Getting ready for the new year!

Today is December 31, 2009! The very last day of the year! Can you believe it! Time flies literally! If you have been reading my blog you should know by now that January 1st is a big day for Haiti and click here the link about regarding this matter  and if you want to know about Haiti's history go on the labels and browse through we have compiled a lot of info for your leisure over the past year. If you are haitian and want to share your story about your independence day celebration please post it so that others can read about it!

 I am looking forward forward to making the blog better for the upcoming year. Your suggestions are the most welcome about how I should do to improve it so please don't be shy and let me know.

Have a happy new year and a very safe Independence Day Celebration! Don't drink and drive! This is my last post for this year and I can say that so far I feel like I have not let Haiti down! Do you agree with me?

Ki sa ou swete? What is you wish? Vous avez un souhaiti?

Nou envite-w lese souwè ou pou Haiti nan blòg la! Ke se swa an kreyòl, anglè, franse ou panyòl! Si ou vle ekri nan yon lòt lang tanpri souple ban nou yon titan dipli pou nou ka verifye ke sa ou ekri-a apropriye pou sijè ke nap pale ya. Nou jis pa vle moun ekri betiz ou byen sa ki pa gen rapo ak sije-a! Nou remesye ou pou patisipasyon nou ak bon konprann nou!

Do you have any wish for the Haitian people a friend, a family member, a group of friends or former colleagues please do not hesitate to leave your wishes here.  You can do so in creole, french or English or Spanish! If you have an other language you would like to put it in, I just need a little time to verify what you say since I just want to keep it clean and respectful! Thanks for understanding!

Vous êtes prié de bien vouloir laisser vos souhaits pour Haiti pour ce nouvel an dans ce blog en francais, anglais, créole ou espagnole! Si vous souhaitiez laisser votre message dans une langue qui n'est pas mentionnée, donnez-nous svp un peu de temps alors pour vérifier l'authenticité de cette langue, tout ceci pour nous assurer que des propos indescents ou inappropriés n'ont pas été utilisés. Merci de votre compréhension!

Chritmas in Haiti!

Chritsmas in Haiti is something else! One would think about cold weather, snow or sleet! In Haiti in most of the places it's mostly heat and sweat! To tell you the truth it gets a little cold around the moutains area but you know for someone who is used to the cold this is absolutely nothing! I don't even think it gets in the 50's I would say rather the lowest temperature  would be in the lower 60's.

Christmas in Haiti is different than industrialized countries cause people do not have that much to spend. Nevertheless it is as important as it is all over.

I remenber as little boy the only time I will be up till midnight would be on Christmas eve and new year eve. On christmas eve December 24th, we have a big celebration at church with a lot of food. I loved to do plays specially those involving eating. You get to act but by acting you are actually eating the food for real! I used to love that!  I can also remember as soon as I hear the first Christmas song on the radio by the middle of October that it is time to be as nice as one can be so that you will get a present. Sweet memories! In the neighborhood I used to live in there would be hundreds of people walking the streets, going to different church services or parties! Everyone is happy!

But unfortunately, there is this category of people who are too poor to afford any christmas gifts or parties! They stay at home praying for Santa to come to see about them if he really exists!

I find that the christmas carols are very sads cause as opposed to the USA it is not about mistletoe or elf or rudold but it is about asking Santa to do something for the country, it is about asking Santa doesn't he have a map to their house, will he bring them electricity, food or anything that we take for granted in the industrialized countries. I don't know if you've heard the Christmas shoes story, it reminds me of people who just can't celebrate as we are! Let's us once again be thankful for being able to celebrate and pray and act for those who can't! there is nothing more beautiful than making a kid smile with a gift he did not even expect!

As we are celebrating Christmas this year, let us think about these people who are just like us except that they are in an unfortunate situation! Let's do something for them, pray for them yes but do something for them them even better. If you can't do something directly, please help someone who is doing something! Let's make this Christmas more about others and less about us! Let's give without expecting anything in return which is the real meaning of Christmas for me! How much do we owe Jesus? How long would we have to pay till we pay him back for coming to earth and live amongst us sinners! We did not deserve it, but he values us and lay down his life for us! Let us do something special for another who can't afford it!

