Colby Bowker
Why Haiti, Why Now
Why Haiti, Why Now
Colby Bowker
“The Haitian Project: A Blueprint for Solving ...
“The Haitian Project: A Blueprint for Solving Big Problems” - Ever Widening Circles

At LCS, a New Year Brings New Activities

LCS students play checkers during a new take on "No Ball Day," which introduces board games of all kinds on a special day each month. 

It is easy to tell when Netwayaj (clean-up) time has ended and Play Hour is beginning at Louverture Cleary School by the line of students assembled, eagerly awaiting their chance to use one of the school's soccer balls or basketballs. Despite the overwhelming enthusiasm with which soccer and basketball are met, they are only two of the many extracurricular activities now offered at LCS.

LCS's multi-talented and dedicated staff ensures that students have access during their free time to a number of offerings, from sports and crafts, to languages and trivia. 

And, to make sure that students get the chance to vary the way they spend their play time, a new take on "No Ball Day" introduces board games of all kinds on a special day each month. 

The board game day was the idea of Junior Staff Member Freddybil J. (LCS '18). Games like chess, checkers, dominoes, and foosball are bringing students together and allowing a different, competitive, and strategic outlet to their afternoon. Students play ping pong, cards, Uno, and some traditional Haitian games. 

Students play chess, cards, and dominoes during "No Ball Day."

LCS Economics Department Head and Head of Extracurricular Activities Djim G. (LCS '14) is enthusiastic about the new opportunities for students:

This activity is a great opportunity for the kids to learn new games and to know that games that require less physical contact can also be fun. We also hope that these games will improve the students’ cognitive senses.

And there is more than just board game fun to be had. 

Students also have the opportunity to represent their class in a much-loved, time-honored general knowledge trivia competition (also known as "Génie"), putting their education to good—and fun—use.

As Djim noted:

The trivia tournament is a long tradition at LCS now. I took part in this competition as a student. So I am very glad to be in a position to help maintain it. This activity helps enrich the students’ knowledge in several areas like math and science, history, art and culture, etc., as well as developing their interest for research.

It's great to see our Louverturians honing their skills, trying new things, and getting to know students of other ages and interests in new ways. The strategy, teamwork, and integrity they build now will certainly help them as they become leaders at LCS and eventually their country.

LCS students compete in the long-standing and popular "Génie" general knowledge trivia competition.

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

 

Maintaining the Heart of Our Community

Meet the LCS Maintenance Team: from left, Ganiel L. (Head of Facilities), Odson Jean F. (FHP Construction Engineer), Junior R. (Plumbing), Emanus S. (Asst. Maintenance Shop Manager), Ketty D. (Maintenance Shop Manager), Alex A. (Asst. Head of Facilities), and Dupency L. (Groundskeeping).

On any given school day, over 500 people circulate through the Louverture Cleary School campus. The fact that LCS is a boarding school also means that 80 percent of them stay overnight.

Additions, improvements, and repairs abound, especially in a school filled with teenagers. Walls must be painted and corrugated steel roofs replaced; PVC valves get worn out and electrical devices fail; new desks must be milled and bed frames welded; solar panels need to be cleaned and battery electrolyte levels checked.

Though the campus is self-sustaining in terms of energy and water production, it is far from self-maintaining.

Enter the LCS Maintenance Team. In a community full of heroes all working to educate and form good citizens ready to rebuild Haiti, this team stands out in their role as campus caretakers.

Over the course of 35 years at LCS, the maintenance department has grown to allow repairs and work to be done “in-house.” Only two decades ago, the maintenance facility at the school was just a small concrete block shed with no electricity. Today, the LCS Maintenance Team has a proper depot and office, with a computer to aid in research and to communicate reports and needs.

Soon, a solar-powered workshop will be ready to use at the headquarters of Fondation Haitian Project, THP’s partner foundation in Haiti, which is located a few miles from the school. This remote shop will allow the maintenance craftsmen to produce furniture, make repairs, and stock material away from the everyday bustle of campus life.

The LCS campus is the heart of our community. A clean, well-maintained campus allows for a well-maintained community ready to rebuild Haiti. 

