Repairing and building schools in Haiti


January 11, 2016

As a special component to CWS’s response to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, CWS worked with four members of ASR Haiti to repair or build schools. ASR Haiti – an acronym translated from the French for “Down with the Restavèk System” – is a network of 18 Haitian community based organisations joining forces to combat child domestic servitude.

CECODE (from the French for “Compassion for Vulnerable Children”) school in Bicentenaire, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Photo: CWS

CECODE (from the French for “Compassion for Vulnerable Children”) school in Bicentenaire, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Photo: CWS

In Bicentenaire, Port-au-Prince, this partnership helped build four new classrooms for a school called CECODE (from the French for “Compassion for Vulnerable Children”), which lost a building in the earthquake that had served as a school and orphanage. These new classrooms mean a more comfortable and clean space for the 564 students to focus on their studies. In the words of 16-year-old student Blondine Sanon, “This is an extraordinary work. We like it here, we are comfortable and have a clean classroom. We also have more space now, because they divided our class in two. We do our best to keep our classroom clean.”

Solidarité pour la Bienfaisance school in Pernier, Pétion-Ville, Haiti. Photo: CWS

Solidarité pour la Bienfaisance school in Pernier, Pétion-Ville, Haiti. Photo: CWS

In Pernier, Pétion-Ville, which is south of Port-au-Prince, CWS and an ASR Haiti member repaired five existing classrooms at  Solidarité pour la Bienfaisance school. Three new classrooms and new toilets were also constructed to better serve the school’s 298 students. When asked about the upgrades, one student said, “I am so proud today. I was being humiliated when I used to come to school in the old building because it was in bad condition… Now I want to thank all the people who contributed to develop this space. May God bless you all.”

La Reserve school in Haiti. Photo: CWS

La Reserve school in Haiti. Photo: CWS

The largest school construction was at La Reserve school. The school is located in a rural area. Where before 185 children had to previously learn under tarps, there are now six permanent classrooms. When it rained, books would get wet or classes would be cancelled, and the heat under the tarps could be unbearable. Now, classes can be held no matter the weather. Cisterns built at the school also mean clean drinking water for students, who used to walk to a nearby river for water during the day.

A new school in La Saline, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Photo: CWS

A new school in La Saline, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Photo: CWS

In La Saline, a neighborhood in Port-au-Prince with higher rates of insecurity and violence, CWS and partners built a new five-classroom school that serves 241 students. Students now have a beautiful new facility and a fast-track program helps older students who were forced to start school late to finish primary school in three to four years.

Education is key in ensuring a bright future for students worldwide, and CWS is proud to make this a reality for more children in Haiti.