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We are Christians. We
are committed to the words of Christ found in John 15:5 “I am
the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in
him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can
do nothing.” We use the words “I am the vine, you are the branches”
in the Haiti Project logo. This statement is our foundation
to honor God and do Christ’s work in all that we do.
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We are partners. We are
committed to working in partnership with St. Marc’s Church in
Haiti to reach out and help the community in Jeannette. We seek
to foster independence and self-sustaining programs in Haiti.
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We value education. We
are committed to helping Haitian teachers provide the best possible
education at St. Marc’s School.
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We value people. We are
committed to trying to find a sponsor for each and every student
in St. Marc’s School. Each student has only one sponsor, so
we encourage sponsors to develop a meaningful relationship of
encouragement with the child they sponsor. The sponsorship program
can make a significant difference in a child’s life.
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We are responsive to the
needs of the community. We are committed to working with
the people of Jeannette to have access to clean, drinkable water.
Clean drinking water is essential to the health of impoverished
families in Jeannette.
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We use our time and talents.
We are committed to helping Haitian workers to provide health
care services at St. Marc’s Clinic. The Haitian doctor, nurses
and health care workers provide medicine, health care and education
to the community on a daily basis. Visiting American missionaries
provide additional medical services, construction, teacher education,
youth group trips, and community builders several times a year.
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We are stewards of our resources.
We are committed to being financially accountable. We take our
role of stewardship very seriously and promise to keep administrative
costs as low as possible. We perform yearly audits to ensure
that the Haiti Project funds are being used properly.
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take our role of stewardship very seriously.
That’s why more than 90% of our expenses
are used for programs that directly affect the people living in Haiti.
100% of the funding comes from private sources, including individuals,
churches, corporations and grants. The Haiti Project also accepts
donations of vitamins, school supplies, medicine, hygiene supplies
and such that are given directly to the Jeannette community. |
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We've been working diligently for
over 20 years. Here's a timeline of our
activities thus far.
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Size and Location
The Republic of Haiti occupies the western
third of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It shares
the island with the country of Dominican Republic. Cuba, 50
miles away, is the nearest island to its west. Miami, Florida
is 1 1/2 hours away by plane. Haiti is 10,714 square miles
(slightly larger than the state of Maryland) in size. |
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capital is Port-au-Prince. Haiti is one of the most densely populated
with over 8 million people and is one of the poorest countries in
the Western Hemisphere.
Religion
A blend of Christianity (80% Catholic) and African
Voodoo beliefs.
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| Language
French and Creole are the official languages. Creole
is the everyday language, which evolved from the mixture of African
dialects and French.
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History
Indians inhabited Haiti until Columbus arrived
in 1492. The Spaniards followed in search of gold. In 1697
Haiti was France’s most prosperous colony due to the cultivation
of sugar and coffee. Enormous profits were made through the
exploitation of the land and the use of African slaves. In
1791 slaves began a successful struggle to overthrow the French.
Their action soon established Haiti as the first black independent
nation in the world in 1804. |
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the years to follow, this small island nation continually found
itself wedged under the tight control of one or more factions of
wealthy, ruling elite. What eventually followed was the political
turmoil and violence of Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier and his son,
Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, who was finally ousted in 1986.
Such years of rule by dictators have enforced the silence and kept
the poor and oppressed at the mercy of the powerful, whether Haitian
or foreign.
Hope flared temporarily in 1991 when the people
elected their first democratic president, Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
However, Aristide only served 7 months when a bloody coup removed
him and sent thousands of his followers fleeing in rickety boats.
After three years of military rule, the President was finally returned
by a U.S. led intervention on October 15, 1994. Aristide returned
to office in later elections, with the Haitian people still struggling
to survive the insecurity, unemployment and high cost of living.
Frustrated over their continued economic struggles and questions
about legislative elections, Aristide was forced out of office and
into exile in February 2004. Military rebels staged a coup, and
the U.S. sent military to restore order. There are many questions
about the direction Haiti and its new emerging leadership is heading.
