Things We Need -- Updated List

Hello Everyone,

We are madly trying to get everyone in school. Hope to finish inskripson this week then begin paying trimeste fees. Money has been distributed and the kids are responsible for finding a tailor or seamstress, as well as purchasing shoes (hard to find good black dress shoes -- one thing we could use -- new only sizes 6-12 incl. no heels for the girls).

Micheline cried all during work yesterday, so after feeding her and suggesting she lay down, she fell asleep for 2 hours. When she woke, she told us she has been put out of her ti kay and must find a new place by Friday. Housing is such a problem.

The state radio tells us that results for those who rewrote in August will be available today. Will let you know who did what.

More good news - Brunie G. in SR is 'bon' for Rheto so we now have 5 entering Philo in Sen Rafayel and one in Grande Riviere du Nord.

An updated list of items we need. The most urgently needed are in red. (If you'd like to donate any of these items, please send us an email first so we can avoid duplication.)

• Protein powder (ongoing - we use one 2-gallon container each month)
• Vitamin C and chewable Multi vitamins (ongoing)
• Backpacks (50 immediately and 150 for the new year)
• Shoes -- mens and womens new black dress shoes sizes 6-12 inclusive. No high heels.
• Socks and runners for the winter months (Sen Rafayel is about 20 degrees colder)
• Dramamine, Gravol
• Container for carrying gasoline
• Work gloves
• Tooth brushes* (adult)
• Pencil sharpeners, erasers, ball point pens (blue ink)
• Sunglasses, Baseball caps, sun hats, Cotton scarves, handkerchiefs
• Ibuprofen, Tylenol
• Tools -- sanding machine, electric saw, electric drill with multi heads - (to drill cement), measuring tape (heavy duty)
• Cat food (dry Purina One for Sensitive systems, tinned Friskies
• Cat carrying case for vet trips (cats keep the rats at bay)

When Auguste arrived for work as I was updating this list, he mentioned he would like a'machin pou koupe gazon an (a machine to cut the grass). We are still using scissors. A general roar of approval went up when he said this. A weed whacker (gas or electric) would probably work. A real lawn mower even better.
ALA pwochen

Sharon

Back to School, New Starfish, New Starthrowers

Hello Everyone,

I received a phone call last night to tell me that the supplies from Pennsylvania came last week, but that they had just found our phone number to let us know. Jack will call on Monday morning and make arrangements to travel and go secure them. As usual, Mme Cindy has perfect timing. With school opening, whatever she sends will be used quickly. Thank you, Mme Cindy and State College Pennsylvania.

Carmene will be making our "Proba" (protein/peanut butter mix) just before I return from Canada at the end of November, and we need the protein powder. We will package and distribute it the first week of December. I hope to distribute Vitamin C at the same time, if we have enough. We distributed extra Vitamin C with the multi vitamins last winter and on the whole everyone seemed to stay healthier.

We are NOT working today, our first and only Saturday of repose since I got back. The week has been insane trying to prepare 100 plus young people for school. Some uniforms are not ready and some schools are not ready meaning those involved will get a later start. Many of the text books have been changed this year, so this week Julia, Jhennie and Micheline will continue working with Rosenie to search the marketplace. This is a hot, frustrating process. They usually buy a sandwich and a drink to keep up their energy.

They come home by taxi, and then the new books are processed. Each page is checked for printing errors and missed pages, then photocopies of the missing pages are made. This means making another trip into la ville by tap tap or taxi, then searching for a place which has either electricity or a generator operating to run the photocopier, then returning home, and inserting the missing pages, where necessary. All books are covered with plastic, which we also buy in the market. After covering all the texts, we stamp with our special 'dam', check the list then print the name of the recipient in the upper right hand corner. Then the books are either inserted in waiting backpacks, or if backpacks have been delivered already, texts are wrapped in plastic bags and scotch tape, and labelled, ready for delivery. We also have to change 4 complete booklists as the state was late with some results. Four of our Grade 9ers need to be upgraded to 3eme.

Claudy and Louisena came down the mountain from Sen Rafayel yesterday to pick up the back packs for College Bon Berger. They also took first trimest fees for College Bon Berger and College VIncent Oge. We took on 3 new Starfish from Sen Rafayel. All have been sitting out for at least a year due to the death of one or both parents. All are in class Rheto. Uniform money was sent and books will be purchased, then back packs prepared and will be sent along with school funds on Thursday when Claudy comes back. He will bring a different partner as Louisena starts school Monday, Sept 17. Claudy starts Monday, Sept. 24.

