Kids Connection Haiti

Graduation Time! ❤💙

We are incredibly proud of Sabrina and her remarkable achievement.
Determined to make a difference, she committed herself to nursing school, and through her dedication and hard work, she became one of the top students in her class!

Sabrina’s success is one of many stories made possible through Kids Connection Haiti, thanks to the unwavering support of our loyal sponsors and donors.

As Sabrina steps into this exciting new chapter, we wish her a future filled with endless opportunities, success, and happiness.

In her own words, Sabrina shares her heartfelt gratitude:
*"Today, I write with immense joy. Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude to all the Kids Connection Haiti supporters, both in Haiti and abroad.

Four years ago, I was a young girl with a dream but no support to achieve it. Thanks to Kids Connection Haiti, my dream became a reality, and I stand here today as a proud nurse.

I want you to know that your efforts have not been in vain. My four years of study were filled with challenges, but none could deter me from my path. Now, I am fully prepared to enter the workforce with the skills and abilities I’ve gained.

Without your guidance and support, I wouldn’t be the nurse I am today."*

Kindness ALWAYS matters.
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“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
-Nelson Mandela-

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KCH on Haitian News: 8/13/24
This week in Haitian news, the 400 Mawozo become the dominant threat to the state, the anti-gang force is seeking to increase its capabilities, and the Conille government continues solves problems while facing a new wave of political issues.

While the Barbeque gang coalition rapidly disintegrated, the 400 Mawozo continue to wreak havoc upon the population. Several weeks ago, the gang’s attack on Ganthier displaced nearly 1,000 households, with fewer than 17 percent able to find refuge in nearby neighborhoods. Former Fonds-Parisien Senator Senatus posted on social media that he fears the gang would move onto Fonds-Parisien in the coming week. The gang most recently set a PNH vehicle on fire while burning a customs office nearby, forcing the PNH into retreat.

Both the Haitian government and international force are requesting more equipment from both the United States and the OAS. The Kenyan Commander, Godfrey Otunge, insisted that the Americans must remove restrictions on how the provided armored vehicles are used. Meanwhile, the Haitian ambassador to the OAS, Gandy Thomas, presented strong arguments for training young Haitian army officers along other members of the OAS to gain the necessary experience to maintain control after the mission leaves.

The Conille government has primarily focused on restoring civil life in the country. The government successfully continued the sanitation cleanup in Tabarre and began the reconstruction of a control tower at the airport. In addition, Conille met with his ministers last week to further solidify the plan to retransition the country into a democracy. The PM expressed doubt at the ability to hold elections so long as the gangs control communes like Artibonite. Conille must also solve the problem of the lack of civil servants, around ten percent of which fled the country in the last year. The PM faces a returning threat of self-avowed socialist Guy Phillipe and his new political platform, “The Revolutionary Force of National Accord”, which insists on overthrowing the government through violent means.

KCH will be back next week with more news from Haiti.

KCH on Haitian Culture: The Taino
Today, the population of Hispaniola is mostly descendent from West Africa, North Africa, and the France. Haiti, and Hispaniola more broadly, is one of the few places in the world where the native inhabitants have virtually no living descendants. Those inhabitants, the Taino (translated as “men of the good”) settled all around the Caribbean islands. Dating their migration is nigh impossible due to the lack of structures and artifacts. Still, we know they had active trading routes with other early civilizations like the Maya and Central American tribes.

The Taino population numbers on Hispaniola range from several tens of thousands to two million, demonstrating the severe lack of knowledge about the civilization Despite the lack of knowledge, early writings from explorers reveal that the Taino were excellent fishermen and agriculturalists, in addition to standardizing the process of turning corn into the alcoholic chica drink still consumed in various South American and Caribbean countries. They also seem to have some pictographic writings, again similar to nearby early peoples.

Despite the almost complete annihilation, the pre-African and European civilization of the island left a mark on future generations. The Taino people of the Caribbean as a whole called the western part of Hispaniola Ayiti, which, with a French tongue, became pronounced as “Haiti”. Further, the Taino built their towns and villages in a Roman style, with a large plaza in the middle for ceremonies, markets, and other activities. This was adopted by early French colonizers of the islands and became standard practice well into the island’s future. Those forums became many of the modern marketplaces for Haitian cities like Jacmel.

Thus, while the Taino may be gone, they are the origins of Haiti’s namesake and towns, and through them live on.

In January 2024, we celebrated a major milestone with our first physician graduate, Dr. Stephania, who is now working with Partners in Health!

