Starthrower Foundation ~ Updates From Haiti

Cap-Haitien (Okap)


Hello Everyone!

We now have 9 registered in trades and are up to about 45 in various levels of high school.This is how we work. During the summer students must bring in kane-yo (report cards). We talk with them as to if they wish to continue, or to repeat if they failed, or to enter a metye (trade). We also counsel them about tutoring for feb (weak) subjects. Those in 9eme AF (also called katrieme), Philo and Rheto must konpoze (write) national exams, then wait for rezilta (results). For katrieme, they pass or fail. For Rheto and Philo, they bon (pass), ajournee (almost pass so must write konpoze, a make-up exam in August), or eliminee (fail). You can see that we spend a lot of time waiting for results.

Deles was bon for Philo. Elorge was ajournee. He just finished writing again. He had to go to another centre in Grande Riviere du Nord to konpoze. Jhennie and Frandy were bon for Rheto. Micheline and Julia were eliminee for Rheto. With results and photos, we then go to the high schools and pay inskri or reinskri to hold a place for them. In September, we pay frais dèntree (a yearly fee), then we pay for each trimest. This year I am paying for everyone by trimest. This means there is more money in September to send more students.

Throughout the summer, we repair and recover all text books collected after Juin exams. Once inskri in paid we are given book lists and material samples for uniforms. We are now putting book lists together in back packs along with hygiene products. At the same time we prepare lists of textbooks we do not have. Then we send teams out to the market to search for needed books.

Thanks to recent donations (and as soon as the funds are transferred from Canada to Haiti), we can now begin to purchase material and then have uniforms made, as well as purchase shoes. All schools require black shoes. Everybody loves black running shoes for comfort but we cannot buy them here.

The last week August and the first week in September, we will revisit the schools and pay frais d èntreand premier trimest. In two of the high schools (Semi Lycee Anacaona and Institut Coanabo), if we send 6 students, we pay full price for 5 and can send the sixth for demi bous (half price per trimest; frais is always full price). This allows us to send more students. After all of this is paid for, I will know what is left, if anything, and will start intake on the 2 waiting lists. I have asked each youth to have patience. They understand waiting.

We received some notebooks and pencils from another Canadian NGO here, that helped us to prepare basic back packs. We try to provide what will be needed for a trimest. In December and January, we prepare and distribute packages with hygiene products and school supplies for the second trimest. We also pay remaining balances on school fees.

By not paying the full year in September, we can send about 3 times the number of students to school. There are many more requests coming in for training in apprenticeships. This is understandable, as many of them only started Grade 1 at age 14 or 15. They are now young adults and are making decisions re: family responsibilities. Young Kesner C. (Starfish) is entering a couturier and cuisine program at Sant Familiale Sen Jozef in Sen Rafayel. Daniel D. is apprenticing in mayogani (mahogany carving for decoration and furniture). Makendy is apprenticing with a barber and his sister Nandecie is taking a year in Infomatik (computers).

Thanks to some recent donations, Erzilia will enter a sewing/cooking program and Marlene is in the process of gathering necessary material to apply for nursing. Roseline enters her second year of couturier, moving from Cap-Haitien to Sen Rafayel. Life in the big city is just too hard for most, but Sen Rafayel is not a whole lot easier. Wisky and Denis enter their last year as mechanic apprentices, and Djohn D. is in his last year as carpenter`s apprentice. Currently, there are 6 on the wait list for apprenticeships and about 140 on the wait list for secondary school.

Thanks to all who have recently sent donations. What a big difference this has made! Please tell a friend about us and we can make a bigger difference!!!

Re: items needed We always need hand sanitizer, Septo Bac (treatment for septic tank), dry cat food, envelopes, single bed sheets, pillow cases, pillows, kitchen supplies and household goods like tea pots, baking sheets, muffin tins.

Thanks everyone!

Alapwochen, Sharon