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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Fabulous Haiti Video – Tragedy and Hope
December 4, 2011
The Kenbe La Foundation was founded by New Zealander Emily Sanson-Rejouis in honor of her husband Emmanuel (Haitian) and their two small children, Kofie-Jade (5) and Zenzie (3) who lost their lives in the 2010 earthquake. Click here to read this story of tragedy and hope that brings tears to my (John) and my wife Merline’s eyes nearly every time we think of it. Like countless others, we draw inspiration from Emily’s determination to “Kenbe la” (Never Give Up) and to help children in Haiti.
Please, I encourage you to watch this video. It fabulously communicates Haitian talent and also determination in the face of tragedy. My children Daniel (5) and Leila (3) request it be played regularly. They break into dance immediately when hearing it and sing along. Kofie-Jade, Zenzie and Emmanuel, we regret we never met you even though we feel like we know you. We feel your spirits here with us when our family dances together to Kenbe La.
Haiti Partners is honored to be in partnership with Kenbe La Foundation. Three containers filled with school furniture and supplies and a prefab building that will be used as a clinic beside Henri Christophe School are on their way to Haiti. Once they land, the UN (Emily and Emmanuel were UN staff) will deliver them to Darbonne for our partner schools. Emily and a team of construction professionals are planning to come to Haiti in April 2012 to work with community members to erect the building and transform the containers into usable space for a clinic and the school. Emily, Merline and I can’t wait to finally meet you in person.
Posted in Annonciation Community School, Bèl Platon Community School, Cabois Community School, Cité Soleil Community School, Haiti Partners, Henri Christophe Community School, IMN Community School, Partner Schools, PARTNERS Program, STUDENTS Program | No Comments | Email This Post
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Partners in Music
October 20, 2011
Allan and Mary Pautz Klotche came to Haiti again as planned. In addition to spending time with Wozo choir, they did a music seminar for 22 school directors and teachers on how to use music to improve children’s learning and create more joy in the classroom. It was a great success. Allan and Mary rallied their friends and colleagues and created music kits that for each of Haiti Partners seven partner schools. Each kits include instruments, ipods equipped with music, speakers etc and have a value of nearly $400.
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, STUDENTS Program | 4 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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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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Philippe Lagrenade Joins GCLH and HP
September 3, 2011
We welcome Philippe Lagrenade to our team!
We’re excited about helping more Haitian children have access to quality education thanks to our partnership with GCLH (Grameen Creative Lab Haiti)
Philippe has extensive experience in helping groups start businesses in Haiti and in consulting small businesses. Thanks to a grant from Vista Hermosa Foundation, Philippe’s joined the staff of Grameen Creative Lab Haiti and will focus full-time on helping Haiti Partners partner schools to develop social businesses that will accomplish three things:
- Provide a well-needed product or service for community
- Create an additional revenue source for school which can help pay teachers’ salaries and other school expenses
- Help school staff, students and parents learn entrepreneurship
Below is short video from our meeting yesterday at GCLH offices introducing Philippe to representatives from our partner schools and discussing plans for moving forward together.
GCLH Country Director Claudine Francois in photo below with HP Partner School liaison Abelard Xavier
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Partner School Meeting
August 15, 2011
Last week we had a day long meeting with representatives from leadership teams of our partner schools. It was a super productive day going over what’s working well, what the challenges are and how we’re going to address them.
We’re making every effort to help our partner schools develop their capacity to not only deliver quality education to students but also to manage resources and finances effectively, track progress and report. The more information that Haiti Partners receives from partner schools, the more we’re able to share with donors to keep them informed about successes and challenges with work they’re helping to make possible.
Click here for more photos.
Click here for a narrative report on this meeting.
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, Social Enterprise for Quality Education, STUDENTS Program | No Comments | Email This Post
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New Partnership: Music for Students
August 9, 2011
We’re saying goodbye to friends Allan Klotsche and Mary Pautz as they return to Vero Beach tomorrow. But, they’ll be back soon!
Below, Mary and Allan are pictured with WOZO, Haiti Partners Youth Choir.