Her journey with Kids Connection Haiti began in 2018, and her incredible dedication and motivation have always set her apart.

Despite facing challenging circumstances in Haiti, including family struggles and extreme poverty, Stephania never wavered in her dream to become a doctor. Her unwavering commitment and hard work have paid off, and today she proudly holds the title of Doctor.

Congratulation Dr. Stephania!

Your support has truly made a difference in her life, and we can't wait to see the positive impact she'll make in the world of medicine.

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OurWhy❤

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This year we welcomed 112 students into our program, including 46 newcomers to Kids Connection Haiti!
We also partnered with several organizations and orphanages to support young adults transitioning into adulthood.

Despite the challenges posed by violence, we successfully held 14 workshops for 137 young adults. One highlight was the micro-business training, equipping participants with valuable skills for their future.

KCH on Haitian News 8/6/2024
This week in Haitian news, the Prime Minister comes under fire, the Kenyan contingent pushes gangs back, and the government works toward restoring order in the country.

Despite Barbeque’s alleged call for peace, gangs continued to launch attacks against the Haitian state and the Kenyan contingent. On July 29, Prime Minister Conille came under fire from gangs after leaving the University Hospital of Haiti. The University Hospital lies in a gang controlled area, but the PM and other state officials were able to evacuate safely. The attack is suspected to be in response to heavy losses sustained by the Chen Mechan gang on Sunday at the hands of the PNH.

The gangs slowly lost ground not just to the PNH, but the Kenyan contingent as well. According to the commander of the international force, the Kenyans have helped the PNH retake the general hospital, the seaport, the city of Ganthier, and control of major sections of Route 1. More contingents from Kenya and Barbados are set to arrive in the next few weeks. To combat the suspicion over Kenyan malfeasance in their treatment of the population, the mission has done several foot patrols in Port, attempting to meet and assuage the fears of Haitian citizens. For uncertain reasons, the Chinese military has also arrived on the Dominican side of the border, potentially signaling an attack on gangs from the Eastern mountains.

After surviving the attack, Prime Minister Conille continued his attempt to restore the Haitian state by taking action on a number of fronts. Conille requested an inventory of how the election committee is fairing, sought to restore a power plant in Cite-Soleil, and gave several speeches addressing the state of businesses in the country. Conille also seeks to add 1,500 more soldiers to the Haitian army. Despite these initiatives, Conille faces an uphill battle against protesting legal officials, the near total destruction of the general hospital, and addressing the devastating prison situation whose unsanitary conditions took the lives of several dozen prisoners this year.

KCH will be back next week with more news from Haiti.

KCH on Haitian Culture: Croix-des-Bouquets
Port-Au-Prince is one of the largest organic cities in the world, lacking the central planning seen in the majority of Western cities nowadays. This has resulted in numerous neighborhoods popping up ad-hoc in and around the large basin in which the capital resides. One such suburb, is Croix-des-Bouquets, home to an abundance of Haitian creativity.

Croix-des-Bouquets was officially founded in 1749, although that is a bit of a misnomer. The Spanish, French, and Haitians living in the area had been there for some decades, and it was only after some of the wealthy landowners gave over their plantations to the government did the town become marked on maps of Haiti as Croix-des-Bouquets. The town draws its name from a Spanish tradition of placing bouquets of flowers at the base of a cross which originally sat at the neighborhood’s heart. Since that time, the suburb has become known for its tradition of beauty, mainly through Haitian ironwork sculptures.

These iron sculptures are made from the abundant scrap metal in and around Port. One can walk through the town at any time of day and hear the ring of metalworkers creating sculptures which draw upon Christianity, Voodoo, the local landscape, wildlife, and Haitian history. Many of the sculptures are hauntingly beautiful, lacking facial features but distinct in form and meaning. The city continues to be an exemplar of Haitian art and culture.

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KCH on Haitian News: 8/2/24
This week in Haitian news, Barbeque lays down his arms, a potentially draconian state of emergency is declared, and the Kenyan delegation is successful at a dire cost.

The Barbeque gang alliance rapidly collapsed in the last few weeks. In Cite Soleil, Barbeque and two other leaders of the alliance announced that they came to a peace agreement with the Haitian state. The group destroyed various sniper posts and roadblocks in a show of good faith. Despite this action, other gangs have continued the war against the population, burning two police stations and shutting down the Les Cayes conception hospital in the last week. Namely, the 400 Mawozo gang continues to wreck havoc in the city of Ganthier and the Kraze Barye gang in Artibonite.

