Tents For Schools

by David Diggs

Before the earthquake, only about half of Haiti’s school-aged children were enrolled in school. And, because there were so few public schools, four out of five students who were in school had no choice but to attend private schools that charged tuition. Many parents faced the impossible monthly choice of either paying tuition or feeding their families. Difficulty paying tuition is the primary reason most Haitian students drop out before completing elementary school.  

In urban areas as many as 300,000 children toil away in domestic servitude, most denied the fundamental right to attend school. And in rural communities, the few who are able to go to school often have to walk miles to get there and back each day. The shortage of affordable, quality schools in Haiti is profound—locking its people into the vicious cycle of illiteracy and poverty.

In the days following the quake, over a half-million refugees fled the capital to the countryside. Above, boats in the harbor of Port-au-Prince prepare to leave for coastal towns.

In the past decade, Beyond Borders and its partner organizations have made strides in addressing the school shortage, especially in rural communities. But the quake has made this situation—like so many others—even more dire. Thousands of schools in and around Port-au-Prince were completely or partially destroyed. The need for schoolrooms in the countryside is just as bad. There was already a shortage of space and teachers. Now rural schools are absolutely overwhelmed with new arrivals from the city.

In response to this new need, Beyond Borders is leading a campaign to provide 425 shelters for schools in our network—both in urban areas directly affected by the quake and in the surrounding countryside. As an immediate solution, we are seeking funds to purchase large festival tents that will serve as temporary or semi-permanent classroom shelters. 

These tents, which can be dismantled before a hurricane strikes, should last at least three years, offering these communities the time they need to rebuild and expand permanent structures. We are investigating several construction designs for schools that offer both hurricane and earthquake resistance at affordable prices. 

We have already shipped more than fifty classroom tents to Haiti. We are still working to raise funds for the remaining tents. Most of these tents will space for three groups of students each day—a morning class, an afternoon class, and an evening class. The purchase and delivery of one 20 x 20 classroom tent costs almost exactly $1,000. After all, education is perhaps the most powerful tool in the struggle against poverty.