You can make a difference too!

big-eyed Haitian child at the elementary school

People keep telling me that they are so inspired by what I've done in Haiti and it makes them want to make a difference too. Those comments bring tears to my eyes. Like you, I am just your average person, but I believe so strongly in helping the people of Haiti, that I did. After the earthquake that killed 250,000 (That's right, it killed a quarter of a million people!) I was determined to help. 

If you have a project or idea you'd like to do in Haiti and want to fundraise for it, I can help you make it happen! The need is so great. Whether it be with me in Haiti or with something you are passionate about, I encourage you to follow your passions too and share with those around the world who have so little compared to us.You too can help make the world a better place!

they styled my hair like theirs. ha ha!

Haiti is one of those places where one person really can make a difference! But it was thanks to many of you that I raised over $13,700 in the spring to help rebuild Gentille Hirondelle elementary school in Haiti, a school that was destroyed by the devestating 2010 earthquake. I also taught English at the school. I felt that your donations and my volunteering made such an impact that there was no way I could stop the great momentum, blessings, and positive energy I had going. So...I'm going back to Haiti in the spring to get bathrooms built for the 200 children at the school (now they just pee in a cement corner!) and start building 2 new schools: a science-focused one for junior high children and a vocational high school.

I can't do it without your help! Can you, your business, your organization donate to help Haiti through education? Would your child's school or your office like to "adopt" a school in Haiti? Can your family share some of your Christmas cheer helping the children of Haiti who probably have never received a Christmas present at all?

All donations are tax-deductible and are recognized on the "Thank you to" page of this blog. $500 donors names' are painted on a permanent commemorating sign on the school.

Thank you for making the world a better place!

A Haitian child pointing to her favorite drawing from the children in Hawaii

Julie Akey with some of the children at school

shy girls at school

  

 

Honolulu and Haiti children share art and frienship

"Thank you" from the children in Haiti

In the spring I brought more than 100 pieces of original artwork beautifully created by Honolulu children to decorate the bare walls of the rebuilt Gentille Hirondelle elementary school outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  Although the school in Haiti does not have any art supplies at all (no paper, no markers, no paint, no glue etc...), they invited an art teacher to the school one afternoon to teach some basic techniques and to share their creativity. The teacher brought paper and basic supplies with him and the Haitian children worked together to create some simple art filled with lots of love for their new friends in Hawaii. Here are some of the children at Montessori Community School in Honolulu, Hawaii enjoying their gifts of friendship and appreciation from Haiti.

artwork created by Gentille Hirondelle elementary school children in Haiti



Me (Julie Peters Akey) holding  a Haitian wood carving given from Gentille Hirondelle school in Haiti to Montessori Community School in Honolulu



My Montessori Community School Spanish class students watching their Haitian friends dance to their favorite song in Spanish "Waka Waka"

2011-2012 Thank You To:

Thank you so much to these generous donors to our PECH Haiti/CS for Haiti 2011-2012 projects!

Our current projects are:

-Construction of the Tabarre Science Academy
-Construction of a vocational high school in Titanyen
-Bathroom project at Gentille Hirondelle elementary school

-Supplies list for Gentille Hirondelle elementary school

-Sponsoring a child to go to school
-Sponsoring an illiterate adult for literacy class

THANK YOU!  MERCI!  MESI! to:

Mick Wong (Gentille Hirondelle elementary school)
Fox Mill Elementary School 5th grade classes (Gentille Hirondelle elementary school)
Fox Mill Elementary School kindergarten classes (Gentille Hirondelle elementary school)
*Montessori Community School 6-9 classes (Gentille Hirondelle elementary school bathrooms)
Sharon Markin and friends (Gentille Hirondelle elementary school)
Bud and Sandy Hartman (Gentille Hirondelle elementary school)
Jessica and Alex Turpin (Switzerland/US) (Gentille Hirondelle elementary school playground equipment)
Kelly Bland, Deidre Goodman, & 5th graders at East View Elementary School, Barbara & Bob Shadwick (recorders)
Julie Thompson and Macnamara Elementary School music teacher Mrs. Cabarari (recorders)
Laura McWhorter, Irene Gordon, Ralph, Lee, Lee's brother, Kelly (used laptops)
Glenisse Dapena, Sheila Smith, Terra MacIssac, Jessie Malkin, Melody Allan, and Jack (children's books)

*Ann Akey (sponsoring a child)

Lisa Akey (sponsoring a child)
Ricardo and Jennifer Villares (sponsoring a child)
*Julie and Geoff Akey (sponsoring a child)
*Susan and John McKee (sponsoring a child)