Soeur Ginette also visited us on Friday. She brought the receipts and bill for consultations and meds dispensed at her little clinic in Sen Rafayel. The total for these 6 months was 34,000 gourdes ($6800 Haitian or $1000 USD). There were only 30 on her list last year. This year, there are more than 60. I will go through each fiche and record illnesses and recurrences.

We have a visitor arriving this week. Jeff will be with us for 5 days and Mme. Carmene has already prepared a menu for each day. It should be a nice quiet time for him as most of the craziness is behind us. This week, we will visit all Cap-Haitien schools and pay frais and first trimest fees. Next Saturday, we will visit the University in Limbe with Jeff to see how Deles and Vincent are settling in to their new lives. Thanks to all who have worked so hard to give these amazing young people 'possibilite'.

I would like to officially welcome Starthrower America and thank their board of directors for taking on such a huge challenge. Thank you, Mark, Lucie, Steve, Peggy, Jeff and Peter.

There are times in the midst of the chaos and seeming confusion when I stop and really look at what is happening here, like the jobs everyone does with such efficiency and joy. I listen to the conversations and the laughter, and remember the deep grief many carried with them when they first came. I think of the newly arrived Starfish, still overwhelmed with grief and fear and I am also overwhelmed at how blessed I am to be part of this amazing journey.
Kenbe red

Sharon

Student News, Sen Rafayel Update, and Ice Cubes

Hello Everyone!

The staff just arrived en masse and with great noise. They were carrying Auguste in celebration of his "bon" Philo results. (He passed!) When I said they would have to do the same for Jhennie when she arrived after her hospital appointment (she was bon also), they replied No, because Jhennie is young, the right age for a student. Auguste, they said, is a ti gran moun (usually a person who has reached 100 years old. He is 30.)

Jhennie now must decide what she will do next as her Philo was bon. Unfortunately Frantzy was pa bon. He will rewrite in December. If his medical entrance exams were bon, they will hold a place for him to start in January (so we are told). Elorge, Marlene and Frantzy survived medical school entrance exams, although the boys had to purchase new clothes (dress shoes, pants, shirts) in order to be allowed in to write them.

Auguste is going to stay full time with Starthrower Foundation as Director of Education. He will liaise with all school administrations and students, and do intake, monitor their school progress and attendance, pay for medical, dental etc consultations, facilitate home visits, tutor all subjects, all levels. In addition, he will take courses in Enfomatik and English.

Rosenie will go to school (Rheto) evenings and work 3 days a week here managing (purchase, prep, distribution) all supplies, like text books, hygiene products, meds etc. We will hire one new staff member for food prep and distribution on weekends to help Dieugrand.

Deles and Vincent began classes at the University in Limbe on Monday. We will visit them with our next visitor, Jeff, when he arrives, as Jeff's brother is sponsoring one of the boys. Elorge, Marlene and Frantzy survived medical school entrance exams although the boys had to purchase new clothes (dress shoes, pants, shirts) in order to be allowed in.

In addition to his duties as house manager, Jack does all liaison with the bosses with whom we place students in trades. This mroning, he is meeting with Bos Emile at his garage in Pont Neuf. He will check the premises for supplies, other apprentices, talk with the Bos re his credentials. If he is satisfied, he will pay the bos for the year and all parties will sign a contract. Fabien, the student beginning to train as 'mekanisyen' will come back to the house with Jack for funds for work shoes and clothes as well as a back pack with hygiene products.

Our guest from NC left on Sunday. everyone misses her enthusiasm and smile. While Steve and Mark did not stay at the house, they did come bearing gifts. 4 wireless think pads. We are told 2 printers will follow so we have organized the house for usage once the school year is in full swing. Many of our students still have not started as uniforms are not ready.

We have a lot of problems in Sen Rafayel. Poor Claudy and Louisena, the staff there. People in the village think we owe everyone in the village free education, and, as they see only our staff (we cannot travel there due to lack of vehicle) life is full of harrassment for the two of them. I have deliberately not placed Sen Rafayel first year high school students on the wait list as we may have to finish with the students we currently have, then concentrate on Cap-Haitien students. Perhaps when a vehicle arrives the situation will be reviewed.