The new Conille government recently declared a state of emergency in fourteen communes granting the government wide sweeping powers reminiscent of previous regimes, such as banning, “publications and meetings deemed subversive and likely to disturb the public order.” So far, Conille has not implemented these changes to a draconian degree, and does not seem likely to. Conille’s more recent focus has been on ridding corruption from the state, including a second change in the Chief Inspector General of the PNH and a bribery investigation into three of Conille’s former advisors.

Last, the Kenyan delegation has begun a near-indiscriminate campaign against the gangs, levelling sections of neighborhoods without distinguishing between combatants and innocents. Although the contingent successfully frightened Barbeque into making peace, many are now terrified to pass through areas exclusively under Kenyan control. Reports on casualties have not been released, and the only major source of information regarding the mission are Haitians living around the combat zones.

KCH will be back next week with more news on Haiti.

Thanks to a generous grant from Water Charities, we launched a water and sanitation project in November, led by our student coordinator, Esnel.
Ten students are trained in plumbing and sanitation to rebuild bathrooms at public schools in the slums. This project is a huge step forward in improving hygiene and health for our community!

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In June, we teamed up with Charity Vision to offer comprehensive eye exams for all our students, thanks to the unwavering commitment of their 10 doctors and nurses.

Low-income communities are most at risk due to limited access to quality eye care.

We are incredibly grateful to Charity Vision for their vital role in strengthening eye care services in our community and helping our students.

KCH on Haitian Culture: Oswald Durand
“To Haiti what Shakespeare is to England, and Dante to Italy” are the words often used to describe Oswald Durand, a Haitian author and poet from the mid 19th century. Born in 1840 in the northern city of Saint-Louis du Nord, Oswald’s parents were second generation freed slaves. After his parents died in the 1942 earthquake at Cap Haitien, Oswald and his sister lived with their maternal grandmother, who helped in the revolution. Despite her best effort, Oswald’s grandmother was not able to find a teacher due to the ongoing instability in the country. Oswald instead educated himself by reading books wherever he could find them: from the ruins of French estates, the abandoned school buildings, or friendly adults.

Oswald’s love of reading and grandmother’s nationalism inspired him to become an elementary school teacher at the age of 18. Oswald went on to become the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Haiti’s lower branch of Congress. Throughout this entire time Oswald operated his own newspaper called “Bigailles.”

By reading accounts of Haiti’s past and listening to his grandmother’s war stories, Oswald developed a deep love of Haiti. He wrote numerous poems on the glory of revolutionaries like Dessalines and Louverture. However, in 1883, these writings landed Durand in prison for criticizing the removal of President Lysius Salomon. While arrested, Oswald wrote one of his most famous works, “Choucoune” where he extols the beauty of Haitian women. While written in French, Choucoune used some Creole words, making Oswald arguably the first to write the Creole language down.

Oswald remained a prominent poet for the rest of his days, earning him many international awards despite his criticism of foreign interventionism. To this day, Oswald’ poems are translated into new songs, while others make frequent appearances in Haitian political campaign rallies. Oswald is perhaps so revered because he codified Haiti’s nationalism of the early 19th century into memories which can be passed on to generations of Haitians.

Your Generosity Has Been Lifesaving This School Year!

Many of our students' achievements this year would not have been possible without the support of friends like you.
Here's a look at some highlights from the 2023-2024 school year:

112 students
Housing for 23 students
46 graduates
Health, dental, and eye care
Emergency food support for everyone
Local team of 10 KCH alumni.

To support students whose schools closed due to violence, we hired teachers for online education, helping high schoolers prepare for their exams. This transition to online learning was a significant milestone for our students.

In January 2024, we celebrated our first physician graduate, Dr. Stephania, who is now working with Partners in Health.

As gangs took control of key infrastructure, causing food scarcity, we provided emergency food support to ensure our students didn't go hungry.

By the end of May, most schools reopened, and by June, all students were back in the classroom. In June, we partnered with Charity Vision to provide comprehensive eye exams for all students, thanks to their professional and kind staff.

The positive impact of your contributions is immeasurable.
We are deeply grateful for your support and kindness.

On behalf of all our students and staff, we wish you a wonderful summer!

Graduation Time 💙!

Huge congratulations to Modieu on this remarkable achievement!

Modieu has graduated in Electro-Mechanics from Canado Technique School.

