PECH Project Summary

These photos are from 1998 when I worked in Haiti for 9 months with the US Army.  Many of my friends from home generously mailed me clothing they no longer needed so that I could distribute it in Haiti.  Here my co-workers and I are passing out the donations in a poor neighborhood in the Carrefour area of Port-au-Prince.  Thank you to those of you who donated back then and now! 


Dear family and friends,

As you all probably know, the impoverished country of Haiti is a very special place to me. Most importantly, it is where I met my husband while we were both working there in the military in 1998. My 9 months in Haiti changed my life forever and in so many ways. After the earthquake that killed a quarter million people struck last January, my husband and I both knew and felt that I needed to go back. I strongly believed I had talents that could help. In truth, Haiti has never really left me and my thoughts, not since 1998 and especially now after the earthquake. Finally, this coming May 4th-June 3rd, I'm going back to the place where I saw so much suffering but also so much joy; the place where I first saw a rotting dead body but where I also witnessed the miracle of a baby being born; the place where I first experience wretched poverty but also extreme generosity from people who have nothing to give.

Last month, thanks to Facebook, I found a friend I met in Haiti (Christel), who is now a US citizen, living in Colorado. I was relieved to know he was ok after the earthquake. As we were catching up, I told him I wanted to go back and he told me his sister is the director of an elementary school, Gentille Hirondelle, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. After that conversation, things just fell into place, as if they were meant to be. So, for the month of May, I'll be staying with his sister and volunteering at the school. The earthquake destroyed the original school; a new one is being built but there are no remaining funds for a roof. Classes are occurring under a tattered blue tarp.

While in Haiti, my I plan to teach English to the elementary school children in the mornings and help begin an English language program for adults in the afternoons/evenings after the young children are finished with their classes. I hope to create an English program that can continue once I leave, but I also want to raise $10,000 to get a roof on the school.  I will use any remaining donations for small projects and needs (such as shelves, desks, school supplies, etc...) at the school.

Can you help? My plan is to raise funds so that I can take the donated money to Haiti and get the English program off the ground and get the roof built. If you are able to donate to this project, I guarantee your donation will be used in the way that you specify. I plan to send pictures and email updates of the project progress and of the students who benefit from your donation. The next blog entry is list of things I think we'll need for this project and the suggested donation amount for each specific item. For example, if you can donate $25, I can use it to purchase books for a small library or school supplies for the students. $150 will help train a teacher. $10,000 will build a roof. : ) I am only able to bring 2 suitcases with me, so instead of bringing items, I prefer to use donations to purchase things there. This option not only is cheaper, but it will help support the shaky local economy. 

Most importantly, we believe that while there is great need in Haiti, there is also potential for people to get accustomed to handouts. For this reason, we have chosen projects and donations that are non-expendable; things that will continue to make an impact and a difference in people's lives after we leave; things that benefit not just one or two, but an entire community. Thank you so much for your support in this important project!

If you are also interested in volunteering and have specific skills such as construction or education, and are able to pay your way, please contact us (we have a place for you to stay while you are there).


You can also check out my partner, Christel's, non-profit:  Colorado Springs for Haiti

Update: July 15th, 2011
My trip was a huge success and I feel your donations really made a difference in the lives of 200 children at the school in Haiti!  Please take a look at the postings and pictures in this blog for the details.

I'd love your help in my upcoming 2012 projects for Haiti.  Check more recent posts for specific details, but in summary, I plan to:

-build a bathroom at the school (the children just pee in the corner right now)
-purchase desks for the office, filing cabinets, school supplies for the next school year, playground equipment, clocks for each class, etc...
-start construction on a science-focused junior high school
-start construction on a vocational high school that teaches job skills in tourism and hospitality and provides employment in the tourist industry in Haiti 


Mesi anpil ("thank you very much" in Kreyol)! Julie Peters Akey