Even though Haiti has long been plagued by political
instability, the Haitian people remain hopeful, recognizing that
their destiny is tied to the land of their birth. Roman Catholic
Bishop William Higi summarized the situation well when he said the
Haitians were “a people who cling to God when hope is minimal, displaying
a remarkable ability to smile and celebrate despite the manipulation
and injustice which haunts them daily.”
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About
the Rural Village of Jeannette
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Location
Jeannette is located in the southern peninsula
of Haiti.
It is 70 miles, a perilous 4-hour drive, west of the capital,
Port-au-Prince.
You will not find Jeannette on a map as
it is an area more than a town. |
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nearest city, Miragoane, is about 15 miles north down the mountain.
Jeannette is in a mountainous area with an elevation of 2500 feet.
Living Conditions
This rural community of about 2000 people has about
250 houses on small plots of land. The houses are made of thatched
and woven leaves or concrete block. They are approximately 12 feet
x 15 feet in size and consist of 1 or 2 rooms with a dirt floor.
Most cooking is done outside over a fire in a separate thatched
hut. There are usually only two or three beds in a typical Haitian
home, which often houses as many as six to ten people. Families
have little money to spend on clothes. Most children have only a
school uniform, play clothes and a Sunday outfit that has been donated
or passed down to them. There is no underground source of water
available in Jeannette. People have to rely on cistern water collection
and often carry water for drinking, cooking and cleaning long distances
in buckets on their heads. Without running water Haitians wash their
clothes by hand in a small pail of water with a bar of soap. There
is no electricity throughout the village, although solar and wind
panels and a generator run electricity to the School and Rectory.
There is limited access to communication. Most information is passed
on by word of mouth or cell phone instead of by land line telephone.
National and world news is mostly heard on radio and a small handful
of TV's.
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Transportation is by walking, horse, donkey, bicycle
or tap-tap bus. There are literally only a few motorized vehicles
in Jeannette. Most roads in Haiti are very rough and in need of
repair. To get to school most students walk long distances, some
more than an hour.
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| Economy
Most of the people of Jeannette are subsistence
farmers. People eat only what they can grow or can purchase with
a very limited income of less than $300 a year. They grow mostly
beans, corn, potatoes, yams, cabbage, eggplant, greens, okra, tomatoes,
avocados, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, watermelon, coffee, and
cocoa beans. Some families own chickens, pigs, goats, and a few
have a donkey, horse and a cow. The market is a 2-hour walk down
the mountain. With no refrigeration, meat is a luxury. Goat and
chicken are eaten only on special occasions, so the main meal is
usually rice, beans and sweet potatoes.
Education
St. Marc’s has more than 650 students grades preschool
through ninth grade. In 2003 100% of the ninth grade students passed
their national exams in a country where less than 50% pass nationwide.
This is an outstanding accomplishment given the average education
is third grade. Most children in Jeannette do not have books of
their own. They share textbooks in school. Paper is a very scarce
item. Many times the teacher write the entire lesson on the chalkboard
and the children learn by repeating the lesson out loud and by memorizing
the material. It is not unusual for a classroom to have 50 children
in it. We are grateful for our dedicated teachers. St. Marc’s provides
continuing education for their teachers to keep them up to national
standards. Education is one of the keys that will unlock the door
of poverty.
Healthcare
Jeannette has a clinic run by a doctor, nurses
and health care workers. 2003 was the first year we were fortunate
to have a doctor living and working in Jeannette for nine months
doing community service in exchange for having her medical education
paid by the Haitian government. Medicine is dispensed at the clinic
pharmacy. The clinic also provides triage for patients who require
more advanced medical care. These patients may be transferred to
the Holy Cross (St. Croix) Hospital, the Episcopal hospital in nearby
Leogane. Our agriculture and vitamin programs have helped significantly
to reduce cases of malnutrition. Although numerous cisterns have
been built, access to clean, potable water still remains a high
priority for further improving the health of residents in Jeannette.
Religion
The congregation at St. Marc’s Episcopal Church
is strong and dedicated to serving the needs of all members of the
community.
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copyright © Haiti Project - part of a 501(c) 3 organization.
You will receive acknowledgment of your tax exempt donation.
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