 No matter what people want to say! Jesus is the reason why we are celebrationg so let's make it more about him that anything else! Teach your kids about the story of the birth of Jesus and teach them to give and not to only receive! You will not regret it!

Do you have a special Christmas story that you would like to share! May be there is a special tradition in your family, your community or your own country, please let us know about it!

From my family to yours have a merry Christmas and remember that Jesus is the reason for the season! There can't be any Christmas without Christ!

Today in Haiti's history/ Bataille De Vertiere

 Today is a holiday in Haiti! Since this day played a crucial point in our independence. It used to be called the Day of the Army as well since the army was dissolved it is just Battle of Vertière. Vertière is just a place 
The battle of Vertière, the last large battle of the Haitian Revolution (Haitian war of independence) was fought between Haitian rebels and French expeditionary forces on November 18, 1803 at Vertières.
Haitians led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines attacked a strong French-held fort of Vertierre, near Cape Français (to the north of Haiti) and won a decisive victory over French colonial army under General Comte de Rochambeau and forced him to capitulate the same night. Haitian Ninth Brigade under François Capois played a crucial role in the victory.
As a result, independent Republic of Haiti was proclaimed on December 1, 1804.
November 18 has been widely celebrated since then as a Day of Army and Victory in Haiti.

Now... Let's go deeper in the history for those of you who are more inquisitive:

The Battle of Vertieres (Kreyòl: Batay Vètyè; French: Bataille de Vertières), a defining campaign in the Haitian revolution, took place on November 18, 1803. In this clash, south of Le Cap Haitians led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Alexandre Pétion ultimately defeated the French troops under General Rochambeau.

The last and defining Battle of the Haitian Revolution

Image of François Capois 'La Mort'

This last large battle of the Haitian Revolution, the Haitian War of Independence, was fought between Haitian rebels and French expeditionary forces. This decisive blow was a major loss for France and it's colonial empire. Haitians led by Jean-Jacques Dessalines and François Capois attacked a strong French-held fort of Vertières, near Cap François (in the north of Haiti) and won a decisive victory over French colonial army under General Comte de Rochambeau and forced him to capitulate the same night.
The Haitian Ninth Brigade under François Capois played a crucial role in the victory and caused Napoléon's troops to abandon their stronghold. This battle occurred less than two months before Dessalines declaration of independence (On January 1, 1804) and delivered the final blow to the French attempt to re-institute slavery, as had been the case in the other Caribbean possesions, and to stop the Haitian Revolution.
Another leader of the fight at Vértieres was Louis Michel Pierrot, the husband of the mambo Cécile Fatiman who had led the vodou ceremonies at Bois Caïman on August 14, 1791 together with Boukman.

The first major defeat of Napoléon's army

Napoléon Bonaparte, who had come to power three years prior to the Battle of Vertières (Through a coup d'etat on November 11, 1799), was given his first major defeat when he lost this crucial battle against the Haitian revolutionary forces. The French lost many experienced troops in the last year of fighting (1803) in Saint-Domingue and after the Battle of Vertières, their military and political strength in the Western Hemisphere was significantly weakened.
Even though Napoléon had mobilized about 30.000 troops that, in 1802, sailed in huge fleets from France to re-establish slavery in it's most profitable colony [Saint-Domingue], and had given up control over much of the territory he controlled in the Americas (see: The Haitian Revolution and the Louisiana Purchase), the Haitian troops commanded by Toussaint Louverture and later Jean-Jacques Dessalines won the war, culminating in the Battle of Vertiéres. This defeat, the French troops fled for France soon after loosing the final battle, was a major blow to the French empire, having been cut of from it's biggest source of income: the profits of plantation slave labor in Saint-Domingue.
For the Haitians, who would soon declare independence, the outcome of the battle of Vertiéres signaled the final defeat of the cruel treatment they had to suffer from the hands of the French colonizers. Rochambeau's defeat is still seen as a milestone in the fight against slavery and paved the way for the abolition of slavery in other countries, although Haiti was the first black republic in the hemisphere and the first nation to rid themselves from the terrors inflicted by the European colonialists.
The Battle of Vertières is a monument to Haiti's achievements as well as that of it's outstanding military leader at the time: Jean-Jacques Dessalines. Toussaint Louverture, who had died in April of 1803 in French captivity at Fort de Joux, had laid the groundwork for the defeat of France. It was Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who carried on as the leader of the Haitian troops and united the revolutionary forces, that made the win over the cruel General Rochambeau a possibility.
"[Rochambeau's] ferocious and sanguinary spirit was too much for the kind heart of Toussaint, or the gentlemanly bearing of Christophe. His only match was Dessalines." (Wells Brown p. 111)

