in Christian Science Monitor about Haiti Partners work in social business to improve quality of education in Haiti.
Posted in Annonciation Community School, Bèl Platon Community School, Cabois Community School, Cité Soleil Community School, Henri Christophe Community School, IMN Community School, Lalo Community School, Partner Schools, PARTNERS Program, Social Enterprise for Quality Education, Special Projects, STUDENTS Program, Vista Hermosa Foundation | No Comments |
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WOZO Youth Choir Commemorates 2nd Anniversary of the Earthquake in Song
January 12, 2012
In this video the Haiti Partners WOZO youth choir sings to commemorate the 2 year anniversary of the earthquake. The song was written and arranged by choir director, Alex Myril, and Merline Engle. Lyrics can be found below.
January 12th, a day of terror and tears.
Eyes and hearts of Haitians filled with pain,
January 12th, a day of terror and tears.
Eyes and hearts of Haitians filled with pain
A horrific disaster, followed by cholera, and misery
take so many to their death
Your blood spilled,
and your souls live on and you are with us,
Giving your fellow Haitians strength
for the work of rebuilding Haiti
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Youth Choir Sings – Happy New Year from Haiti Partners!
December 31, 2011
We finish this year with profound gratitude for our friends and colleagues in Haiti, the U.S., Canada, and around the world. We start the New Year excited about what is ahead in our journey together.
We pray that 2011 is marked by peace, joy, and hope for you and your loved ones. And of course we’re praying–and working–for the same in Haiti.
If you and your friends are still looking for ways to give at the end of this year, please consider a gift to Haiti Partners. Any gifts given by midnight tonight will be doubled, up to $100,000, by a generous grant by our friends and partners at the Vista Hermosa Foundation.
Changing lives through education is a great way to end one year and move into a new one: http://www.haitipartners.org/donate/
So, thank you! The choir sings for you in the video below–as a small sign of our love and gratitude for you.
Happy New Year from all of us at Haiti Partners!
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WORLDBLU Team in Haiti
December 25, 2011
My co-workers and I (John Engle) were thrilled to host in Haiti the WorldBlu team December 10-17. Their training on organizational and workplace democracy for our partner school leadership teams and for 35 people in our LEADERS Program was incredible.
We are so grateful to Vista Hermosa Foundation for making their visit possible. WorldBlu team also participated in Open Haiti Camp open space meeting, that was a follow-up to TEDx Port-au-Prince, and met with business and NGO leaders. Haiti Partners is deeply grateful to be part of the WorldBlu worldwide network of democratic workplaces. Thank you for making time available, WorldBlu team, to spend time in Haiti to help us build better schools and institutions!
Click on links below for albums of photos:
Habitat Santo Visit
Visiting Partner Schools
Seminar for Partner Schools Leadership Teams
LEADERS Program Seminar
WORLDBLU, Miranda Ash’s Photos
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Youth Choir Sings – Merry Christmas from Haiti Partners!
December 24, 2011
At this time of year as we remember God’s love being with us in Jesus, we’re filled with gratitude and hope. It’s also a time for us to thank you for your generous commitment to helping people in Haiti. We’re deeply grateful to have friends and partners like you.
Here is a song from the Haiti Partners Youth Choir, sung for you.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Haiti Partners!
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WorldBlu Team in Haiti
December 12, 2011
My co-workers and I (John Engle) are having a wonderful time hosting WorldBlu team in Haiti this week. They’re putting photos and updates on their Facebook page. Click here.
We are so grateful to Vista Hermosa Foundation for making their visit possible. In addition to them participating in Open Haiti Camp open space meeting, that was a follow-up to TEDx Port-au-Prince, they’re networking with business and NGO people and will do seminars for leadership teams of Haiti Partners partner schools and for 35 participants in our LEADERS program. Thank you for being here, WorldBlu!
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Children’s Academy – Community Engagement
December 4, 2011
It’s exciting to see community involvement in construction of Children’s Academy. Below is video and photos of foundation being dug and also of folks clearing land in preparation for a large open space community meeting to discuss “The Role of Education in Development of a Community.”
Below that is a video of a community meeting in November. There are 55 community members (2 groups) participating in Circles of Change training, which helps develop communication and collaboration skills. They are also doing research toward developing a business that generates revenue for the school.
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Daily Haiti Blog by Partner “Scotty Hendo”
November 20, 2011
Friend Scott Henderson, or “Scotty Hendo” is doing a daily blog during his time in Haiti with us right now. Below are first couple paragraphs of today’s with link. Thanks Scotty Hendo for partnering with us and for coming to Haiti with us!
#1 Thing to Learn from This Post:
The community school is the foundation for educating children, parents, and community members, giving the people of Haiti the bridge to a better life.
A More Detailed Exploration:
Waking up at 6:00am, our team hit the road shortly after 7:00am to make the drive to Leogane, the epicenter of the 2010 7.0 magnitude earthquake and where the Haiti Partners team first began its work here twenty years ago. On a typical weekday, this twenty-five mile journey from Bellevue can take anywhere from 2-1/2 to 4 hours depending on flooding, traffic, and other factors.