Modieu, your story is an inspiration to us all. From facing extreme poverty to thriving in your education, you've overcome immense challenges.

As you embark on this new chapter, we wish you a future filled with opportunities, success, and happiness.

congratulation Modieu, we are very proud of you!

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KCH on Haitian news: 7/23/24
This week in Haitian news, new anti-gang operations take place, the Conille government fights back against corruption, and more troops arrive in the country.

Last week, the Gran Grif gang carried out a failed attack on the Patchwall police station on Route 1, the main road in the country. It marks the third try by the group to assert control over the critical juncture. In response, the Kenyan mission, with the authorization of Prime Minister Conille, has begun preliminary areas near the airport and along the frequently sieged Route 1. The Kenyan mission is under direct control of the PNH, providing the Haitian state with the ability to target those critical areas.

Meanwhile, the Conille government faced both setbacks and victories. The Deputy Spokesperson for the PNH was almost immediately removed due to allegations of corruption. The new Prime Minister has expressed the need to eradicate corruption in the Haitian state, and this serves as one of the early examples of what that new policy entails. In addition, the PNH established a new bonus system for its officers, attempting to swell the police ranks with new recruits which have largely turned towards gangs.

On the international stage, the second contingent of Kenyan soldiers arrived in Haiti on Monday. The soldiers were equipped with more arms than a normal UN deployment, given the severity of the gang problem. The Kenyans are soon to be followed by 1,000 Jamaican troops, set to deploy in September. A number of other Caribbean countries have volunteered their own forces to assist, but it’s unknown when they will set foot in Haiti.

KCH will be back next week with more news in Haiti.

KCH on Haitian Culture: The Haitian Occupation of Santo Domingo
This past Wednesday marks 200 years since the original unification of the island of Santo Domingo under Haitian rule. While the Haitian Revolution began in the late 1700s, the eastern part of the island, belonging to Spain, was preparing for a more peaceful separation. The Spanish had long since lost their grip on the New World, and insufficiently governed their part of Santo Domingo. In contrast, the Haitian colonizers, and then Haitian elite, grew rich from sugar plantations. At the time, the eastern part of the island had only 80,000 inhabitants, while Haiti had upwards of one million.

In 1801, Toussant Louverture, then still loyal to France, took over the two thirds of the eastern part of the island. When revolution came in 1804, instability in the Dominican broke out. After several years of revolts against the weakening French grip on the Dominican side, France completely withdrew. The Spanish were crippled through massive war expenditures, so when a revolt by a former governor took place in 1821, the Spanish packed up and left without much of a fight. The Republic of Spanish Haiti tried to align itself to Gran Columbia, to no avail. After the deal fell through, the Republic of Spanish Haiti decided it would be best to unify with the Creole side on February 9, 1822.

All was well as could be under the turbulent Haitian rule. The twenty two year reign of the Haitian government over the Dominican side was largely successful, as it brought back much of the economy devastated by brutal Spanish rule. Then, in 1838 a group of Dominican nationalists formed a secret society called La Trinitaria. Tired of the changes in government and oppression of the Spanish language, La Trinitaria gathered enough support to make a small militia that broke apart fully in 1844 without much fight from the Haitian side. Unlike the Haitian army in the early 19th century, the persistent changes in government left its military severely weakened, an effect still seen to this day. Haiti could not maintain control, and instead of developing into a full fledged empire, fell back into chaos due to internal power struggles.

We are thrilled to share some fantastic news with you!

KCH student Carolle has graduated with honors in Cosmetology!

We are incredibly proud of Carolle for her hard work and dedication.

Carolle faced immense challenges in her life. Orphaned at 12, she endured years of difficulty. Despite these hardships, she recently graduated in Cosmetology and is ready for the next chapter of her life.

Congratulations, Carolle!
Wishing you all the best as you embark on this new journey. 💙

OURWHY💙

KCH on Haitian News: 7/16/2024
This week in Haitian news, the Kenyan forces and PNH shut down the idea of peace talks with gangs, Conille’s government takes action on key issues, and the Haitian military receives support from international sources.

Last week, the Commander of the Kenyan forces and Acting Director General of the PNH announced it had regained control of the State University of Haiti’s hospital, after a long occupation by gangs starting last April. Further, despite Barbeque’s suspicious calls for peace talks, the PNH and Kenyan forces have decided to continue with the initial plan to oust the Port Au Prince gang coalition. Despite the strong stance of the state and Kenya, many key facilities, including the electrical grid, remain largely in the hands of gangs.