The amount of electricity has been greatly reduced as the gas supply in Haiti has temporarily dried up, and we need gas to fire the generators. We are out of water, but I have asked Jack and DIeugrand not to pump it until the hydro goes off again. We have to turn off EDH to 'monte dlo-a' (pump water) which means the fridge won't work. I haven't the heart on this first day of hydro to turn it off. We actually have ice cubes today - 10 of them!!
Pita anko
Sharon

Back to School in Haiti, With Your Help

Hello Everyone,

We have had a very busy two weeks. Our visitors from Canada were here for 10 days working with the staff and travelling into town. It's a good thing they've had wilderness training as the pipes around the house were completely "bouche" (plugged up), so David and Mark helped dig up the cement and the old pipes, then lay the new pipes, and mix and apply new cement. They also travelled to our 'home' hardware store to purchase supplies. They had some culture shock,but I will let one of them elaborate about that.

Kat (Kathleen ) jumped right into helping clean, repair and recover our textbooks for September. She also travelled by taxi with Auguste to inskri (register) some of our kids at school. Our reservoirs on the roof are on their last legs, especially with the extra people using the system every day. We had to pump water twice daily. The day after the visitors departed, the connection sprung a leak so we have just been filling pails for washing.

Our rental agent came in yesterday; he had been away for 5 weeks. He will ask the owner for the funds to purchase a new holding tank for our water. The plumber dropped by today to tell us that he has recommended changing the entire system of drawing our water as it is 'ansyen' (old). We sent Jean Ricot to the hospital in Milot on Friday to see if they could help him. He has had a constant headache since the motorcycle accident in April. Apparently, there is a piece of 'fil' (wire) inside his right eyebrow that is holding things together. The doctor recommended removing it, so that is on our list of things to attend to. We have to get him there and back, as well as find someone to travel with him by public transit. It may be Christmas holidays before that happens.

Deles and Robert travelled to Limbe on Friday to get the results of their entrance exams to study agronomy at the university there. Both were accepted. Micheline has applied to the institute in Vaudreille to study medical technology. Marlene, Elorge and Frantzy will head back to Port-au-Prince the second week of September to write entrance exams for medical studies.

I say this calmly but with a sense of pride in them, and in our progress: These young people represent the first of 'our' students to graduate high school and go on to university.

All of this is happening with the hope that people will open their hearts to help these amazing young people realize their dreams. We have another 140 waiting to start the school year, and we only have enough funds for about 40. That's only 100 to go.

Jack travelled to Port-au-Prince on Sunday with Jud and another driver in a large rental vehicle to pick up a donation of meds from Canada. The trip back took them nearly 9 hours. They travelled through flash floods in the Artibonite and half the cargo was soaked with mud although the truck was canvas covered.

I had asked some staff to come help 'debarke' (unload) the vehicle once they finally arrived back here. They arrived at 6, the electricity arrived at 6:15, so they sat and played checkers and cards on the gallery. Due to the storm, the load arrived at 8:30. The travellers were exhausted and promptly left.

We began unloading and quickly realized that the wet cartons needed to be opened immediately. We worked until 11 p.m. placing the dry cartons in our covered parking space, opening the wet cartons and individual containers, wiping off the mud and piling everything on the table on the gallery,and placing others inside the living room. This being Haiti, the staff were all too frightened to go home at that time of night, as public transit had stopped. So we found a place for everyone to sleep (after eating). The hammocks make great beds.

Everyone was up when I rose at 5 a.m. The boys were sweeping the compound, and Rosenie was opening the gates. After breakfast, we worked all day sorting meds and making space for storage in case of more rain.We will try to distribute them before new visitors arrive next week. We donated some to a small local dispensary today, making many trips with our shiny new (red) wheelbarrow (bouret-la). Our old faithful wheelbarrow died a very ungraceful death while our visitors were here. We are looking for a place on our lawn to bury it full of flowers. A fitting end.

Every year, after paying inskripsyon (registration), I pay only the first trimeste fees. Usually there is not enough money to pay for the full year, anyhow, and sometimes the students cannot complete a full year due to illness or worse. When 'the worst' happens, we are not obligated to pay the remainder of the year. It sounds harsh, but it's a fact of life down here. There have not been many students in that last category, but enough to underscore the wisdom of paying for just one trimeste at a time. The average cost per trimeste is about $300 Haitian ($40 USD) per student per trimeste. Each student also needs a uniform and black shoes (they are not allowed into school without those). This required clothing costs $400 Haitian ($55 USD) per student.

Additionally, each student needs text books, back packs, notebooks, pens. While we recycle many textbooks, we always need to purchase some new ones. Then, by the end of September, we need money for rice, beans and oil, as that's when we begin weekly food distribution on weekends. And so many of them need eyeglasses. As well, all of these activities require staff.