Battle of Vertières' Day

November 18 has been celebrated since then as the Bataille de Vertières day (Battle of Vertières' Day) this day also used to be Armed Forces Day (French: Jour Des Forces Armées) in Haiti. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide abolished the Haitian army in the early 1990's.





(source haitianmedia.com, thelovertureproject.org)

National Anthem Singing contest update!

We have teamed up with Haitian Treasures since they do a good job promoting Haiti. Please buy they products and visit their website. More info about the National Anthem singing contest ! If you have a website please promote this event for the sake of our country and pass it on to your friends and family, your church, youth group, this can also be a school project! The possibilities are endless!

We are all waiting for you!

New Haiti PM promises to focus on investment

By JONATHAN M. KATZ (AP)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haiti's new prime minister was inaugurated Wednesday and promised to attract more investment and create jobs, while forging good relations with lawmakers who have ousted two heads of government in as many years.

Jean-Max Bellerive, the sixth person to hold the post since 2004 in this politically unstable Caribbean nation, said he will work closely with lawmakers in Haiti's Parliament, who recently fired his predecessor in part for sticking too closely to international development plans.

"We will take care of putting (members of Parliament) more in accordance with what we are doing," Bellerive told The Associated Press as the just-fired former prime minister, Michele Pierre-Louis, drove away from the hilltop mansion that is now Bellerive's headquarters.

"It's the same program, basically. We have the same priorities" as the previous government, he said.
Bellerive, 51, officially took power as Haiti's No. 2 in Wednesday ceremonies. He has served in a wide variety of Haitian administrations, including those of former populist President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the military junta that once ousted Aristide.

Bellerive was sworn in by President Rene Preval, who praised an orderly transition that took little more than 12 days from the ouster of one prime minister to the swearing-in of her replacement.
That is a sharp contrast from last year, when Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis was fired after a week of violent food riots that left at least seven dead. Months of political deadlock followed before Pierre-Louis took power in the midst of hurricanes whose destruction laid out the most immediate challenges for her administration.

International focus on Haiti shifted early this year to increasing foreign investment, an effort spearheaded by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who was named U.N. Special Envoy to the country where 80 percent of people live on less than $2 a day.

During the Oct. 30 debate that ended with the firing of Pierre-Louis, lawmakers accused her of unimaginatively following international development plans, which focus largely on improving infrastructure and building up a garment assembly sector to produce goods for the U.S. market under a preferential trade deal.
But Bellerive said Wednesday he intends to see those plans through — and, in fact, speed some investment deals along by continuing in his previous role as minister of planning and external cooperation.

"I hope that we can continue to work with President Clinton in the same manner, in the same commitment that he has with the former government and with President Preval," he told reporters. "The only way that we are going to change Haiti is through private investment, through creating jobs in Haiti."

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Haitian National Anthem singing contest!

I am looking for the best rendition of the Haitian National Anthem! All you have to do is to email us an attached video of you signing the Haitian National Anthem/la Dessalienne and we will have our readers vote on who is the best singer! Can't wait to hear from you! This contest is open to all, with no geographic limit! Please make sure you send a Youtube style video!

Map cheche yon moun ki ka chante im nasyonal la pi byen pase tout moun.  Men sa pou-w fè si ou vle patisipe: annik voye yon video ou men kap chante La Dessalinienne nan epi map metel sou blog mwen an konsa moun ap vote pou moun ki chantel pi byen an! Yon gwo kout chapo pou nou! Konkou sa-a pou tout moun nenpot kote-w ye!

Si vous êtes en mesure de chanter la Dessalinienne ou  l'hymne National d'Haiti, vous êtes invité à participer à notre concours de rendition de la Dessalinienne! Pour ce faire, vous n'avez qu'à m'envoyer par courrier électronique votre vidéo moi, lorsque cesera posté sur mon blog, le public en sera le seul juge. Cette compétion n'a pas de frontière!
Merci de votre participation!

