OUR WORK FOR JUSTICE

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

The Campaign to End Child Servitude in Haiti

Last year…we continued building the largest national network of organizations committed to ending child servitude and started a new regional network in southeast Haiti. We initiated a three-year plan to develop six model rural communities, which are located in three of Haiti’s ten regions. As parents come to understand how servitude scars their children and these communities become equipped to provide quality education and economic opportunity for all, children will remain with their families where they can thrive. These model communities will inspire and inform other communities and become part of a national strategy to end child servitude.

A happy group of first-graders in this new Beyond Borders-supported class for students who would otherwise go without school.

This year…we will develop a program to survey households and identify at-risk children, helping us intervene on their behalf and track improvements in their welfare. We will continue building the network and pushing for the enforcement of laws that protect children. We will complete development of a new training program for grassroots child-rights workers. We will continue producing radio programs and organizing marches and teach-ins to change public attitudes and government policy.

Coordinated by Guerda Lexima Constant. Our budget need for the coming year is $274,510.

Child Literacy

Last year…we completed a four-year transition away from special centers that segregate children living in servitude from other students to one where all are integrated into regular classrooms. We also initiated a new strategy for making school affordable for even the poorest families through a program that provides matching funds or outright grants to students on a need basis. Students in seven literacy centers graduated, and ten new classes were started in the community of Meno.

This year…in collaboration with our Campaign to End Child Servitude and Schools Alive programs, we will begin expanding into two new regions of Haiti, laying the foundation for sustainable, locally managed education for the poorest children who would otherwise have no chance to attend school. These schools will serve the model communities being organized by the Campaign to End Child Servitude.

Coordinated by Samson Joseph. Our budget need for the coming year is $84,062.

 

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

Living Words

Among the thousands regularly using our Christian education materials are these girls who are part of the Haiti Children's Choir at Marianman.

Last year...we printed and distributed 10,000 Christian education books. Each church, school, or small group that received the books also received training from one of our leaders. We held three leadership-training seminars for 60 leaders from all over Haiti. We saw dynamic results as people engaged in our approach to shared learning and spiritual growth.

This year...we’ll print 10,000 more books. We’ll train people with our latest materials—a theology discussion booklet and a booklet on prayer. Our network of 100 leaders will be strengthened through seminars. We’ll begin development of a new Bible study on children’s rights. Thousands of people across Haiti will continue using our materials weekly or monthly, and that number will continue to grow. We’ll partner with churches on community-development projects for agriculture and other local needs.

Coordinated by Kent Annan. Our budget need for the coming year is $131,423.

 

EXCHANGE

Transformational Travel

Last year...we received a group for a week-long stay in a rural community outside the coastal city of Jacmel. We also hosted our first group of Eastern University students on the island of Lagonav.

Eastern University Student Elise Murante learns the art of grinding peanut butter with one of her with one of her new friends in Kaglo.

This year...we’re taking another group to Lagonav and partnering with the organization Ministry of Money for a trip to the mountain community of Lazil. Several other trips are scheduled for the winter and spring. These cross-cultural exchanges transform the lives of both the North American participants and the people in the Haitian communities who host us. We are open to scheduling more groups who want to experience life in Haiti. Individuals can also contact us to join a group. Let us know if you are interested.

Coordinated by Cindy and Kevin Koser. Our budget need for the coming year is $24,367.

Apprenticeship in Shared Living

Last year...both Cara Kennedy and Kim Montroll finished this program and then joined Beyond Borders staff. Former apprentice and program coordinator Tim Murphy draws on his experience in Haiti in his work as a community organizer for affordable housing in Washington, DC. Former apprentice Leah Murphy spent the past year working in Washington, DC, with the Women Infants & Children (WIC) nutrition program.

This year...we are processing applications and looking forward to welcoming others into this experience of one-to-two years living with a host family in rural Haiti learning language and culture. It’s profoundly meaningful, whether you stay in Haiti or return to work in the U.S.

