Since 2001, a group of compassionate Illinoisans have been partnering with Food For The Poor to provide life’s essentials for the poor of Haiti. “Hope for Haitians” has established nine village building projects (with a total of 365 new homes), and a whole lot more to help people in need. They’ve also provided:
- Clean water sources for more than 270,000 people
- Tilapia ponds for a sustainable source of nutritious protein
- A livestock program
- Cassava bakeries for a nutritious food source and for income generation
- Reforestation projects
- Community centers for village gatherings, events and training
Hope for Haitians has also partnered with Food For The Poor and the Episcopal Church in Haiti to support education initiatives, scholarships and skills training to give Haiti’s youth a path to prosperity. Ecole Professionnelle Saint-Esprit in Cap-Haitien is just one vocational school that’s equipping people with the skills they need to become successful.
For the 2014-2015 school year, nearly 250 Ecole Professionnelle Saint-Esprit students graduated in seven different fields of training (welding, plumbing, masonry, etc.). A Hope for Haitians group attended the recent Saint-Esprit graduation ceremony, which included a very fashionable contingent of sewing grads who made their own outfits for the occasion!
(photos by Hilda Perez)
On August 22, the good people of Hope for Haitians are hosting an event to raise funds for their tenth village building project, which aims to expand the Pope Francis Friendship Village in Dumas. We applaud the good work of this tremendous group as they continue to help change lives in Haiti.