Depending on the number of participants, the winner will be announced on January 1st which not only is the new year but also the anniversary of our independence. There is a good price for the winner. 

Also if you are interested in sponsoring this event please let me know!

Please post all your questions or comment on the blog on the comment section and I will be glad to answer all of them

Here is an example! 

City dedicates DuSable sculpture on Mag Mile

City officials have dedicated a sculpture in honor of a fur trader dubbed the founder of Chicago.
A bronze bust of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable was installed Saturday on the east side of Michigan Avenue just north of the Chicago River.

DuSable was a Haitian-born fur trader who was the first non-indigenous settler to the Chicago area. The state of Illinois dubbed him "Founder of Chicago" in 1968.
The sculpture is based on a 19th century drawing. It is mounted on a granite pedestal and stands over six-feet tall.
The sculpture was donated by members of Chicago's Haitian-American community.
Associated Press and staff report

**********

Jean-Baptiste Point du Sable (c. 1745 - August 28, 1818) was the first non-native settler in the area which is now Chicago, Illinois. He was long ignored by historians, partly because he was a Haitian and not white, and partly because the early histories were written by the friends and descendants of John Kinzie, to whom du Sable sold his house in 1800.

Du Sable built his first house in the 1770s, thirty years before Fort Dearborn was established on the banks of the Chicago River. By the time he sold to Kinzie's frontman, Jean LeLime, his property included a house, two barns, a horsemill, a bakehouse, a poultry house, a dairy and a smokehouse . The interior was richly appointed as well.

Du Sable married the daughter of one of the local Potawatomi chiefs. During the Revolutionary War, he was imprisoned briefly by the British at Detroit, Michigan.

Jean had a son and daughter, Jean and Suzzane.

In 1800 Baptiste left Chicago and headed west for unknown reasons. Some speculate that he was disappointed the local Potawatomi tribe did not make him a chief. -- 

http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Jean:Baptiste:Point:du:Sable.html

Happy birthday Wyclef Jean

 Please join me today in wishing our very own Wyclef Jean a very happy birthday! He is been a real representative of Haiti as a matter of fact he is an ambassador and he is been doing a real good job! Visit his charitiy yele Haiti and donate for a good cause. Thanks Wyclef for loving Haiti and for all you are doing for the Haitian people.

Wyclef Neluset Jean (born October 17, 1972) is a multiplatinum Haitian-American musician, actor, producer and former-member of the hip hop trio The Fugees. Wyclef has sold more than 31 million albums throughout his career, together with his album sales with The Fugees.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyclef_Jean

Days of the week in creole

Let's learn the days of the week: Ann aprann jou yo ki genyen nan semèn nan
What day is it today: Ki jou jodi-a ye?
Today is ...: Jodi-a se ...

Monday : Lendi
Tuesday: Madi
Wednesday: Mèkredi
Thursday: Jedi
Friday: Vandredi
Saturday: Samdi
Sunday: Dimanch

Contact us for suggestions, comments or for a complete creole course!

Obama picks Corvington for national service post

(AP)

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has named a veteran of nonprofit groups to head the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The president said Friday that Patrick Corvington will lead the agency that oversees Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America.

Corvington is a senior associate at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. He previously worked at the nonprofit Innovation Network and the Urban Institute.

Corvington is a native of Haiti who earned degrees at the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press


Patrick Corvington’s Summary

Patrick Corvington is a recognized expert on non-profit sector leadership and capacity issues, new and emerging philanthropy, and volunteerism. He currently serves at the Annie E. Casey Foundation as a Senior Associate responsible for guiding the foundation’s grantees on issues related to leadership development, next generation leadership, and capacity building. He also acts as Senior Advisor to the Foundation’s Executive Vice President, Ralph Smith, who is the Chair of the Council on Foundations. As part of this work Corvington is engaged directly with some of the top social innovation intermediaries in the nonprofit sector and has co- authored publications such as Ready to Lead: Next Generation Leaders Speak Out and Next Shift: Beyond the Nonprofit Leadership Crisis. From 2003-2005, Corvington was Executive Director of Innovation Network,he conducted policy research at The Urban Institute, and also worked to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations abroad.