The bottom line for Right Now is we need $10,000 USD, which allows about $100 USD per student times 100 students.

Ala pwochen
Sharon
P.S. See the updated list of Things We Need.

Haiti School Waiting List and Registrations

Hello Everyone!

It is now almost 6 a.m. and I have been up since 4 a.m. -- my normal rise and shine. The electrician and plumber are both supposed to be here at 6 a.m. so the coffee is ready. We have had no water in the house since Saturday morning. I guess the calcium (kalk) in our well water has stopped up (bouche) our plumbing. I really miss the usual cold trickle of a shower.

Our guests from Canada are already on their way -- they arrive tomorrow -- so am hoping their camping experience works for them here. I have managed to arrange for a driver to meet them at the airport when they arrive. Rosemary is out of the country, but gave me permission to hire their driver and their vehicle for the airport transfer. I really appreciate this, as their driver's work load doubles when she is away.

I realize that I often write things to friends which really should also be presented to all of you. In an earlier communication, I mentioned we had a wait list of 40-plus, and that last Thursday, Claudy and Louisena had come down the mountain from Sen Rafayel, and we spent the entire day putting together lists for Sen Rafayel. I sent back with them the funds to register (inskri) 48 students in College VIncent Oge, Lycee Charlemagne Perault, College Bon Berger, College Roi Henri Christophe, The Nouvo Lycee and Sen Jozef.

Yesterday, Auguste and I spent (tried to spend) the entire day preparing a master list for registrations. We ended up with 107 names on that list, using last Friday as our cut off date. Remember, we had 80 from last year to consider, as well as some we were still in touch with from last year's wait list. Registration only holds a place for these students, until scolarite and first trimeste fees are paid. Only then does a student know whether or not she/he will attend school. We also make certain our young people understand that registration does not mean we will have sufficient funds to pay for the year.

Due to lack of transportation, we have only been able to make three home visits. Our young people are scattered throughout Cap-Haitien and Sen Rafayel, which makes it difficult.

Yesterday alone, we had 20 students enter the compound. They came to ask for school support, bringing with them all necessary documents. We turned away another 12, asking them to return with their Acte de Naissance (birth certificate), kane de payman (payment card), denye kane-a (last report card) and atestasyon (official state document, which is purchased after successfully writing state exams for Certificate (to enter high school), or 9eme (end of 3rd year high school) or Rheto and Philo.

The twenty who came yesterday are at the top of our second wait list. As I said in an email to a friend last night, this is a flood, a flood of desperate young people who believe that education is the only answer. One young man said to me, "When I lie down on the floor at night to sleep, and I feel sick and hungry, and I'm sad because I miss my mother, and the rats and cockroaches are clicking away near me, and I am afraid to go to sleep, I know that everything will be better in the morning because I get to go to school. I think I would die if I didn't go to school."

Given the large number of students seeking help, and that the waiting list is constantly changing based on whether or not they pass or fail, makes it very difficult to keep the waiting list on the web site up to date. The school system here is far from perfect.

For example, Paulaine was denied entrance to write Rheto as the state said she had not written 9eme. She brought in her atestasyon for 9eme proving her eligibility, but no matter -- her year is lost. Now she wants to enter a trade.

Modeline successfully wrote 2eme (after having surgery for a tumor in April); however, she is now being denied entry into Rheto as she did not pass 9eme three years ago. The school she attended knew this, but had encouraged her to go on rather than retake the year, so she went on. Now she is stuck with the only option available -- she must retake 9eme, write the exam, and only then go into rheto the next year.

We work with one young person at a time here, and it is never simple or straightforward. Each youth deserves to be heard, even if we aren't able to support them. We had to turn down a young man in Sen Rafayel because he was 30 years old, and just starting his first year of high school. He had an average (moyen) of 7.9 out of 10. We realized he would be almost 40 when he finished high school, and probably married with children. These types of difficult decisions are excruciating. If we had a large fund base, we could offer more financial support, and that young man and those on the wait list would all have 'possibilite'.

I write out of frustration this morning because you and I know that there is enough money in the world to feed, clothe and educate all 4 million of Haiti's orphans. Please help us do more. It is NOT an impossible dream. Together, we can make it happen, but we need to start now. Don't let these amazing, brave young people languish as you plan your next car purchase, house upgrade, vacation. To those who are currently supporting these young people, a big Thank You on their behalf.

The bosses have arrived -- the work day has begun.
Pi ta (later)
Sharon