It’s been wonderful having them with us in Haiti during the last several days. In addition to spending time with Haiti Partners Youth Choir and providing valuable insight as choir prepares to travel to US for the first time, they also met with school principals and teachers in several of our partner schools to explore the possibility of having them return to do a seminar in using music in education.
Allan has played a key role in creation and development of Haiti Partners. One example of his critical role in Haiti Partners work is that following the earthquake, he facilitated the donation from Briggs and Stratton, and delivery of 240 5.5 Kw generators.
Allan and Mary are scheduled to be back in October to do a seminar with school principals and teachers with our partner schools on music in the classroom: How to help children develop the joy of music and how to use music to help children to develop skills in reading, math and in critical thinking.
Haiti Partners is excited about this partnership. Thank you, Allan and Mary!
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, STUDENTS Program, Youth Choir | No Comments | Email This Post
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Social Business Expert to Help Partner Schools
August 4, 2011
Thanks to our partnership with Grameen Creative Lab and to another grant from Vista Hermosa Foundation we have hired a Haitian expert who will work full-time to help our partner schools create social businesses.
The purpose of this is two-fold. First, it’s a revenue source. Haitian schools rarely have adequate funds to pay teachers even a tiny salary. They limp along without enough funds for materials, decent school furniture or to maintain their modest facilities. Social business offers a potential solution. The school creates an income generating activity, the parents and students can participate along with school director and teachers, and the school develops an addition revenue stream for helping to cover salaries and other school expenses.
The second reason this is so important is because students and teachers learn entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship and education are key for helping a country to develop.
We’re excited for another reason. Our “Natif Natal” film about a Haitian success story of grassroots groups creating social business to pay teachers’ salaries to educate their children is going to be shown throughout Haiti on local television stations. And, we’re going to use this as an opportunity to promote the social business concept in Haiti and to foster greater collaboration among organizations working in social business. Click here to view the film.
Posted in Annonciation Community School, Bèl Platon Community School, Cabois Community School, Capacity Building 3 Training, Cité Soleil Community School, Grants, Henri Christophe Community School, IMN Community School, Lalo Community School, Partner Schools, Social Enterprise for Quality Education, STUDENTS Program, Vista Hermosa Foundation | 1 Comment | Email This Post
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Thank You, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship!
July 15, 2011
Just finished up a week here in Haiti with our visitors from IVCF, and I (Jonathan) just can’t say enough how encouraged we are by this visit! Maxandre Bien-Aime, director of the IMN school, had this to say about the class put on by Kevin and Kristy:
“For a long time I had been wondering how I could help IMN’s students learn English, this language of such importance today. More than 30 children came to study English over 6 days. It was a beautiful thing…With follow-up the kids will continue to speak English – one of my dreams. This is also a great way for the Partner Schools to make a difference. Thanks so much for helping us in this way. The few teachers who were available were pleased to learn some English, too. The children created a great environment at the school. They played, sang, and danced. Give Kevin and Kristy kudos for me… ”
Check out my last post for a video of some of the dancing and singing at IMN! We’re excited about the possibility of a much longer follow-up next summer.
As you can see below, Helyn and Jen had a great time at the Cabois school (when they weren’t crossing rivers on foot!):
And finally, it was great to hang out with my friends Kristen and Dani, campus ministers in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.
Yes, coordinating shirts, purses, and water bottles!
We’re looking forward to continued partnership with student groups at universities across Virginia and North Carolina through the Global Urban Trek, and excited about what else might develop in the future. Thank you to friends and family who let this wonderful team leave them during the summer months (especially Peter, Kevin, Ryan, and Tyler). Hope to see you all soon again in Haiti!
Posted in Cabois Community School, Haiti Partners, Henri Christophe Community School, IMN Community School, Partner Schools, PARTNERS Program, STUDENTS Program, Uncategorized | No Comments |
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With InterVarsity campus ministers in Haiti
July 12, 2011
I (Jonathan) am in Haiti this week with a team of campus ministers from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, an interdenominational group serving students and faculty across the nation. IVCF’s vision is to see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed.
At William & Mary, I had the privilege of being a part of this movement, and now, I’m getting to partner with IVCF again here in Haiti! This team is exploring setting up a Global Urban Trek that gives students a 6 week opportunity to explore international development, social justice, and working with the poor out of a devotion to Christian faith. Treks have spread out across the globe to Cairo, Kalkota, Manila, Mexico City, and Bangkok, and hundreds of students have gone on to devote their lives to working with the poor.
