Haiti School Registration, Supplies, Shipping Backpacks, Exam Results

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Hello Everyone,

As yet, I don't have an update from Sewoz (Sister Rosemary) on her trip to France with our student. When she phoned on their return two weeks ago, the phone connection was too poor and full of static, and she has been on retreat ever since. She did say the trip went amazingly well, and I will report details when I again hear from her and Rosenie.

Registrations, Text Books, Uniforms
Auguste, our director of education, has emailed that he is extremely busy registering (fe insripyson an) our students in school in Cap-Haitien, and arranging for registration in Sen Rafayel.

When students are registered, the schools provides the book lists and uniform material samples they will need to attend classes this fall. As the text book lists come in to our office, Starthrower's book repair team begins to assemble the necessary texts, and to compile lists of books that we do not already have. Each day, the staff will go to the market. look through the book stalls and let the vendors know which titles we need, and to hold them for us.

As well, funds to cover the cost of material for uniforms, and tailor / seamstress fees, and buying items like underwear and shoes will be distributed to each student. Claudy in Sen Rafayel is coming to Cap-Haitien this weekend to pick up the money needed to pay for inskripsyon and uniforms in Sen Rafayel schools.

Tuition First Semester
This coming week Auguste will make a return visit to the Cap-Haitien schools to pay the first trimester fees, and Claudy will make another trip to Cap-Haitien to pick up money to pay tuition in Sen Rafayel. Starthrower makes school tuition payments in stages because carrying large sums of money is not wise anywhere, and especially ill advised in Haiti.

School Starts, Exam Results
Haiti school classes are scheduled to begin on Monday, September 7, barring any tropical storms or hurricanes. The weather this year has been much calmer than last year. However, now that Bill and Danny have skirted Haiti, there is another storm brewing with the potential to escalate: See National Hurricane Center

Those students who were ajournee rewrote final state exams last week and are once again awaiting the results.

Sponsors Needed
Vincent, Brunie, Plenitude, Gaby, Alland, Wisly, Casimyr and Osmann are still praying for sponsors (see this post and this post for details on some of these students). Brunie, Gaby, Alland and Wisly will travel to Leogane to write entrance exams for Nursing Sciences program next week.

Backpacks
Currently we have no back packs to fill with supplies and distribute to about 125 students. Judy in NB Canada has some backpacks ready to ship, as do I here in Orangeville, but there is no cost effective way to get them to Haiti. Daniel in Toronto has purchased some in the U.S, and is working with cargo company CasXpress in Ft Lauderdale to ship 48 packs.

If anyone is planning to travel to Florida or Haiti and can deliver these packs part way or all the way to Haiti, please let us know. We are following up on a shipment of supplies (Thanks, Kayla) whose journey to Haiti began in June, and as of yet, have not arrived in Haiti. But many thanks to all who are doing their best to help these students. Whenever the packs arrive, they will be put to immediate use

Reading List
I have been reading lately; it's gift to have the energy and the time. In Teatime for the Traditionally Built, a novel by Alexander McCall Smith, his fictional African Bishop, speaking to a distraught parishioner worried about 'future doom', says,

"Our concern should be what is happening right now. There is plenty of work for love to do'".(p.56)

There is plenty of work for love to do: Such a simple sentence, yet such a profound sentiment.

In Wayne Dyer's Change your Thoughts, Change your Life, he quotes his teacher Nisargadatta Maharaj (pg. 23):

"Wisdom is knowing nothing, Love is knowing everything, and between the two, my life moves. And while you're living, stay as close to Love as you can."

What a challenge: To stay as close to love as you can. Easier said than done with the busy-ness and distractions of every day life. But what a difference we could make in this world if we each consciously make the effort to stay as close to love as we can. Think of the healing that could take place!

Boulder CO Trip
On the weekend of September 11, I plan to travel to Boulder, CO to attend a fundraiser to support our Potable Water Distribution Program. This will be my first solo trip since last summer, and I am looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

Thank You
On a personal note, I spent a day at St. Anne's Spa in Grafton, ON as the guest of owner Jim Corcoran. Jim had invited me to come to St. Anne's last summer, before my illness and surgeries intervened. Thank you, Jim and staff, for a very relaxing, rejuvenating day! As I have another major surgery scheduled for October 20, the timing was perfect.

I know what a fine job Auguste and staff are doing, and that we are all doing everything possible to keep programs running smoothly in my absence.

Thanks again to everyone who is supporting these young people. You are helping them change their lives, and that of their country.

Beni w (Blessings)
Sharon

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

Hanna Does Damage in Haiti - No Hydro, No Supplies, No Gas

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Hello Everyone,

I arrived yesterday (Thursday) about 2 p.m. Cap-Haitien time after a somewhat turbulent trip. The descent was made from a different approach necessitating a very steep turn. One could see the devastation.

Petit Anse looked to be half submerged. We have 15 kids there. Fosenmichel [Ft. St. Michael] was as bad - we have another dozen kids there. People were just wandering through the long grass surrounding the airport, or sitting in small groups. How much more 'mize' (misery) can these people process?

Gas Lineups in Cap
Jackson [cab driver] met me with his taxi but my luggage didn't arrive. After a trip down to Lynx to be told to call tomorrow [Friday], we headed for home. As we passed a line-up about a kilometer in length at a gas station, Jackson told me he had waited 4 hours in the morning to get 2 gallons of gas to pick me up.

Bridges Out
As the bridge to the south at Gonaives was washed away (our bridge to Sen Rafayel has been out for 2 years), we are essentially cut off from the south, so no supplies, including gas, are getting here. Traffic was greatly reduced due to the gas shortage. Driving through the streets was a navigation test -- greatly enlarged pot holes, tree limbs and whole trees provided the obstacle course.

Storm Damage from Hanna
Our street (Impasse Soeurs Missionaires) was cut off by a huge tree which had been uprooted. It had fallen across the street and rested on the roof of the corner house. Jackson managed to brush underneath it and we arrived at the house.

Inside the compound looked like a war zone. Our garden area was covered with downed branches as the staff had been busy cleaning up. The largest tree on our lawn had the top removed. It landed on our hydro wires in to the house.

There is no electricity anywhere so we'll try to repair today. Our banana tree was uprooted as well, and most flowering shrubs are gone. The water which came into the house entered the office and soaked the backpacks we had just prepared for Sen Rafayel.

School Supplies Lost
Mold and mildew are already growing so we will have to burn most. Replacement cost will be enormous and the back packs we just cannot get here. Although we have not yet paid school fees due to shortage of funds, we did inskri (register) many so had sent the first load of backpacks (with text books, notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, pencil sharpeners, hygiene products) last Wednesday with Claudy and Louisena.

Haven't heard an update from Sen Rafayel as it is difficult to charge batteries with no gas for the generators. I had Jack charge our solar batteries to half using the generator in order to check weather this morning. Gas is almost gone so next update may be some time coming, unless we have enough sun to charge from the solar panels.

Hurricane Ike Coming
We had overcast skies and rain last night. Can only hope Hurricane Ike takes a hike north. Will try to get to town today for supplies as the cupboard is bare. So much clean up to be done and we need to try to check on our kids in the hardest hit areas. With no gasoline we may have to wait for them to make their way to us. Housing has always been a challenge and this will compound the problem.

Will touch base when possible.

Be safe
Sharon

P.S. Deb and Stan In USA : So good to hear from you. Your shining faces were missed on the shuttle yesterday to the airport. Glad you arrived home safely.

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