A native of Haiti, Mr. Corvington grew up in Africa immigrated to the United States as a teenager. He earnrd his B.A. in Sociology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his M.A. in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University, where he received the National Minority Leadership Fellowship from the Kellogg Foundation. Corvington has devoted his life to serving and empowering communities, beginning his career traveling the East Coast migrant stream as a case manager working with migrant workers. He has also served as an advocate for adjudicated youth as Interim Director at the Sykesville Group Shelter Home and has worked as a patient advocate in a community-based HIV/AIDS clinic; and has volunteered his time working in an infirmary of a shelter for homeless persons. He currently serves on the board of directors of Echoing Green, the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, and the advisory board of the American Humanics Nonprofit Workforce Coalition.
Patrick Corvington’s Specialties:

Leadership Development, Nonprofit Capacity, Strategy Development, Philanthropy, Volunteerism, Research.

Sources: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/patrick-corvington/3/A74/114
picture: echoingreen.com

World challenge/ vote for Haiti

Votez pour Haïti !

Haïti fait partie des 12 finalistes mondiaux pour son projet de recyclage de papiers et de cartons pour la fabrication de briquettes, qui se réalise depuis peu dans le centre de collecte et de tri de déchets de Carrefour Feuilles (CASCAF).

Votez pour le projet pour que plusieurs petits centres de tri soient financés dans d'autres villes du pays.
Donnons une autre alternative à la coupe de bois et aussi favorisons la propreté de nos rues et la création d'emploi.

Votez pour Haïti sur ce site: http://www.theworldchallenge.co.uk/
et faites passer ce message à tous vos connaissances!
Merci!

VOTE FOR HAITI! BBC WORLD CHALLENGE 2009! http://www.theworldchallenge.co.uk/ Haiti's project is called Love 'N Haiti which focuses on Decheteries De Carrefour Feuilles, a factory that produces recycled paper charcoal (briquettes). During former President Bill Clinton's speech during the Haitian Unity Diaspora Congress last month, he talked about this factory and how these briquettes can help make a big difference in Haiti. If Haiti wins the most votes, they will win a grant that will go towards this project. Here are just some of the top reasons as to why you should support and vote for Love 'N HAiti: *Save trees by decreasing deforestation *Create a cleaner, safer and healthier environment *Reduce incidence of floods (by unclogging canals) *Alleviate poverty *Create jobs *Reduce violence Voting is from September 28, 2009 - November 13, 2009 at midnight. To vote, please go to the World Challenge website at www.theworldchallenge.co.uk. Voting is limited to one vote per person.

Let's learn creole!

Let's learn creole Ann aprann pale kreyòl

Haitian creole is very very easy specially for English speaking people. I bet you if you go to Haiti for 3 months you will be able to speak creole pretty well.

Today I will teach you some useful words:
Good morning: Bonjour
Good evening: Bonswa
Good night: Dòmi byen/bòn nwit
What is your name?: Kijan ou rele?
My name is...: Mwen rele ...
Where is...?: Ki kote ... ye?
Where are you going?: Ki kote ou prale?
I am going to...: Mwen prale ...
I love: Mwen renmen

Haiti reads (an interview with the founder)

As you've probably realized by now the purpose of this blog is simply to promote Haiti. If I see a Haitian rising internationally specially in the US I will promote him and this goes as well for organizations thriving for the welfare of the people of our country. I know there are many doing good deeds then I could never know but unfortunately I have to select some and I am looking forward for some suggestions as well as always.

Today, my guest is Jeanette Alfred, she is the founder of Haiti Reads and I had the opportunity to interview her via email and here is the transcript:

Q- Tell me a little bit about you!
A- I came to the USA from Germany in 1991. I grew up with a passion of wanting to help people and used to take most of my pocket money when I was a child to buy bread for homeless people on my way to school. I grew up poor in a single parent household but always thought that whatever I have, I could share with others.
Because of the lack of money we had when I was little, there was never money for books in my home. I remember begging my mother for a book when I was a child but she never gave in to buy me one. Once I moved to the US and started earning my own money, I went a little crazy buying book after book, so many in fact, that I ended up having to donate a majority to several Chicago Public Libraries and some to private schools. When I learned that only a short distance from the United States, in Haiti, children were longing for books and education; I set out to bring books to the children of Haiti. This is how Haiti Reads was born.