Lisa Nakata and Lisa Browning (sponsoring a child)
Susan and Jan Whitacre (sponsoring a child)
Cindy Shyne (sponsoring a child)

*Valerie and Derek Poag (sponsoring a child)
Junior Vincent (sponsoring a child)
Bay West Advisors, LLC (sponsoring a child)

Gabi Miyashiro (vocational high school)

*Julie and Geoff Akey (vocational high school)

*MUDEC Alumnus
Hsuan Hawkins
Junior Vincent (US/Haiti)
Urs and Cornelia Isert (Germany)
*Jens Pastille (Germany/Latvia)
Michelle Bartell

Jamie and David Moore (Tabarre Science Academy)
Ashley and Scott LaGanga (Tabarre Science Academy)
*Roy and Margarete Harmon (Tabarre Science Academy)
Carol and Hank Darlington (Tabarre Science Academy)
Diane Pillat (Tabarre Science Academy)
Rich and Dianne Peters (Tabarre Science Academy)
Lorna and Den Moran (Tabarre Science Academy)
*Valerie and Derek Poag (Tabarre Science Academy)
Anne Cormier and Kim Coffman (Tabarre Science Academy)
*Susan and John McKee (Tabarre Science Academy)
*Ann Akey (Tabarre Science Academy)

Terra MacIsaac (adult literacy sponsor)
Casey Kiel (adult literacy sponsor)
Lurana and Sean O'Malley (adult literacy sponsor)
Sheila Smith (adult literacy sponsor)
Jessica and James Hardway (adult literacy sponsor)
*Susan and John McKee (adult literacy sponsor)
*Ann Akey (adult literacy sponsor)
Glenisse and JC Dapena (adult literacy sponsor)
Jessie and Craig Malkin (adult literacy sponsor)
Cindy and Andy Stevenson (adult literacy sponsor)
Tomoko Hotema (adult literacy sponsor)
*Anonymous (adult literacy sponsor)
Kay and Mark Olson (adult literacy sponsor)
*Roy and Margarete Harmon (adult literacy sponsor)
Nilu (adult literacy sponsor)

*denotes $500+ donors for 2012 projects

My next plans and projects for Haiti

Gentille Hirondelle children and I at school

I plan to return to Haiti in the spring of 2012 to work on some new projects:

Project 1: begin construction on the Tabarre Junior High Science Academy

Project 2: begin construction on the Dignity vocational high school

Project 3: build a bathroom at Gentille Hirondelle elementary school

Project 4: continue the sponsorship project so Haitian children can attend school  
Project 5: sponsor illiterate adults to learn to read and write in an adult literacy class

I would greatly appreciate it if you would again consider donating to any of these projects.  Please indicated which project you would like your donation to help fund.  I will post pictures of the progress. You can scroll down this blog to see many of pictures of Gentille Hirondelle school and children and past projects. 

Starting in the winter of 2011, I began partnering with Colorado Springs for Haiti, an small non-profit organization founded by a Haitian-American friend of mine.  CS for Haiti's mission is to build schools in Haiti.  Because we have similar missions we both feel we can benefit by working together.  Furthermore, CS for Haiti is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, it is run by a Board of Directors, and is regularly audited.  All donations you make are 100% tax deductible. 

If you are considering donating to our projects, you may donate electronically here:

 
or you may write checks to:
PECH Haiti / Colorado Springs for Haiti 
12732 Bradwell Rd.
Herndon, VA 20171

Thank you for helping Haiti through better education!  Merci!  Mesi!

Haitian 6th graders with the homemade maps from Hawaii

Project 1: TABARRE JUNIOR HIGH SCIENCE ACADEMY

The mission of the Tabarre Junior High Science Academy is to provide a project-based, hands-on, science-focused education to junior high school children in Haiti.  The goal of the school is to teach children skills they can use to help improve Haiti, solve some of Haiti’s problems, and find employment in Haiti in the future. The school will focus on all types of science such as, but not limited to, physics, engineering, electronics, chemistry, human anatomy, and environmental science.  Learning will be through doing and experimenting, rather than the traditional Haitian method of memorizing.

