College Jean-Claude Mondesir High School in Cap-Haitien Haiti Fees and Post Secondary Sponsors

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Hello Everyone,

Folks have asked about the cost of sending a youth to high school in Haiti for a year, so I am going to provide the fees and associated cost for one high school in Cap-Haitien, the College Jean-Claude Mondesir, at 143 Rue 23F, where we have 2 students registered and 3 more waiting for sponsor funds.

As you may recall, I've mentioned in earlier posts that high school fees vary according to grade level and school. These fees below are specifically for Marcellus and Rodney, who are in 3eme, which is the 4th year of high school. I hope this information is helpful.

The fees are listed in Haitian dollars (5 gourdes = $1 Haitian; about $7 Haitian = $1 USD)

• Enskripsyon fee: $50.
• Frais Scolaire: $950.
• Iden. Card. $30.
• Mois Sept. $220.
• Informatique $300.
• Ecolage $650 par trimeste X 3 trimeste =$1950.00
• TOTAL --- $ $3500. Haitian OR 17,500 GDS OR $500. USD

Associated school costs include:

• text books: 11 text books plus 3 dictionaries, about *$2500.H or *$357. USD
• school supplies
• uniform (including shoes and underwear) and hygiene products: about $700. H or $100. USD
• medical
• dental
• housing
• food and potable water
  

Total cost for 1 student, NOT including medical, dental, food, water, housing: Just under $957 USD per year.

*Text books costs would be much higher if not for our intensive textbook refurbish program which runs from July1 to August 31.

College Jean-Claude Mondesir is a medium priced school; for other schools, we pay more; for some, less. We have NO students attending any of the 4 top schools in the Cap-Haitien, as they are beyond our financial abilities. However, if we could afford to send students to the top schools, it would guarantee better teachers, equipment and placement in post secondary situations.

Special request for Post-secondary sponsors

Mechanique Auto-Diesel at Universite Internationale de St-Gerard.
Johnley P. and Danius J., our 2 boys from Sen Rafayel who want to study Mechanique Auto-Diesel, have brought in the pertinent information from Universite Internationale de St-Gerard.

This school has an American - Canadian affiliation, as flags for all three countries are displayed on the information page, and are shown in the photo of the university entrance. We phoned the university and spoke with the director of admissions. There are no entrance exams required, because proof of Philo (attestation; High school diploma) serves the purpose.

Fees and living expenses would come to close to $2000. USD per year, per student, which is a little lower than other post-secondary schools, as Universite Internationale de St-Gerard is one of the less expensive post secondary facilities. Classes begin October 6. This is a 3 year program plus a year of internship at the end.

Medical Technology Program
Frantzy has been accepted into a medical technology program with a demi-bous of half fee. He needs $1000. per year for 4 years (school only - help with living expenses would be appreciated).

Our other University hopefuls are writing entrance exams this week. Plenitude wrote last Saturday and has yet to hear her results.

Thank you all for your support with these students.

I am staying on in Haiti longer than planned so I can try to get the students settled. With the aftermath of the hurricane and severe storms, school opening has been moved from September until early October.

I plan to return to Canada on October 11 (Canadian Thanksgiving weekend) for a few weeks.

Sharon

Haiti State National Exam Results, Sponsors for University, Med School

Hello Everyone,

Last night we had rain and electricity arrive in tandem. They each visited for approximately four hours, losing intensity before they finally bid us good bye. It took electricity (kouran) four tries to grab hold, the thunder (loraj) rumbled all day with promises.

If you have read the new page on the website 'A day in the life' [new page - see Cap Haitien Haiti News], you know something of our daily quest for ice in the absence of hydro. Yesterday all our ice was melted, so I phoned Jackson (our cab driver -- he is treated like staff although he calls me his mother). We made the trip to Champin to get ice only to be told 'glas-la fini net' (no ice).

A kind gentleman waiting to check out his purchases asked me what I did, how long had I been doing it, did I like the country. He then suggested we go to the ice making factory in Morn Rouge if we were desperate. We were.

Following his directions, we arrived after a 30 minute trip over the wonderful Rout Nasyonal. We checked in with two armed guards, arrived at the plant and were greeted by yet another well-armed guard. After an hour wait, our precious ice arrived. Nothing is easy.

Re: State National Exam results Sen Rafayel:
By Friday we had heard from all our students in Sen Rafayel. Of the 5 who wrote Philo in Sen Rafayel, ALL WERE ADMI. Bon. Everyone passed! This is such a BIG THING. These are kids who eat maybe once a week, have never had a bath or shower, no access to clean water, never been to a dentist, live in misery you cannot imagine. Yet they wrote the same exams as the wealthy and well-fed, and passed!

State National Exam results Grand Riviere du Nord:
Plenitude was also successful. As I said on the website, he had come on Friday full of joy at his success and sorrow as his dad had died Monday. He lives a fair distance but I kept him on as he was one of the first children I met 10 years ago. In primary school, he walked 4 hours a day to attend school. Since his high school is in Grand Riviere du Nord, he would periodically borrow a neighbour's cell phone to touch base with us. He said Friday it was our presence that gave him the courage to go on every day. Although he couldn't get here physically, whenever he called, Auguste was there to provide encouragement (li te ankouraje-li).

A similar exam results scenario in Cap-Haitien.
From about 75 percent of our kids in Cap Haitien. Osner just arrived from Lycee Boukman, grinning from ear to ear. He has had most of the teeth on the right side of his mouth pulled, so he looks like a little old man. He was also 'bon/admi' for Philo (7th and last year of high school). Auguste is beaming! He tutored most of these kids throughout the year. We had 100 percent success in Philo in both Sen Rafayel and Cap-Haitien! We are 10 for 10! Absolutely UNHEARD of!!