Q- Why Haiti Reads? Why Haiti? How long have you been around?
A- In August 1994 I got into a cab at the airport. The driver was a Haitian man who ended up becoming a good family friend. Besides driving a cab, he also hosted a Haitian Radio show in Chicago. He invited me to come to his show a few times and after some time, I ended up working at the station answering phones. During that time, I really didn’t know much about Haiti at all but I started to learn all about Haitian music. Unfortunately, I was never encouraged by anyone to travel to Haiti so about three years ago I took that challenge up on my own. I booked a two week vacation to Haiti. This was a life changing event for me. I meet some of the nicest people while there and one of them encouraged me to “do something for Haiti”. Combined with my passion for books, seeing that most children in Haiti don’t have good quality books if any at all, the idea for the library was born.

Q- There are many other troubles in Haiti why did you choose to tackle illiteracy?
A- I could write a book on this but I think this quote by U.K Prime Minister Gordon Brown sums it up the best:
"Reading is a ladder out of poverty. It is probably one of the best anti poverty, anti-deprivation, anti-crime, anti-vandalism policies you can think of."

Q- Where is your organization located?
A- In Haiti, we are located in Delmas 24, Port-Au-Prince and we currently work in partnership with two schools; one in Merger, Haiti and one in Fort Mercredi, Haiti. We have Haiti Reads Volunteer Clusters in San Diego, California, New York, New York, Chicago, Illinois, and Port-Au-Prince Haiti.

Q- Is this for kids only or do you help adults as well?
A- Our focus IS actually adults. We would like to see as many parents as possible to come to us to learn how to read or become better readers. If we can target parents, they can go home and teach their children and help them become literate. If they are unable to send their children to school, the parent can become their teacher. If the child is in school, the parent can help them with their assignments. It is a vision we hope to fulfill. Parents as teachers first!
Our work with children entails that we bring books to schools on a weekly basis. Of course, most of the patrons of the library will be children as well.

Q- Where do you get funding from?
A- We rely on private funding from people like you. In addition we are going to start selling T-Shirts and crafts various students in Haiti and the US will make for us. However, it is a catch 22. We need money to order the t-shirts we want to sell and currently Haiti Reads does not have a budget for that.

Q- How can people reading this help?
A- One way of helping is that they spread awareness of our work in their community. The next thing they can do is help us raise money by hosting dinner parties, holding yard sales and asking friends and family for support. In relation to other organizations, our budget is small. We are currently looking to raise about $5000.00. This money will enable us to buy solar panels, inverter batteries, get tables, chairs and shelves build, ship the remaining books to Haiti and pay for a teacher to teach the literacy classes. Since we are an all volunteer staff, all travels to and from Haiti and accommodations in Haiti are paid out of each members pocket and do not come out of the library budget.

Q-What's the most amazing moment you've had with your organization and what was the most discouraging one?
A- The most amazing moment was when I opened the doors to the library for the very first time and saw the place painted and cleaned. Jean Baptiste, one of the members of Haiti Reads, painted the place a wonderful light and bright color and really surprised me with this wonderful gift.

Our most discouraging moments are when we have to put our very important work on hold because of the lack of funding. This is currently the case.

Q- Do you have a success story that you wanna share with us?
A- We have several success stories. Last year The Special Library Association awarded us with a check for $500.00 for the work we do in Haiti. This was a momentous moment for us. We, out of thousands of entries, were chosen by a panel of librarians for the work we do in Haiti.
Another great moment was when we were contacted by Looking Glass Theater to partner with them on the production of Fedra. Because this imaginary theater play deals with Haiti, we will be serving as a cultural bridge between our organization and the theater company to get the Haitian community of Chicago interested in this event.


Q- Thanks so very much for your time, what would be your last words?
A- My last words would be a warm heartfelt thank you to you and this wonderful blog you keep. Haiti is a wonderful country with so many possibilities. Our work in the field of literacy is very important to the community it serves, Haiti and its future.