We already have a plot of land and intend to begin construction of the Tabarre Junior High Science Academy in the spring of 2012.  Currently, we are accepting monetary donations (which are 100% tax deductible) for school construction and for the cost of a shipping container to transport science supplies and equipment to the school.  Once transportation is arranged, we will begin soliciting donations of used science equipment to include but not limited to laboratory equipment, medical equipment, electronics, tools, supplies for experiments, etc... Additionally, once the school is constructed, we invite volunteers with science-related skills or knowledge to teach classes, have workshops, or lead projects at school for the children. 

now everyone has a pen and notebook

Project 2: A VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL AND TOURIST PROJECT
We plan to begin constructing of a small vocational high school where we will train Haitians to work in the tourism and hospitality industry, with the goal of providing job skills and creating employment.  Our long-term plan involves starting a tourist project where the students can also work, that incorporates elements of eco-tourism, agro-tourism, an organic restaurant, horseback riding, and tours catering to the volunteer/missionary/foreign community based in and around Port-au-Prince.   A portion of the proceeds from the tourism project will help fund our other volunteer projects in Haiti.  We already have a titled piece of land for this project, are coordinating to get a well dug, and are working on the business plan. 

Haitian boys at the school party

Project 3: BATHROOM FOR GENTILLE HIRONDELLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Can you help us build bathrooms for 200 school children?  Gentille Hirondelle elementary school in Tabarre (located on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti ) does not have bathroom facilities.  There is an area with simple concrete dividers for the children to use the bathroom but they have to pee on the ground in a corner.  It really stinks and is full of flies.  There are no toilets, sewage pipes, stall doors, water, sinks, toilet paper, or soap.  The 200 children have nothing to wipe with after using the bathroom and they have no water to wash their hands.  It is a sanitation nightmare!  The bathrooms will need sewage infrastructure installed, fixtures, a water pump, and a well dug to pump water to the restrooms. 

Gentille Hirondelle is the school where we constructed the roof, began an ESL program, and I volunteered in May 2011.  You are welcome to visit the school in Haiti at any time and you can see many pictures of the school on prior blog entries.

a rainbow from Hawaii for you!

WISH LIST FOR GENTILLE HIRONDELLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Donations will go toward smaller projects and supply needs at Gentille Hirondelle elementary school such as:
     -notebooks, pens, and pencils for each child
     -metal benches for children/parents to sit on before school begins, during lunch, and at breaks
     -clocks for each class room
     -playground equipment
     -trash cans
     -3 office desks
     -2 filing cabinets
     -materials for the kindergarten class

Project 4: SPONSOR A CHILD TO GO TO SCHOOL
We are looking for people interested in sponsoring a Haitian child to attend at Gentile Hirondelle elementary school for this school year (and in the vocation and science schools in the future).  Families cannot afford to pay the tuition for their children to attend school ($150/year), 12 books ($64/year), uniform (approx $50), and yearly enrollment fee (varies).  Sponsors may decide whether to pay for all expenses or just the tuition.  We would like to find sponsors who will commit to sponsoring the child for several years.  You will receive a photo and updates from the child.  You are welcome to visit the child in Haiti at any time. 

Project 5: SPONSOR AN ILLITERATE ADULT TO TAKE A LITERACY CLASS
We are looking for sponsors for illiterate Haitian adults to take a literacy class. The cost to sponsor is only $30 a student. Please see the March 2012 entry for more details.
 

Can PECH Haiti count on you for a donation again? 

 

You may also donate by check written to:
PECH Haiti / Colorado Spring for Haiti
12732 Bradwell Rd.
Herndon, VA 20171

Thank you so very much!

Donate $500 and we'll add your name to the wall of Gentille Hirondelle school or the soon-to-be-built vocational high school!

Donate $500 to our PECH Haiti project and we'll add your name (or the name of your company/family/ organization/group of friends/school etc...) to the wall of Gentille Hirondelle school or to the wall of the soon-to-be-built science school in Haiti!   The photos above show the names of those who donated $500 or more to the roof project at Gentille Hirondelle in the spring of 2011.

We are now accepting donations for our 2012 projects: adult literacy class sponsors, Tabarre Science Academy, the vocational high school, sponsoring elementary school children for school, and the bathroom project at Gentille Hirondelle school. We will add the names of $500 (or more) donors to the school wall.