The whole of THP extends a gwo mesi (huge thanks) to the knowledgeable and dedicated LCS Maintenance Team for keeping the heart of the campus community in great health!

PREPARING FOR THE LCS NETWORK

In addition to their current responsibilities, the LCS Maintenance Team is forming a model to be deployed at each school in the LCS Network. The know-how, systems, and community spirit that have been developed at the flagship LCS will prove to be the core of LCS Maintenance Teams throughout the LCS Network—something we all look forward to seeing put into practice!

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

 

Happy Haitian Independence Day!

On today, Haitian Independence Day, we would like to thank our community for your outstanding support.

We at The Haitian Project wanted to say thank you. For your support. For your prayers. For standing with Haiti. For being a part of something amazing even through one of the most difficult years in Haiti's recent history. 

The beginning of a new year is always a great time to reflect on everything you make possible for our students and alumni. Your belief in The Haitian Project's mission enables Louverture Cleary School graduates to use their education to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families. 

Here are just a few of the many highlights you supported in 2022:

Thank you for believing in them. And in our work together.

Best wishes to you and yours for a safe and happy new year!

And we can't forget about soup joumou!

Today, Haitians everywhere are celebrating with traditional pumpkin soup, or soup joumou, a classic dish served on New Year's Day.

In honor of this unique and important Haitian soup, last year on New Year's Day we shared a few soup joumou recipes from our community. You can download the recipes here, and we hope you enjoy soup joumou as it is intended: a celebration of Haiti!

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

 

We Did It! Now Let’s Make 2022 a Roaring Success!

Thanks to our incredible community members, we surpassed the end-of-year $10,000 match challenge! Including the matching funds from our two sponsoring families, we raised almost $24,000 in 2 days for our Louverturians.

Thank you to our sponsors and to everyone who contributed!

If you haven’t had the chance to give yet, there’s still time! Here at THP, we’re doing our own New Year’s countdown… to raise as much as possible to support Haiti’s brighter future before midnight on December 31st! 

If you have already made a gift, thank you for your support!

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

 

Thoughts on the Season from the LCS Community

As we celebrate Christmas, we wanted to share some thoughts on the season from some of our community at Louverture Cleary School.

Daëlle E., LCS Director of Outreach:

Christmas is the perfect time of year to celebrate joy and coming together. The best part I love about this holiday season is to receive gifts and have quality time with the people we love. I really enjoy the Christmas program that we have at LCS, Minuit Chrétien. I am thankful for my family, colleagues and our supporters.

Keslin A., LCS Dean of Students:

Christmas means a lot to me. First, it’s a season that truly connects us to our loving ones, a season of sharing. It’s also a season of introspection that reminds us to continuously love others 360/year, 7/7, 24/24. Wishing you the happiest Christmas and happy New Year of 2023! 

Djim G., LCS Economics Department Head:

A special thought for all those who, because of the insecurity, are going through their biggest challenges in the country. May the spirit of Christmas bring them relief, and especially hope for a better tomorrow.

Thank you for your support of, and prayers for, our community in Haiti. The students, staff and administration of The Haitian Project and Louverture Cleary School wish you and yours a wonderful and blessed Christmas. 

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

 

The LCS Community Outreach Program: Supporting Beyond the School

Junior Staff and Medical Student Jean Michel P. (LCS '17) and LCS Nurse Bettyne M. (LCS '14) demonstrate proper water treatment during a seminar for families served by the LCS Community Outreach Program in response to the outbreak of cholera in the country. 

The positive impact of the Louverture Cleary School community goes far beyond the Louverturians within the school and has a profound effect on the surrounding community as well. Much of the legacy of family missionary Christina Moynihan’s 20-plus years in Haiti is the Community Outreach Program, born in response to the needs of the neighborhood surrounding LCS.