Thankfully, traveling on a Saturday meant considerable less traffic and we made it there in 1-1/2 hours. It also helped that most of the highway is a paved, divided four-lane road. Last year, it was still under construction and considerably more arduous. Having a functional system of roads and highways is vital. (Click here to continue)
Posted in Henri Christophe Community School, Partner Schools, PARTNERS Program, STUDENTS Program, Youth Choir | No Comments | Email This Post
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GRAMEEN FOUNDER, Muhammad Yunus in Haiti
October 14, 2011
Nine of my close colleagues and I (John Engle) drew inspiration from Muhammad Yunus today. Hats off to Grameen Creative Lab for organizing this conference of thought leaders, entrepreneurs (all ages) and many like my colleagues and I who are committed to social business. It was wonderful to see the two young people awarded their prizes of all expenses paid to participate in Social Business Conference in Austria.
Later in the afternoon I joined with others working in close partnership with Grameen to discuss with Muhammad Yunus our various plans and projects for social businesses. His insights, questions and comments that come from decades of experience are golden.
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2010-11 Annual Report Now Available Online!
October 11, 2011
Haiti Partners 2010-11 Annual Report covers our accomplishments from the last fiscal year and our plans for the next. To download the full report, click here.
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Social Business Meeting
September 27, 2011
Here’s a super quick video (14 seconds) of community meeting yesterday with Philippe Lagrenade facilitating a brainstorming about possible social businesses that could help fund the Children’s Academy and which will also help meet a community need. Philippe is doing meetings like this with all communities where our partner schools are. Today he arrived in the remote community of Bel Platon on the island of La Gonave.
We’re fortunate to have Philippe and to be in partnership with Grameen Creative Lab. Click here to learn more about this partnership and Grameen Creative Lab.
Posted in Annonciation Community School, Bèl Platon Community School, Cabois Community School, Capacity Building 3 Training, Cité Soleil Community School, Haiti Partners, Henri Christophe Community School, IMN Community School, Lalo Community School, Partner Schools, Social Enterprise for Quality Education, Uncategorized, Vista Hermosa Foundation | No Comments | Email This Post
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Children’s Academy Ground Breaking
September 22, 2011
Local community members were joined by 11 members of major partner Calvary Church, a team from Architecture For Humanity, plus friends from; Haiti’s Ministry of Planning, Hertz, Haiti Allies, and from several Haiti Partners partner schools including CSCS.
It was a beautiful clear day and during the 30 minute ceremony we heard from special advisory to Children’s Academy Mèt Antenor (longtime friend and neighbor and a school principal for more than 20 years), a mother of a child that will attend Children’s Academy, a 14 year old young leader, and Joyce Johnson, Mission Director of Calvary Church. We also of-course heard from WOZO choir, which is made up of children in the surrounding neighborhoods.
The Children’s Academy and training center is a big vision. We invite you and your church or organization to partner with us in realizing it. Click here to download 2-page Children’s Academy description.
Click here to see architectural plans on Architecture For Humanity’s website. Haiti Partners couldn’t be more grateful to Architecture For Humanity and BAR Architects for doing the plan.
Click here to view gallery of photos from ground breaking ceremony.
Click here for more photos taken by friend and photographer Eric Graham.
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First Aid Training by Haitian-American Partners at WISEOP, Inc.
September 18, 2011
Many thanks to Dr. Guylaine Richard and Dr. Yanique Edmond for coming again to Henri Christophe Community school and providing training in first aid. With help from Abelard Xavier of Fondasyon Esperyansla, Drs. Richard and Edmond met with a group of 10 community members, including teachers from our partner schools. As you can see in the pictures below, they distributed first aid materials and provided hands-on instruction in how to apply first aid in the case of an emergency.
Haiti Partners believes strongly in the critical role that schools can play in a community’s development. In addition to helping our partner schools improve education for students, we are also committed to helping the schools serve their communities in other ways such as training for adults.
Drs. Richard and Edmond are with WISEOP, Inc., a US-based non-profit dedicated to serving communities in need. They are both Haitian-Americans and bring a special wealth of experience to working with our local partners. To learn more about WISEOP, Inc., follow this link: http://wiseop-inc.org/
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Jesse and Scott’s Next Haiti Trip
September 17, 2011
Haiti Partners’ special friends and partners, Jesse Engle and Scott Henderson, are inviting their special friends to come to Haiti with them. Below is their invitation. Haiti Partners is incredibly grateful to you, Jesse and Scott, for your partnership. Thank you for what you’ve already helped us accomplish in terms of impacting lives! We’re excited about what’s possible in our partnership with both of you and with your team as we work to help Haitians change Haiti through education.
