Powering Up Bright Futures
Education is not easily accessible to Haitian youth. Fewer than 19% of students complete primary school, with even fewer able to enroll in high school due to financial hardships.
Due to the leadership of HTF’s In-Country Director, Luckner “Maya” Fond-Rose, and the generosity of the HTF community, we’ve been able to start two different programs that support and empower Haitian youth as they continue their education into high school. Our Rejoice program offers the opportunity to attend school and participate in Saturday sessions to children, preteens and teenagers who were sent to work as domestic servants, or restaveks. Our Living Faith program provides funds to pay for tuition, school supplies and school uniforms for students whose families lack the financial means for their continued education. Each of these programs are vital to building a brighter future for each student who participates.
Learning life skills, like cooking and cleaning, has been a part of both programs since their inception, but this year, the students have been given a unique opportunity to develop specialized skills in the area of electricity and solar panel installation! Maya shares, "It's always been our goal for students to learn and gain life skills. With this opportunity to learn about electricity, they are learning a skill that will help them with opportunities in the future. Thank you to HTF and donors who continue to support and invest in these students so their future could be brighter and improved." These opportunities will hopefully change the lives of the children who are participating in this additional training.
The access and reliability of electricity in Haiti is limited, especially in rural areas. Even in Port au Prince, power outages are common, and can occur daily. In recent years, there has been increased investment in developing solar microgrids and encouraging solar panels to be built on buildings. In fact, one of HTF’s partner schools, Centre d’Education Integree (CEI), located in the mountainous community of La Montagne, outside of Jacmel, is building solar panels to enable classes to continue even during electrical outages.
Haiti’s reliance on solar panels to generate electricity will help graduates with this skillset, hopefully leading to job prospects. An experienced electrician with knowledge in solar panel installation has been visiting the students on Saturdays to teach them how to replace the batteries, install the panels and connect the panels to an electrical source.
We are thrilled that this training has been popular for the students, so there will be additional rounds of training, and we hope several students will be able to apprentice, receiving even more practical experience that will lead them towards a future with more opportunities.
Our Child Sponsors are everyday heroes; they ensure that high school students in Haiti are able to continue their education. Additional training is fueled by the generosity of the HTF community. Thank you for believing in a brighter future for the children of Haiti!
