The Difference in a Life

After living in Haiti for 2 ½ months now, Jeremy and I have recognized that the Haitian people do not need handouts - this is only a hinderance, and something that some have come to rely on.  Haiti needs opportunity.  The Haitian people need jobs in order to work for themselves, to provide for their own families, to instill pride in themselves.  In Haiti, jobs are very limited.  There is a 70% unemployment rate, and it isn’t because the people don’t want to work.  The jobs that are available are for those who are educated, which also means having fluency in French and English.  The people who do not have education try to sell anything that they can to make a living … fruit, vegetables, pop, gum, shoes, purses, combs, anything.

The school in which we live and work - Terre Noire - educates approximately 580 students; Cite Soleil has about 330 students; and Ibo beach about 220.  In Haiti, there is not public schooling, so the children have to pay to go to school.  At the HOM schools, the children receive a multivitamin, one hot meal, textbooks, school supplies, educated teachers, instruction in French (as well as English class), medical, and a uniform with shoes.  Although the parents are unable to afford the $360.00 a year to send their child to school, the school requests that they pay something (whatever they can afford, which isn’t much), then the rest comes from sponsorship.  Currently there are 71 students that are receiving education but do not have sponsors.  The schools do not turn down the children, they merely have faith the funds will be provided.

There are many children in Haiti that do not attend school for the simple fact that parents cannot afford it, and for those children the future is dark.  Without education, the chance of getting the limited availability of jobs is next to none.  Education is truly paving the way for these children and giving hope for their futures. 

Many people who sponsor a child will follow their child all through school (age 3 to grade 12, and sometimes college.  As long as the child does not take a year off school, they are sponsored to go through college as well).  But this is up t o the sponsor.  You can even come down and meet your child at school!

With the Christmas season approaching, I encourage you to carefully consider if $30.00 a month is something you can afford to make a difference in the future of a child.

To find out more information, visit the Haiti Outreach Ministries website at: www.haitioutreachministries.org/.