Conille’s government continues to take stock of the situation in Haiti in an attempt to address the most important problems first. For example, the Minister of Justice has begun to collect reports on the state of Haiti’s prisons, hoping to solve the overpopulation and starvation which has plagued the institutions for the last few years. The Cap Haitien market and several others have also undergone significant cleaning and security efforts.

On the international stage, France has begun training Haitian soldiers due to Haiti’s insufficient training facilities. Haiti’s army is relatively small compared to the police force, but with the arrival of the Kenyan forces more young Haitians have decided to join the military. In addition, the US has committed another several million dollars’ worth of arms, including helicopters and armored vehicles to the Kenyan contingent and Haitian army to bolster the fight against gangs.

KCH will be back next week bringing more news from Haiti.

We are hiring!

Are you looking for a rewarding position that directly impacts the lives of people in need? Are you an inspiring communicator who enjoys working with students at all levels?

Then this may be the job for you.

Kids Connection Haiti is looking for a sponsorship coordinator to join our wonderful team in Clercine, PaP, to build, strengthen, and retain relationships between our 100+ students & their sponsors, through progress reports, letters, photos, social media, workshops, and more!

Here are some of the requirements:
- Fluent in English and Creole
- Creative writing skills
- Word, Excel, Google Docs, and social media,
- University degree in Administration, journalism, management, or other related field
- Enthusiastic team player, flexible, and able to work in challenging circumstances

PM us for a link to the application form. Applicant MUST live in PaP. Deadline to apply: 7/23/24. Feel free to share.

KCH on Haitian Culture: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption
Many structures were destroyed by the 2010 earthquake, and while some things have been restored, one of Haiti’s most significant churches has not: The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. Construction began on the Cathedral in 1884 and was finished in 1914. About fifteen years after its construction, the church was named the seat of the Archdiocese of Port-Au-Prince. Within the Roman Catholic Church there used to hang two large 1.5 ton bells which would be rung to announce the daily services, thankfully the bells were recovered after the earthquake. Interestingly, the bells and the light in the northern tower of the cathedral were used as a lighthouse to guide ships to shore in the Port harbor. Up until 2010, the church was in active use and played an important part in the surrounding community.

When one visits the skeleton of the church now, one is met with ruins similar to that of Ancient Greece. Columns and some walls remain, although the roof has collapsed and there are no more stain glass windows. Still, there is a perpetual hope of reconstruction that the Haitian government has gradually shown a greater interest in. One day, Haitians and foreigners will be able to gaze upon a restored church built by Haitian hands and minds over one hundred years ago.

“To make a difference in someone’s life, you don’t have to be brilliant, rich, beautiful, or perfect. You just have to care."
-Mandy Hale

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Connect. Educate. Empower.

KCH on Haitian News: 7/9/24
This week in Haitian news, the gangs and government near a compromise, Conille’s cabinet takes action on critical issues, and Hurricane Deryl causes minor damage in the South-East.

The gangs which are a part of Cherizier’s coalition appear to be putting down their arms. Last week, in a video where Barbeque dressed in a suit, as opposed to his normal military-esq uniform, he stated that, “We have decided to publicly announce that our strategy of laying down arms to facilitate national dialogue and promote peace.” Barbeque continued, “We want peace because we want to destroy war…it is only through national dialogue the Haitian state will be able to regain control of the country’s territories, as required by the Constitution.” Four days after Barbeque’s video, Prime Minister Conille stated he would not rule out dialogue with the gangs, but, “First of all, they must lay down their weapons and recognize the authority of the State before considering any dialogue.”

Conille’s announcement drew some criticism from NGOs which argued that “certain personalities” in Conille’s cabinet have gang connections and want to hand control of the government over to them. Despite the criticism, Conille’s new government seems to be taking critical action in the areas of elections, sanitation, and fixing the prison situation. The government has identified Jacques Desrosier, to oversee elections next year. In addition, the government has begun to clear the Cap-Haitien marketplaces from an abundance of trash. Last, the government’s new Minister of Justice has required each of the eighteen legal districts to create a report on the status of each detainee and the food conditions at the various detention centers.

The government’s newest problem is Hurricane Deryl, which struck the southern coast of Haiti last week. The hurricane caused minor flooding and damage to buildings, in addition to destroying a number of smaller fishing vessels. Several roadways in the South-East became inoperable, and the Carrefour power plant remains offline.

KCH will be back next week bringing more news from Haiti.