Postcards From The Edge

en français

One child in 8 dies before reaching 5 year of age. Among those who survive, half never go to school. Of the few lucky ones who have a shot at an education, 98% drop out before completing secondary school. They have to work for food, many join armed street gangs, while others become prostitutes. There are also those who do not choose to become “restaveks”. A modern version of a slave, where a destitute child is given as a “servant” to a richer family thus effectively losing all human dignity, in exchange for being fed and maybe some basic education. 300,000 children are currently restaveks. They live an hour flight away from Florida’s trendiest beaches. Welcome to the reality of a Haitian child.

Nelson Mandela, 1993 Nobel Peace Prize winner, said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

On top of the dire situation described above, the January 12th 2010 earthquake destroyed 80% of schools in and around Port-Au-Prince. Without access to education, the vicious circle of poverty will keep on perpetuating for these children and their own children. In september 2012, we will inaugurate the opening of a new school in an underprivileged community on the outskirts of Port-Au-Prince. We will start by offering education to 50 children aged 6 to 10 years old. Within the next 4 years, we aim to provide sustainable quality education for close to 200 children, as well as a health follow-up and an assured meal daily.

Phase 1 is complete!! Thanks to your donations ($15,000), we now have all necessary school supplies, books, backpacks and uniforms for the 50 children, and we completed payment on the land. Thank you!

In this second phase of the project (deadline: September 2012), you can help by donating to build the first two classrooms ($6,000) and a large metal gate for the school ($2,000).

You will receive, in exchange, the picture of the children you have helped sitting in class this September. Something they could not even have dreamed of only a few months earlier. Please note that every dollar received will go directly to implement the project on the ground, there are no administrative fees and everyone involved in this project is doing so voluntarily.

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If you would like to donate by cheque, please email me directly at yannick [dot] daoudi [at] gmail [dot] com and I will contact you shortly with the mailing address for the foundation.