Jeanette Alfred
HAITI READS

6415 N. Ravenswood Ave #100
Chicago, IL 60626

USA: 1-773-616-0043


Haiti: 011-509-3-879-6642
Haiti: 011-509-3-866-2601
www.haitireads.org
www.iGive.com/HaitiReads
On Facebook

From dream to reality

On Tuesday the 25th of August I landed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It was so great to see all of my old friends and kids I was raised with. Moreover, it was great to see the country! It is not getting any better on the poverty side! More people than ever are on the streets of Port-Au-Prince. I was amazed to see that so many new roads have been built. On the political side or should I say on the security side it has improved a lot. The police is getting more effective thanks to their training by foreign agency such as the UN. I did not hear not even one gunshot during my two week stay in the country and not even heard or read about any kidnapping. I am not saying that it is 100% safe 'cause there is no such place on the planet but I think that it is pretty safe to travel to Haiti as always one should use their good sense.

If you have been following my blog you will know by now that I have been teasing you about the dream/goal well it finally came to reality. My bags were filled with with pencils, pens, erasers, pencils sharpeners and rulers that I have been able to buy and most of them were donated by good people from neighbor to friends, former co-workers, siblings, in-laws and local churches ( I thank you all guys).

We had enough funds to buy copybooks and more pencils and school kit in Haiti which was a blessing. With your donations and the help of a dynamic team we had in Haiti, we were able to provide school supplies to about 650 kids who would have not been able to afford such. The kids and parents were grateful to us but unfortunately we had to turn away some people since we did not have enough More people showed up even after the distribution we are praying to be able to do a bigger distribution next time!

We had school supplies distribution in 3 different sites

The first one was in Lompre, Trouin a remote village around O treacherous! When we finally made it 3 hours and a half later, we found about 250 to 275 well behaved kids sitting quietly waiting for us.

They sang and clapped they hands and welcomed us! I was so glad and proud of my crew. Unfortunately, I lost my memory card which contains the picture but I have the whole event on film and I am looking for somebody who can transfer it on DVD for me,if you can help us please contact me.

On September 2, 2009 we headed to Thiotte, it was overwhelming to see the kids come so far away to receive something from us. Some of them walked as far as 5 miles to receive some little thing that they parents would otherwise might not have been able to provide to them. My cousin and brother went ahead of time and targeted the poorest people from the area and gave them a card and the location to come in order to receive the school supplies but word came out we had people with and without cards who showed up. We were able to give to even those with no cards but unfortunately not all of them could get something. About 250 kids participated in it. We delivered the items per session just to avoid overcrowding! Thanks to the crew it all went smoothly! The pictures below are only from Thiotte! I only have video from Trouin and please contact me if you want to help us convert it into DVD.

This is how we basically did it: we gave each kids 3 copy books 2 pencils, 2 pencils a ruler a pencil sharpener,those in 6th grade or higher received on top of these a copy book with a school kit.

No, we did not have the press covering this project and yet I feel so satisfied! I want to thank the special crew I had in Haiti without them any of this would have been possible!

I want to specially thanks my wife and kids, also Mount Sinai Church for being our biggest church sponsor and to my brother in law and his wife for their generous support, they were our biggest individual sponsor. I would also thank Mr. Smoorenburg director of Fondation Coeur Pour Haiti for providing us with the logistic and as well as a 4X4 pick-up and a driver. He was our biggest sponsor in Haiti hands down! I would also like to thank Believer’s Fellowship and it members for their support as well, my siblings and cousins who really invested in the dream (the trip to Thiotte was made possible by my cousin who drove us there and stayed with us), Smilemakers Inc and its employees for their support. Any one who has helped a way or the other to make this trip possible I do thank you and the kids are thanking you as well.

Thanks to all of you who made it possible financially, through your prayers or your showing up physically to help! In the name of the kids and parents of Trouin and Thiotte, a big thank you! If you have a dream go for it! You won't know till you try it and even when it does not work the first time don't give up as long as it is a legitimate one!

I have even bigger crazier dream for Haiti and I know that God will make them come true but first I have to start slowly! You will be made aware of the other projects in due time!
Thanks for helping and loving Haiti!

Gathering at Fondation Coeur pour Haiti

We had a great time with the kids of the village! Most of them are adults now or teenagers but when I left some of them could barely talk it was such a good reunion and I was so glad to see them.

They truly played some good kompa live!