Some students walk great distances each day to attend the EcoVillage School but they are glad to have this safe place to learn and thrive.
Last Fall, we reported that the Haiti Ecovillage School did not open on schedule due to violent protests in the country including towns near the school. Fortunately, they were able to open the school at the end of November. We are happy to report that they successfully completed the school year by extending through the end of June.
Attendance was low in that first month because parents feared for their children’s safety. But enrollment grew as it became apparent that the school was a safe space.
We planned for an enrollment of about 270 students based on past years attendance. But, it turned out that other schools in the area were unable to open and so the enrollment of our school grew to 390 students in 10 classrooms. We reported this to you with a story titled “No More Room on the Bench”. Working with our partner, MPP, we were able to find the funds to get the additional supplies and desks to accommodate the additional students. This included computers and school supplies donated by our member churches.
When the school year started, teachers had a tough time getting to the school because of a fuel shortage. Again, we worked with MPP to help them with transportation so there would be teachers in every classroom every day for students eager to learn.
It is too dangerous for us to travel to Haiti now and bring you the stories of the school. So, we contracted with a Haitian man to go to the school and interact with the staff and students to bring those stories back to us. As a result, we have monthly reports from the Principal of the school and stories from some of the children.
In September, the Ecovillage School will begin its 10th year. Your support has made it possible for us to keep helping this community. The proceeds from the garage sale this past April are a substantial portion of the funds needed to keep the school going for another year. But, we’re still a little short of the funds to meet the budget so we are going to have a Flavors of Haiti fundraising event on November 4th which will be held at Emory Presbyterian Church. More details about that will follow in the coming weeks.
The future of the school is an open question. We were successful in building the school and getting it nationally accredited so it would qualify for government funding. But, there is no functioning government at this time.
So we work to keep the school open so that it can be self-sustaining when the government is re-established.
Please pray for the School to open in September as planned, for the 400 students, all the teachers and staff and for an end to the dysfunction and violence in Haiti.