Haiti Artworks for Sale

Example of Fritz's art previously sold on consignment

Hello Everyone,

I forgot to tell you that I also brought back on consignment 10 small paintings by Fritz and 10 hand carved wooden masks (various sizes) by his cousin. If any one is interested in buying them, or selling them for the artists, I can arrange delivery.

Please, everyone, send healing energy to our centre :: Auguste ( Abel) has malaria.

I am going to meet with some Starthrower supporters in Charlotte on Thursday (June 21) and will be back in Orangeville on Saturday (June 23).

If anyone would like to arrange delivery of the Haiti artworks, please let me know as soon as possible, as I will be returning to Haiti the following week."

Kenbe red
Sharon

News from Cap-Haitien; Travel Dates

Hello Everyone,

Auguste writes that Sherline was taken to emergency for an eye infection. It cleared up with antibiotics, and she is our latest recipient of glasses.

Auguste also went out to the market and purchased a hat and sunglasses for her, as he now knows that eyes need to be protected. Dieugrand has a UTI. Diuemane has malaria. There are an average of 25 coming each Sunday for food sacks. Claudy came down the mountain for a dental emergency. The frustration is that although we have connected with a Haitian dentist, most of his work is extractions (rache) due to a lifetime of neglect.

We are scheduled to begin construction for opening up the kitchen staircase to the roof on July 2nd. The owner is purchasing materials; we are paying labor.

The annual 'Hamburgers for Haiti' will take place on June 14 at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in London (Ontario). Thanks to Chaplain Brad; board members Pat and Dave will be flipping burgers also.

Many thanks to all those who are working or have been working the past few months to raise funds to support Starthrower's work in Haiti (see fundraisers on the web site).

We also have an incoming gift of solar panels, inverter and batteries; though I am not certain how and when they will be delivered, I know they have been secured. Many thanks!

More news from Cap-Haitien as soon as possible. I head to Ft Lauderdale June 28, then on to Cap on June 30.

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

Funds Needed For Haiti Schooling, Medical Treatment

Hello Everyone!

I am including the short update from Auguste (posted below my message) as we have yet another need for funds.

Guilene, the blind girl in St. Raphael who received a Brailler from Penn. (info at Starthrower Foundation) had an infection in March. Soeur Ginette was unable to help, so she sent Guilene down the mountain to our centre in Cap-Haitien. We took her to the Hosp. Justinien, which has an Opthalmology clinic run by a Cuban doctor.

At that time, he told us there was a surgery which would give Guilene some sight (she's been blind from birth), but she would have to go to the Dominican Republic. I asked Marlene to follow up while I was in Canada, as she -- Marlene-- wants to be a doctor. This email (below) from Auguste says that Guilene will go to the hospital in Milot for further tests first. If the surgery is do-able, we will need funds for passports, visas, travel and accommodations etc.

In addition to Guilene, Rosenie is ill and Micheline has not yet recovered. We have no update on Jean Ricot (see previous posts). Modeline was given the okay to return to school as long as she did not exert herself. She has a 15 km / 9 1/3 miles walk to school then return. We are providing money for tap tap but she still has a 5 k walk to the street to catch the tap tap.

As you can see from this brief update, there are so many reasons why a vehicle (or 2) is a necessity, not a luxury. Here alone, we need transport to Justinien Hosp, Milot hosp, Dominican Republic, to and from school for Modeline, to check on Jean Ricot. Most of our students do not live on or near tap tap lines. And this is in addition to the ongoing needs for the feeding program, tuition, etc.

In addition, in my update Jan. 21, 2007, I set down the amount needed to raise by thsi summer to sponsor the children for the coming school year. The total was $55,000. As of today, we have just under a quarter of what we need. Again this year, we will be faced with saying 'no' to many.

Gratitude and blessings to those who have helped this year, and whose donations and sponsorships are still to come. Funds are used very judiciously; However, prices continue to rise, making life more difficult for the poor, and shrinking the buying power of donations.