Coordinated by Cindy and Kevin Koser. Our budget need for the coming year is $11,826.

 

LITERACY

 Adult Literacy

Pictured outside the literacy center in Lotore, these students graduated in June after completing the center's two-year program.

Last year…we co-produced two new adult-education programs with Fonkoze, Haiti’s largest micro-finance institution. The first program focuses on parenting and child rights. Many participants were deeply affected, committing to never send their own children into servitude and to defend the rights of all children. The second program teaches sustainable agriculture to help poor farmers grow more food and improve their livelihoods. Over 300 adults completed each of these programs, and students in 18 literacy centers graduated from a two-year basic literacy program.

This year...we will evaluate these two new education programs and revise the ten textbooks before doing a large printing to reach tens of thousands. We will also continue our support of three grassroots organizations doing adult literacy training and hope to expand to a fourth.

Coordinated by Jude Appolon. Our budget need for the coming year is $74,248.

 

TEACHER TRAINING & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Circles of Change

Last year...our network continued to grow. Three hundred Haitians completed our three-to-six month training and over 800 participated in our conferences, seminars, and exchanges visits. After one such training, Sister Fidelis Rubbo (Franciscan order) said, “Organizing this for our leadership and chapel representatives was the best thing I’ve done since I moved to Haiti seven years ago. I see attitudes and practices changing, and we’ve begun training more of the 10,000 people who are part of this parish network.” We held the Seventh Annual Open Space meeting, convening teachers and leaders from throughout Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We also created a Spanish version of our DVD Circles of Change, re-printed 1,000 existing books, and printed 2,800 copies of three new books.

Learning how to lead meetings with a method called Open Space is invaluable to teachers and leaders.

This year...more than 300 Haitians will complete our three-to-six month training, and an estimated 1,000 will participate in conferences and seminars. We will renovate our Haitian-Creole website, make more resources available, print and distribute 5,000 books to members of our network, develop Haiti Children’s Choir, and create a training module for starting and managing collective micro-enterprises.

Coordinated by John Engle in partnership with Fremy Cesar in Haiti. Our budget need for the coming year is $124,603.

Schools Alive

Last year...367 teachers took part in nine teacher trainings in southeast Haiti. Five of these trainings focused on nonviolent discipline; four others focused on a dynamic method for teaching language and literacy. In Port-au-Prince, 82 teachers were trained on lesson preparation and presentation and on Open Space methodology. We trained 161 teachers for a network of Lutheran schools. Our partnership with Concern Worldwide led to working with three communities on leadership development and on growing a network of teachers and leaders who use Open Space and Reflection Circles.

This year...in southwest Haiti we’ll hold trainings about the national curriculum, teaching methods, and the Reflection Circle and Open Space methods, which will impact 367 teachers serving 126 schools. In Port-au-Prince we’ll hold a training program about the national curriculum, as well as two six-month trainings in leadership development and teacher training. In the central plateau we’ll continue to work with the same three communities and integrate two more. We’ll also continue training teachers in the network of Lutheran schools.

This program is coordinated by Ulrick Denis and Coleen Hedglin. Our budget need for the coming year is $63,081.

 

ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES

In addition to our budgeted programs, we serve as fiscal agent for the following groups and often collaborate with them.

The Matènwa Community Learning Center is an innovative preschool to ninth-grade education center where students engage in participatory, discussion-based education in their native Creole language. Located on the island of Lagonav, the school emphasizes social justice and the environment. Together children and teacher determine classroom rules and consequences democratically. The breakfast program supports local farmers, and students help with vegetable production. It also has a new library and computer lab.

Last year $134,498 passed to them via Beyond Borders’ service as fiscal agent.

Ron and Carla Bluntschli (DOA/BN) have been in Haiti since 1985. Carla provides cultural seminars, tours, and immersion experiences. Ron is writing a book on his spiritual journey and working on his garden in the mountains.

Last year $5,474 passed to them via Beyond Borders’ service as fiscal agent.

Other Articles from This Newsletter: Hunger for Justice Financial Report

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