Children of Haiti Program Reopens

After a two-week summer break, the Children of Haiti (COHP) program—created last May and supported by 36 international schools and several institutions—reopened its doors on 27 August 2010. By the second day, almost all of the original four- and five-year old students had joyfully returned to daily classes.

The return to structure, along with regular nutritious meals, was appreciated by both students and staff; the latter observed that in only two weeks away from school the children had clearly regressed due to a lack of nutrition, as evidenced by their weight loss, reversal of hair texture, and overall listlessness. Conditions at their camp, and other camps hosting over 1.3 million displaced people, have deteriorated dramatically due to the stress of living in temporary conditions on a long-term basis.

In order to serve older children coming from the same tent camp, COHP has also instituted a literacy program for three hours daily, for 29 boys and girls from aged 9 to 13. All of these students have eagerly returned and are excited about having a clean and safe place to go where they can learn, socialize and get two decent meals (COHP is now providing them not only lunch, but a take-home meal at the end of the session).

Their enthusiasm and thirst for learning is strong, and most have never attended any school at all. As one of the “founding fathers” of COHP, Frank Anderson, noted on a recent visit to COHP, “The lunch was quickly devoured—not one grain of rice or minute piece of vegetable remained on the plates.” One of the boys asked a visitor to the school, “When you were young, did you also have trouble concentrating in school because of the pain in your belly from hunger?”

Anderson attributes the success and effectiveness of the program in large part to the “astounding leadership, total devotion and tireless efforts” of COHP’s director, Dominique Pierre. Despite many obstacles, Dominique and her competent and enthusiastic teachers are caring for the children’s daily needs, and have enlisted outstanding parent support.

The strong financial support delivered by 36 international schools, a number of individuals, and agencies such as Search Associates, Buffalo State University (SUNY), TieCare, Village Camps, ASOMEX, EARCOS, The Principals’ Training Center (PTC), Tri-Association, Global Resources (John Randolph) and The International Educator has enabled full sponsorship of all 51 of the younger students. In addition, His Highness Prince Saud Bin Khaled of Saudi Arabia has provided the funding necessary to feed all COHP children for a full year.

What is needed now is donors to sponsor the 29 students in the Literacy Program (US$1,500 per student, annually). An appeal for this support will soon be mounted directly, through several regional conferences. The Tri-Association for instance is featuring an appeal for assistance to COHP’s students and program in its opening session of their October conference.

A colossal donation of educational books, supplies, and materials has been made by Pearson Education, and they have already arrived in Haiti thanks to the dedicated efforts of John Randolph and others. Many of these materials will also be going to the Union School, to help bolster their own redevelopment efforts. Most, if not all, schools in Port-au-Prince remain closed. l

Interested in supporting this joint international school community effort in Haiti? Visit the COHP website, www.childrenofhaitiproject.org.

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