A message from Jesse and Scott:
Haiti Trip – Social Business for Quality Education
We’re inviting a special group of friends and colleagues to join us on a trip to Haiti. You are someone we enjoy being around and think has an important perspective to contribute to our efforts. Our intent is to assemble a small, well-connected group of quality human beings to join us as we explore how we can help Haiti Partners and Grameen Creative Lab Haiti in their efforts to use social business to tackle the challenge of quality, accessible education.
Only 8% of Haiti’s schools are publicly-funded, leaving the rest to charge fees too expensive for many families. As a result, nearly 50% of school-age children aren’t enrolled in school, and those who are often receive a poor education from teachers who lack adequate training and materials. While the government is working to make free, quality education available to all children, it will be many years before this goal is realized. In the meantime, Haiti Partners (co-founded by John Engle) has teamed up with Grameen Creative Lab to pilot social businesses at seven Haitian schools that Haiti Partners supports. Click here to learn about their strategy financed by loans from SAP and Accenture, which will accomplish the following:
- Create additional revenue streams to help fund teachers’ salaries, staff development, supplies, and facilities, which will reduce their reliance on school fees and outside support.
- Develop a culture of entrepreneurism among administrators, teachers, students, and parents that will help create jobs and drive economic growth in their communities.
Our goal on this trip is to better understand this initiative with its challenges and opportunities, and explore ways that we can partner with Haiti Partners and GCL to support these efforts.
DATES
Arrive in Haiti: Thursday AM, November 17, 2011
Depart for US: Monday AM, November 21, 2011
ITINERARY WILL INCLUDE
- Visiting several partner schools; meeting with administrators, teachers, students and parents
- Spending time with staff of Grameen Creative Lab and meet with representatives of the Ministry of Education
- Meet with Richard Morse, special advisor to Haiti’s president, owner of the historic Oloffson Hotel and an important Haiti tweep.
- Going to performance of RAM (Richard A Morse band) at Oloffson Hotel
- Hiking in the beautiful mountains of Haiti
- Enjoying some wonderful Haitian cuisine, coffee, and rum
- Browsing Haitian art on streets, in boutiques and in a gallery
- Meet with Haitian business leader(s)
We will stay at home of John and Merline Engle (also known as the Bellevue Guesthouse), which is located in the mountains several miles south of Port au Prince. It’s a lovely setting tucked amongst the trees, with a beautiful view of the city. Some of us will sleep in the house and some of us will sleep in large tents equipped with beds and bedding. Click here for documents about what to expect in Haiti, Haiti Partners philosophy and approach to hosting visitors, information about immunizations, an introduction to Haitian-Creole, etc.
We’re excited about this trip and look forward to you being a part of it!
Jesse Engle and Scott Henderson, Haiti Partners friends and partners
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Videos and Photos of WOZO Choir in US
September 18, 2011
THANK YOU!
First, I (John Engle) want to express gratitude for the many birthday wishes I received last week. I’m both touched and encouraged!
I also want to share my recent joy of being part of WOZO Choir’s first trip to US. They performed formally seven times in schools and a church but sang informally wherever they went. They received a number of standing ovations.
This was a dream come true and we can’t thank our friends at Calvary Church, Allan and Mary Klotsche, Lisa and Eva Victor and others enough for making it as wonderful as it was.
A DREAM COME TRUE
Our dream with the children has always been that one day we would travel to US to perform. It took five years but the goal was accomplished. WOZO members have worked so hard! Not only to develop their skills but also to improve their neighborhood through picking up trash and planting trees. These are great kids. They have learned dialog skills and collaborative leadership and are examples in the community.
CHOIR’S HISTORY
We began our neighborhood choir in 2006 with the suggestion and matching gift of $5,000 from good friend Bob Hadley. Many others got involved too. Kayla Werlin and her husband Wayne have played key role in choir’s development and in development of Choir Director, Alex Myril.
THE KIDS IN WOZO
The 37 children and youth (ages 8-17) in WOZO come from desperately poor families. They’ve lived hard lives and many lost their homes and family members in earthquake. Their name, WOZO, is perfect for them: a type of Haitian bamboo that will bend but will not break. This past Friday, the 14 original members of WOZO who traveled to US and their parents came to our home to watch these and other videos and view photos projected on a wall. We celebrated!
The parents are so proud of their children and so grateful to all who have made this experience possible.
POWERFUL IMAGES
I hope that you’ll have time to view some of these joyous images and to listen to their songs of strength and determination. They write most of them and sing them in Haitian-Creole. Click here for WORDS TO WOZO SONGS
INVITING YOU TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE HAITI PARTNERS EMAIL UPDATES AND TO “LIKE” US
We send out an email every three weeks or so highlighting positive things happening in Haiti. We don’t ask for money in these updates. If you are not already receiving them, we invite you to add your email address in the space on left and click the arrow beside it and to click “Like” us on the right column. Thank you!
AGAIN, I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISHES AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE POSITIVE IMAGES BELOW.
Click here to see photo album of their entire trip.
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