With much gratitude, we sincerely thank these extremely generous $500+ donors:

     MUDEC Alumnus, USA (2011-2012)
     Julie and Geoff Akey, USA (2011-2012)
     Roy and Margarete Harmon, USA (2011-2012)
     Valerie and Derek Poag, USA (2011-2012)
     Susan and John McKee, USA (2011-2012)
     Ann Akey, USA (2011-2012)
     Montessori Community School 6-9 classes, USA (2011-2012)
     Jens Pastille, Germany/Latvia (2011-2012)

     Lisa Akey, USA (2010-2011)
     Anonymous, Korea (2010-2011)
     Tom Hujik, USA (2010-2011)
     Junior Vincent, USA (2010-2011)
     Jessica Turpin and Alex Gachet, Switzerland (2010-2011)
     Ann Akey, USA (2010-2011)

     Adella Okuda, USA (2010-2011)

     Mother Nature's Preschool, Canada (2010-2011)

     Fire Dragon Tae Kwon Do, Canada (2010-2011)

     Joy of Christ Lutheran Church/St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, USA (2010-2011)
     

Finishing up

 

the finished outside wall of the school

  

My Haitian family (including Christel visiting from Colorado Springs for Haiti)



Evangeline and I with artwork that her students made for Montessori Community School in Honolulu

It was with great sadness, but also great fulfillment, that I left Haiti a little over a month ago.  I have been reluctant to write this blog post because it signifies that my trip has come to an end and I really didn’t want it to ever finish!  My month in Haiti was life-changing.  I felt so much love and appreciation from the children at school and my host family.  I miss Haiti already, and especially my Haitian family!  And I love Haiti more than ever!  Mewn remen ou, Ayiti!

People have asked me if I felt I made a difference in Haiti and I feel I made a HUGE difference!  The month in Haiti was a complete success.  Thanks to your generosity, I received a total of $13,737.03 in donations!  If you are interested in specific financial details, I've posted all the expenditures further down on the blog and I have all hard copy receipts. 

Here are some of the things I was able to accomplish with your donations. 

-I spent $10,000 of the donated money for the new, sturdy, well-built roof for the school so now the children have a roof over their heads for class.

-I had more desks-benches-tables made.  These are long benches with an attached writing surface where 4 children can sit, work, and store their supplies.  Before, there weren’t enough seats for all the children to sit and they were completely cramped.

- I purchased a chair for each teacher. 

-I had a locking bookshelf made to store the books for the mini-library and purchased supplies to create the library. We used donated books to start the library.

-I purchased supplies and we built a locking, hanging, cabinet for each teacher for them to store their supplies, children’s notebooks, and books.

-The front wall of the school was finished and painted.  The name of the school was painted on the wall and a donor sign was created.

-We had a wall separating the classes and the administration office constructed.

-I purchased an inflatable globe for each class.

-We purchased materials and began construction on a water catchment system so that we can collect rainwater for the children to wash hands after going to the bathroom.

-We purchased textbooks, supplies, photo copies, blank CD’s, CD player, batteries, dictionaries, and administrative materials to begin the adult English school, Aloha English Institute.

-I paid the Aloha English Institute teacher/director salary for May and June.

-I purchased and installed a manual pencil sharpener for the children.

-I purchased protractors, compasses, and rulers for math classes.

-we decorated the school with more than 100 pieces of artwork created by Honolulu children

Thanks again to all of you who donated to this PECH Haiti project!  The children of Haiti and I send you a huge THANK YOU!

the completed roof overhead and children's art from Honolulu decorating the walls of the school

benches/desks that I had made

cabinets we made for each teacher

building a wall

I plan to return to Haiti next spring to work on some new projects.  I would greatly appreciate it if you would again consider donating!  Stay tuned for more details.  Thank you!  Merci!  Mesi!

my adult English students

The reality of life in Haiti

Terrible pollution

A disgusting polluted river in Cap Haitian

I sadly leave Haiti tomorrow morning, and although this month has been challenging and uncomfortable, is has been completely rewarding. I was wondering if this trip would finally make me fall out of love with Haiti, but on the contrary, I love Haiti even more. I'll never forget the friendships and love shared with me and I will hold them forever in my heart.

I've tried to remain positive throughout the blog, mostly because if one starts writing about all the negative things here, you will get so depressed. However, here are some pictures of the reality of life in Haiti.  Warning, some of the photos may be disturbing for children.

a small home in the countryside

Typical trash pile found everywhere

Bathing with a bucket on the street corner

The destroyed National Palace-I cry every time I see it

The neighborhood trash pile in the way to school from the house

T

Typical mass transit and graffiti

Several skulls and trash in a destroyed grave in the National Cemetery.  Note-the conditions in the cemetery are MUCH better than my last visit

Heavily armed UN soldiers.  Can you imagine wearing all that in 95 degree heat?

A public water point at one of the thousands of tent cities

Earthquake destruction in Port-au-Prince