One at a time -

Kenbe

Sharon
======

Emails from Auguste (in kreyol)

From: auguste
To: sharon gaskell
Subject: Guilene
Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 18:32:54 +0200 (CEST)

bonjou, Mme

Marlene te ale cheche enfomasyon pou Guilene. Dr Guerline di gen espesyalis Cubenn kap vini nan lopital sakre coeur Milot samdi 26 me 2007.

pou li ale ak Guilene Mesadieu we yo avan li ale nan sendomeng.

mesi
Auguste
--------
sharon gaskell a écrit ::

Bonjou anko

Silvouple dit Jack ti chat yo kap ale nan nouvo kay la semen sa. Ti bel en fas nou a Mme Gerda, Ti woz a Mme Joceline epi Ti Bet a Mme Carmene. (Si yo pa deja ale)

Nou gen bwat yo epi nouriti pou chak. Sonje tout moun chak bezwen dlo toutle tan api manje chak jou.

Mesi
Sharon

------
From: auguste
To: sharon gaskell
Subject: enfomasyon
Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 15:33:11 +0200 (CEST)

bonjou Mme

koman sante ou ye? Nou tre byen nan lakay.

Wi gen Rezilta sonde pou Micheline ( enfeksyon ak anemi men yo pa di ki enfeksyon ).

Rosenie malad li pa ka fe twalet depi 2 semen. ( Rezilta sonde parasitose intestinale , anemie modiree ).

mesi a la prochen

Bondye beni ou

Auguste
A.
----------
sharon gaskell a écrit :

Mesi Auguste

Eske nou gen rezilta sonde pou Micheline?

M byen content chat la pa bezwen lot rendevou ak dokte osi Jack te komanse auto ecole.

M'ap kontiye ale pou physio epi plis radiographie pas ke ponyet te kraze nan 2 plas pa yon. Dokte pa te we 2eme. Sa se poukisa m toujou gen dole.

M kontan wifi mache byen. M Marc gen panaux solaire, batri yo epi plis ordinateur.Le m rive nou kap pale. bezwen yon plas pou tout moun utilize ordinateur yo - petet grand salle.??

Tann fini nan bibliotek

Beni-w

Mme
------------

From: auguste
To: sharon gaskell
Subject: RE : Tout Bagay
Date: Sat, 5 May 2007 21:25:14 +0200 (CEST)


Bonjou, Mme

Koman ou ye? Nou byen.

System WIFI mache bien. Te gen 22 kite vini pou sak nouri dimanch.

Jack komanse ak priorite auto ecole. Jack pa te ale nan veterine ak ti chat la paske li bon.

Jean-Ricot pa te vini ..

Micheline Mompremier malad , ke fe mal, diare mwen te voye li nan Lopital Justinien jodia.

mesi n'ap priye pou ou. Bondye beni-ou...

Auguste
------------
sharon gaskell a écrit :

Bonjou Auguste

Kouman ou ye? et tout moun? Eske Jack te
ale nan veterinaire la ak ti chat la? Li pi byen oubyen non?

M te ale nan physio therapist la lendi epi jodia. Osi me te we dr. Wendy et Dr, Mike. Apre mwen te ale pou plis radiographie yo. M va we lot dokte orthopedist apres resultat sonde. Li nan lot cite donc bezwen taxi-a.

Souple dit bonjou a tout moun epi m'essaye vini vit.

Eske Jean Ricot te vini?Res-la gen bon sante?

Beni-w

Pran swen fanmi mwen

Mme Sharon

Report from Auguste in Cap-Haitien

Here is an update [below] from Auguste at the house in Cap-Haitien.

He says that the wifi is working well, Jack has started driver training, the kitten recovered and did not require another visit to the vet.

He also says Micheline is sick. She has a heart problem (ke fe mal) and dysentry so he took her to the hospital. That would mean he had to go down to the street to find a cab etc.

This is one of the reasons we need one or, preferably, 2 vehicles. We can provide faster and safer access to medical and dental treatment with our own vehicles. One morning I had to hire 5 taxis to take our kids to various appointments.

Sharon
=========
From: auguste
To: sharon gaskell
Subject: RE : Tout Bagay
Date: Sat, 5 May 2007 21:25:14 +0200 (CEST)

Bonjou, Mme
Koman ou ye? Nou byen.

System WIFI mache bien. Te gen 22 kite vini pou sak nouri dimanch.

Jack komanse ak priorite auto ecole. Jack pa te ale nan veterine ak ti chat la paske li bon.

Jean-Ricot pa te vini. Micheline M. malad, ke fe mal, diare mwen te voye li nan Lopital Justinien jodia. mesi n'ap priye pou ou. Bondye beni-ou.

Auguste