Today, the Community Outreach Program is capably led by LCS Director of Outreach Daëlle E. and newly-appointed Assistant Director of Outreach Carolande L. (LCS '16), who oversee various important initiatives. Among these programs are the Koukouy Sen Klè Early Childhood Development Center, which has been giving parents a safe place to send their children for education, meals, showers, and structured play time during the day since 2010 (read about its beginning here), and the Lekòl Ankourajman after-school tutoring program, which welcomes neighborhood children and young adults to receive academic assistance—including literacy classes—from LCS students.  

And, during challenging times, the Community Outreach Program team provides other essential support to the community as well.

Most recently, in response to cholera and severe inflation, the team worked with the school’s administration to allocate resources to support neighborhood families, facilitating the distribution of food and cholera kits with items like soap, bleach, and water treatment products, while also providing education about how to prevent cholera and respond in case of illness.

LCS Director of Outreach Daëlle E. (standing center) and newly-appointed Assistant Director of Outreach Carolande L. (LCS '16) with Junior Staff and Medical Student Jean Michel P. (LCS '17, left) facilitate a community support program to respond to the ongoing instability and outbreak of cholera in Haiti.

“Haiti is now in a fragile and sensitive phase, and the most vulnerable are those who are weakest,” commented Daëlle. “It is important that we invest a lot in the area around LCS, which means providing tutoring and resources to the population in the zone (neighborhood). We want to apply our motto, ‘what we receive for free, we must give for free [Matthew 10:8],’ in every way possible. And we always want to contribute to the change we want to see in Haiti.”  

Drawing from The Haitian Project’s Charism (spiritual identity), service is at the core of Louverture Cleary School formation. The Community Outreach Program is just one more way the LCS community lives its commitment to put others first in pursuit of a brighter future for their country.

A mission is only as strong as the community that sends it. If you haven’t already, please remember to make your annual or year-end donation. For information on how to give gifts of stock, IRA distributions, or other ways to give, don’t hesitate to contact us. We appreciate everyone's support! 

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

 

Some Great Ways to Support THP's Mission this Holiday Season!

Looking for ways to support The Haitian Project during the holiday season? Not only do we have a reason this season... we also have some great ideas! 

One of our favorite ways to give is The Haitian Project's Gift of Education, a gift that will make a meaningful impact generation after generation.

Make a donation in any amount to The Haitian Project in honor of a friend or family member this holiday season, and The Haitian Project will send a Christmas card notifying the honoree of the gift! To give the Gift of Education, visit www.haitianproject.org/donate. 

For those in a position to make a gift of stock or another appreciated asset, or to give through your IRA, it is very easy to do! 

To make your gift, simply use this form to provide the necessary information to your broker and email us a copy so that we may properly credit your gift. You can also give through an IRA with a tax-free Qualified Charitable Distribution. Get in touch with us at [email protected] or by calling 401-351-3624 to make your gift or to learn more!

Make a brighter future for Haiti with a recurring donation or planned gift!

Visit HaitianProject.org where it is easy (and very helpful!) to set up a recurring donation (sign up once and you are good to go—you can modify your donation at any time!) 

You can also make a legacy contribution through Planned Giving—just email us at [email protected] for more info!

You can make the most of your online shopping during the holiday season.

Amazon will donate a portion of eligible purchases to a customer's designated charity—like The Haitian Project!—through its AmazonSmile program. Visit smile.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon credentials...then select The Haitian Project to support a real solution to poverty in Haiti!

A mission is only as strong as the community that sends it.
We appreciate everyone's support! 

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

 

LCS Celebrates First Mass of New School Year on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Father Maxo J. C. celebrates the first Mass of the new school year on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

The Louverture Cleary School community gathered for Mass today to celebrate the opening of school and observe the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This all-school celebration of the Eucharist marked the first LCS Mass for the new Sizyem (U.S. 7th Grade) students.

Mass was celebrated by Fr. Maxo J.C., a Catholic priest with the local Camillian community, who is also serving this year as a Religion teacher at LCS. LCS students participated as readers, altar servers, and members of the LCS Choir, which beautifully led the school in song.

After so much time apart during the delay of school opening, it was wonderful to see the school community come together in such a unifying and prayerful way. All-school Mass is always a joyful way to continue to live out The Haitian Project’s Charism (spiritual identity) as a community.

