Education - Transforming lives by helping Haitian children learn, grow and succeed
The literacy rate in Haiti is about 33-45 percent. In rural areas there are virtually no schools; consequently, higher rates of illiteracy (and poverty) exist. Almost 90 percent of existing Haitian schools are private--mostly church run--with only 10 percent run by the government.
Between 70-80 percent of Haitians live in abject poverty, with the per capita income being the lowest in the western hemisphere. This average income is between $200-400 per year, with those in severe poverty earning less than $100 annnually. 80 percent of the population has an average income of less than $100 per year with an average earning of $2-4 per day for manual labor.
Bouqueronne
Bouqueronne, Haiti is a small village located 4-5 miles from Pignon. Few children attend school because they must travel great distances to another village. Bouqueronne had no central water source until CCH completed the well on April 10, 2008. Given that most school-age children depend on school-sponsored meals for regular sustenance, severe hunger and malnutrition exist in Bouqueronne, as is the case in much of Haiti.
In 2009, the Community Coalition for Haiti built the 8th school in the Pignon area of the North Department. This school provides primary education, nutrition, clean water and community fellowship for a desperately poor community and its 258 school-aged children who attend. For just $100, you can provide a child in rural Bouqueronne with an education for one year; for just $40, you can provide a hot lunch for your child 5 days a week for a year. Each sponsor will receive a picture of their child and a yearly report.
A school garden was also established at the school to provide 4th-6th graders with small gardening education necessary to help themselves and their families grow their own food. Food grown in the garden supplements the school lunches and encourage gardening in the Bouqueronne Community.
Due to the remote rural area of Bouqueronne, which has experienced severe poverty, approximately 1/3 of the students are sponsored.
Scholarships $100 per year
$100 per child (includes books, uniforms, dental care and food for the family)
350 students will attend the school this fall. Of these, 100 poorest children are given scholarships. These scholarships also cover teacher salaries and building maintenance.
Food Program $40 per year
Feeds 350 students 1 meal per day. Meals consist of rice, beans, vegetables and a little meat. Often this is the only meal these student eat that day.
School Garden $3,000
CCH is working with local agronomists to teach 4th-6th graders how to grow their own food. These children, in turn, teach their parents the value of home gardens and food production as a viable way to earn income and feed the family. CCH has 3 successful school gardens in Pignon, where malnutrition rates are dropping due to increased food supplies.
For more information, contact Sparkle Raymond (sparkle.raymond@park.edu) or our office at 703.880.4160.