Out of the 10 who wrote Rheto, we had one ajoune in Sen Rafayel and 2 in Okap (Cap-Haitien). That means they were close enough to a pass that they rewrite for 3 days beginning August 11. Only one did not pass, Martha whom I mentioned (nursed her brother through 2 major illnesses. HE passed.) The other 6 were admi/bon.

This is a brilliant achievement!
I am in awe of these kids. These young people are the ones who will change their country IF given the 'soutyen' (support). If they don't receive it, yet another generation wastes away. And what a perfect birthday gift for Starthrower's birthday celebration!

Currently we have 2 students in second year university in Limbe (Agriculture), two beginning pre-med in the Dominican Republic (and they had to pass Spanish language fluency classes first!), and one in second year medical technology. Four of these have sponsors. Of the nine new grads, 3 want to study agriculture, one to enter nursing, two to study medicine, two to study master mechanic at university in Port-au-Prince, one to study for kindergarten teacher in Cap-Haitien.

• Osner wants to study engineering. Maybe a group of engineers will sponsor him along with Danius and Johnley.
• Maybe the nurses federation will support Brunie
• Maybe the medical association will pick up Alland and Wisky
• Maybe the teachers federation will sponsor Rosenie for teaching kindergarten
• Maybe the agriculture association will sponsor Plenitude, Lebrun and Gabriel
• Maybe the medical technologists assoc. will pick up Micheline.

Could happen!! If you know anyone in these associations, please pass this blog post on to them. These young people have gotten to the upost-secondary stage with your support, and can only succeed with your support.

Speaking of support, we are very grateful for the boxes which were delivered this week from Pennsylvania. Thank you Mme Cindy and company (Mme Paula also I suspect?) The protein powder will be put to use this week after we make our peanut butter.

All for now -- I need to switch solar to the fridge.

Beni-w (blessings)
Sharon

Cap-Haitien Exams, Sponsor for Medical School

Hello Everyone,

GOOD NEWS ! Marlene has a sponsor for medical school! Everyone is so excited for her. She is studying night and day. That means all of the ones applying now have sponsors, provided they are successful writing entrance exams. Now to find sponsors for the two in Agronomy.

The Not-So-Good news is that Marlene just arrived back from the hospital. She is anemic and has a UTI infection. Sometimes, every day is filled with minutes like this: Good news, bad news, good news.

Esmann also arrived to say that Alex did not come to work this week as he has a fever and needs to go to the hospital. Once again, having a vehicle is so important. I wish the bicycle had a trailer attached.

Auguste dropped in yesterday, taking a study break. When they rewrite next week, it is 8 hours a day for 4 consecutive days. I believe it is the same for university entrance. Then today, when he arrived to work, he told me that yesterday he went past the Department of Education to double check that Monday, Aug. 13 was the date to begin rewrites. When he got there, he saw that the dates had been changed without them informing anyone.

Rewrites now begin Monday, August 20, since Wednesday August 15 is the Feast of Notre Dame. So, if the kids finish writing by August 23rd, we won't have any results before September, which means all bets are off for school opening first week of September, uniforms won't be ready etc...

Sherline just arrived and she is dezole -- she missed her pass by .2 points. She attended Boukman, the high school that was closed half the year because the teachers were on strike because the state didn't pay them. Rodney arrived in tears also -- he missed his year by .1 point.

What a roller coaster! Jack's uncle died this morning. He was 31 with a 6 month old. Auguste and I visited his tikay on Thursday when we made our home visits.

Kenbe,

Sharon

National Exams in Haiti

Hi all!

As June moves along and I prepare to return to Haiti, my thoughts are with our young people who are writing (konpoze) national exams.

Keeping in mind that UN statistics show that Haiti has a population of between 8 and 9 million, and 55% of that pop. is 18 and younger :

Starthrower targets teens and young adults because they are a vital but overlooked segment of Haitian society. It is easy to raise awareness and funds for infants and toddlers; teens and young adults LOOK self sufficient. We know better.

In the entire country this year:

There are 240,000 candidates writing the final year of primary to enter high school (6eme AF).

Now for the group [teens and young adults] that Starthrower supports, national exams must be written:

• the third year of high school (called 9eme AF - ane fondamental)
• the 6th year of high school (called Rheto)
• the 7th and final year (called Philo)

This year, nationally, there are:

• 148,000 candidates writing 9eme (June 19/20)
• 75,000 candidates writing Rheto (nouvo, for the first time)(June 25-8)
• 73,000 candidates writing Philo (nouvo - for the first time)
• 34,000 candidates writing Rheto for the second time (July 2-5)
• 14,000 candidates writing Philo for the second try

A youth population of OVER FOUR MILLION.
A total of 344,000 candidates writing national exams at the high school level in the entire country.

Yet only 87,000 by the final year and 14,000 of those are trying for the second time. Look at the rate of attrition. The young people lost.

The following is an excerpt from a speech delivered May 8, 2002 to the UN General Assembly on Children. The message was written and delivered by Gabriela Azarduy Arrieta,13, from Bolivia, and Audrey Cheynut, 17, from Monaco.

We are not the sources of problems; we are the resources that are needed to solve them. We are not expenses; we are investments. We are not just young people; we are people and citizens of this world. . .

You call us the future but we are also the present.

Your support in the present is an investment in a much brighter future for Haiti. Thanks to every Starthrower reading this. Please stay with us.

Beni-w
Sharon