Having Fr. Maxo as part of the LCS community not only benefits the school with more frequent opportunities to attend Mass, but also provides opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation to Catholic members of our community.

Please join the school in prayer and ask for Our Lady's intercession on behalf of Haiti, our community, and for all of us to say our own fiat (yes) to God's call to us.

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

 

The December Issue of Haitian Project News is Here!

LCS Director of Outreach Daëlle E. (standing center) and newly-appointed Assistant Director of Outreach Carolande L. with Junior Staff Medical Student Jean Michel P. (left) facilitate a community support program.

Read all about it...

An update on the situation in Haiti: By now, most people have heard about the difficulties in Haiti. Even in a world full of challenges, the already dire situation in Haiti has deteriorated enough in recent months to become a regular fixture in the U.S. media. Read more about how these challenges have affected Haiti and Louverture Cleary School in the December issue of Haitian Project News.

What else is featured in this issue?

  • LCS leadership is looking inward to identify the needs, potential for growth, and new opportunities that will not only support the current school, but also form the leaders of LCS 2—the second campus in what will become the 10-school LCS Network. And it is clear that the key to replicating the academically-rigorous, formative, and service-oriented environment that defines a Louverture Cleary School will be the people involved.

  • Though the LCS campus is self-sustaining in terms of energy and water production, it is far from self-maintaining. The LCS Maintenance Team is not only responsible for taking care of the school, they are tasked with laying the groundwork for the future schools in the LCS Network.

  • Many things can be said of long-time THP supporter Pat Newell: enthusiastic, positive, and lively are among them. Last month reaffirmed two more: loyal and dedicated. Pat has now officially been a supporter of the Project for twenty years!

  • Read about these topics and more of the latest THP happenings in the December issue of Haitian Project News!

Meet the knowledgeable and dedicated LCS Maintenance Team in the December issue of Haitian Project News.

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.

 

A Very Welcome Back, Louverturians!

Louverture Cleary students gather for morning assembly as LCS's 35th school year begins!

When Haiti’s Ministry of Education delayed the start of the 2022-2023 school year due to the security situation in the country, we made the most of the downtime. There was no shortage of work to do, and it turns out you can get a lot done when the campus is quiet!

But, of course, we were also constantly looking for an opportunity to safely return our students to school.

Now, we are overjoyed to share that students were able to return to campus late last month and that Louverture Cleary School is now back in full swing for the 2022-2023 school year!

This is an amazing feat amidst the current challenges in the country. We are especially grateful for our skilled and dedicated Haitian leadership and staff on the ground who worked hard to make it happen

As LCS Principal Marjorie M. (LCS '07) enthusiastically states, "We are all so happy about the reopening of the class [for the 2022-2023 school year]. It is also a victory for us to have the students and the community back in this difficult time in the country. They are living in a dangerous zone and are experiencing bad situations, so being at school is best and a safe environment for them. The students and their education are our priority because they represent the future of Haiti."

While waiting for school to reopen, management and facilities projects on campus included things like making repairs to the residence buildings, improving standard operating procedures, and continuing to develop the staffing plans for LCS 2. They also launched initiatives to provide food, clean water, and cholera prevention training and resources to the school’s neighborhood.

As productive as these projects were, though, nothing beats having Louverturians back on campus, ready to tackle the new year.

"After 2 months of acute instability, it is incredible to have finally seen LCS welcome back all students and staff on campus. Considerable efforts were made to prepare for the reopening, and it was truly a celebration for everyone who expressed how happy they were to be back," affirms Stéphanie B., Executive Director of Fondation Haitian Project, The Haitian Project's partner foundation in Haiti.

We are grateful for and proud of all of our colleagues in Haiti who have worked tirelessly to make this happen and to continue the mission in the face of so many challenges.

We'd also like to thank you, our THP community, for your support, prayers and advocacy on behalf of our students and mission.

Please join us in wishing the students, faculty, and staff a wonderful and successful school year!

“Keep In Touch” to receive periodic updates on our students, activities at Louverture Cleary School, and progress on the LCS Network. Together, we can build a bright and enduring future for Haiti.