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In September 2000, the Hope for Haiti Foundation started a primary school in the remote mountain village of Zorangé, Haiti. The school (see images on the right) was a shell of a building; with a tin roof, dirt floor and four walls that consisted of misshapen boards. To those of us in America, we would never imagine sending our children into a "school building" like that. But for the people of Zorangé, it was a dream come true. Finally their children would be able to learn and get an education. They began to see a hope for the future, A Hope for Haiti.
The foundation hired five Haitian teachers from Port au Prince and other similar areas, to come up into the mountains and give these children an opportunity to learn. The five teachers and two hundred and fifty students would gather in our one room school with no separation whatsoever. No walls, no curtains, just one big open space with each classroom facing in a different direction, in an effort to reduce the level of distraction. This situation was often difficult for teachers and students alike as they fought for attention in the stuffy hot building. Yet they came, and they learned.
Though the circumstances were harsh, we have seen improvements and growth over the years from our students and our teachers. On our annual mission trips to Zorangé we bring American teachers with new lesson plans, materials, and methods to better equip our teachers in Haiti. It is a success! We are working together and giving the people of Haiti a brighter future. But we knew from day one that our shack of a school building could only be a temporary solution. We had to build an actual structure that was safer, more conducive to learning, and shielded the occupants from the extreme heat and powerful storms that frequently hit Haiti. So we began construction of a multi-classroom building with a cafeteria, nurses office, library, courtyard, and secure storage rooms.
In September 2006, the school construction has reached a point where there is now one class / grade per room, as opposed to having five classes per room. The walls, ceiling and floors are made of concrete that will keep everyone cool and protected from the elements, as they diligently learn their lessons. This situation will allow us to be more effective as a school. Our success rate will greatly increase and kids will be better equipped for secondary school. Still, the construction continues. Only five of the classrooms are completed. The foundation for the rest of the school has been laid and some walls for other rooms have been built. But due to lack of funding, our progress has been very slow. We currently employ five teachers, a principal, and a nurse in Haiti. Their salaries are much less than our teachers here in the US, but it is still a cost we must support. The cost of laborers and materials constantly slow the progress of the school. We desperately need to finish the construction as there are many more children who are currently not enrolled in school due to lack of space. We are doing what we can financially, but we need your help. If you have a heart for helping the children, then please go to our donations page and submit a contribution with the words "Support the School" in the subject line. Thank you so much. Everyone here at the foundation, and in Haiti truly appreciate anything you can do to help.
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