2010's devastating earthquake has put already desperate people in a hopeless situation.

Donate to our emergency relief fund - we'll use our resources on the ground in Haiti to help bring food, water and medical assistance to those in need.

Solidarity takes on a new meaning.

Dr. Jan Byrd gave an extensive interview to Wisconsin Eye. Watch this video [first profile on the page] to learn about the Haiti Project.

World Leader on Developing Nations, Dr. Paul Farmer talks to Amy Goodman about the impact of 2008's FOUR hurricanes on Haiti.

Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church --Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori -- visits Haiti.

The typical Cinder Block House is 12 feet x 15 feet and has 1 or 2 rooms with a dirt floor.

Most cooking is done outside over a fire. There are usually only two or three beds in a home, for as many as six to ten people. Families have little money to spend on clothes. Most children have a school uniform, play clothes and a Sunday outfit that has been donated or passed down. There is no underground source of water available in Jeannette.

People rely on cisterns and often carry water for drinking, cooking and cleaning long distances in buckets on their heads. Without running water, Haitians wash clothes by hand in a small pail of water with a bar of soap. There is no electricity, 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 phones / there are no land lines. National and world news is mostly heard on radio and a small handful of TV's.

Economy -- Most living in Jeannette are subsistence farmers. People eat only what they can grow or can purchase with a limited income of less than $300 a year.

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 -- Our largest single commitment is education: building the schools, paying teachers, and supplying textbooks and school supplies.

Today, St. Marc’s has more than 650 students grades preschool through ninth grade. In 2003, 100% of the ninth graders passed national exams in a country where less than 50% pass nationwide. This is an outstanding accomplishment given the average education for most Haitians is third grade. Most children in Jeannette do not have books of their own. They share textbooks in school. Paper is a scarce. Typically, teachers write lessons on chalkboards and children learn through repetition and memorization.

It is not unusual for a classroom to have 50 children. We are grateful for our dedicated teachers. St. Marc’s provides continuing education for their teachers to keep them up to national standards.

Today, The Haiti Project Provides Schooling
from preschool through grade 9 for over 650 students.

1989 St. Marc's Clinic is built.

Our agriculture and vitamin programs have helped significantly to reduce cases of malnutrition.

Clean Water -- Although numerous cisterns have been built by the Haiti Project, access to clean, potable water remains a high priority.

In 2003, the Haiti Project began collaborating with other groups and foundations who are doing wonderful things to fight third-world poverty. One such organization is the Gift of Water.

The Gift of Water developed a cost-effective solution for water purification. The purification process is simple and similar to most public systems in the United States.

The Purifier is composed of two 5 gallon buckets that detach. The top bucket is filled and a disinfectant is added – usually chlorine tablets. The bucket sits for 30 minutes, giving time to kill bacteria and parasites. It is then placed on top of the second bucket and allowed to filter. There is a spigot on the lower bucket.

Religion -- The congregation at St. Marc’s Episcopal Church is strong and dedicated to serving the needs of all members of the community.

Unassuming in stature; big in spirit. St. Marc's Church, Jeannette Haiti.