This week, the team is staying with families in our network out in Darbonne and Cabois. They’re teaching English, crafts, and music to students and teachers in our schools. The energy has been incredible, everybody’s having a lot of fun and learning a lot. Stay tuned for more to come!
Posted in Cabois Community School, Henri Christophe Community School, IMN Community School, Partner Schools, PARTNERS Program, STUDENTS Program | 1 Comment | Email This Post
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Professional Learning Communities
May 24, 2011
We have the privilege of hosting in Haiti Anette Little and Sally Barton-Arwood. Both are professors at Belmont University with doctorates in education. Yesterday, they did a seminar with leadership of our partner schools in Leogane area on developing Professional Learning Communities (PLC). Sally and Anette did an excellent job. Their training was very well received by Haitian school directors and key staff of their schools. Haiti Partners is thrilled to be in partnership with Belmont University!
Today Annette and Sally are working with Haiti Partners staff member, Benaja Antoine and I (John Engle) to develop strategies to support the training and determine next steps with Belmont and Haiti Partners. We will also visit future site of Haiti Partners Children’s Academy.
(Video below photos)
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Partnering with Grameen Creative Lab
April 22, 2011
All of us at Haiti Partners are excited about a new partnership with Grameen Creative Lab in Haiti. While social business to advance quality education has been a priority for us since our conception, we acknowledge that we need more expertise and accompaniment.
The professionally done film we did, “Solisyon Natif Natal” (A Haitian solution) about a Haitian success story of communities creating social business to fund education is evidence of our commitment to highlight and encourage using social business to improve education. (Click here to view film)
We need to help our partner school that is already using social business to help fund their operating budget to significantly expand their business. We need to help our partner schools that don’t yet have social businesses to create them. We couldn’t be more excited about our partnership with Grameen Creative Lab to help with this. We will make sure that successes ripple out to other schools and communities.
The theme of our meeting yesterday was “Creating and Strengthening Schools.” In attendance were representatives from Ministry of Education, local and international organizations including Limyè Lavi Foundation and Beyond Borders, along with CNN Hero, Boby Duval of l’Athletique d’Haiti.
Collaboration is what it’s all about. Haiti Partners is honored to be part of a growing network of organizations working together to help all Haitian children have access to quality education.
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, Social Enterprise for Quality Education, STUDENTS Program, TEACHERS Program, Uncategorized | No Comments | Email This Post
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15 Months After the Earthquake Update
April 12, 2011
Today marks the 15-month anniversary of the devastating January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake which killed over 300,000 and left over one million homeless. Though many have become pessimistic because of the slow progress to rebuild the country, Haiti Partners has not held back: From day one we have worked effectively with our trusted network of Haitian community leaders and educators to get things done and, in doing so, to encourage hope for a better future. In this short video Co-Director, John Engle, details some of the important work which has gotten done over the last 15 months. For more details, please read our written update:
15 Months After the Earthquake – Accomplishments and Goals
This great progress would not have been possible without the generous support of so many individuals, institutions and local partners. With humble gratitude, for this we say, THANK YOU!
Posted in Cabois Community School, DISCIPLES Program, Haiti Partners, Henri Christophe Community School, LEADERS Program, PARTNERS Program, Special Projects, STUDENTS Program | 1 Comment | Email This Post
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Meal Programs Start at Partner Schools!
April 8, 2011
We are thrilled to announce that we have secured the food to establish meal programs at our partner schools! The food was donated by the World Food Programme and Stop Hunger Now and will be enough to assure the kids in our partner schools are able to receive one healthy meal each day for the next year.
Our local partners are especially excited about this because they regularly face the challenge of trying to provide a good education to hungry students. Studies show that hungry students struggle with shortened attention span, irritability, fatigue, difficulty with concentration and lowered cognitive performance.
Though we have yet to secure funding for food preparation, we give great thanks to WFP and SHN and everyone else who has helped to make this possible. The below picture is from IMN Community School, where each day 150 students now receive a healthy meal in addition to a great education!
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