A year ago, 96 children were washing themselves outdoors
with cups and buckets; today they take regular showers in bathrooms close to
their new dorms. A year ago, they had to take turns eating rice and beans
outside (I never dared asked what happened when it rained—where did they go to
eat?) cooked on outdoor burners; today they sit at long tables in the
comfortable breezy hall and the meals are prepared in the adjoining large
kitchen. A year ago, they clustered under the shade of a tent, the well roof,
the entryway and a makeshift tarp to hide from the sun while attending
elementary school; today six separate classrooms each with a black board and
individual desks welcome them every morning.
The efforts of all the organizations and friends that rallied behind
Maud Laurent to offer her children better living conditions are paying off.
The new Foyer, is a lovely space and I can already picture
in a few years how the mango tree saplings will bring shade and green to the
parched ground.
Early voices chatter as everyone prepares for the day and
the boys start a soccer game before anything else. No wonder they are so trim
and fit! The girls hustle to the kitchen
to prepare morning rice or cornmash for breakfast. It is a nice time of the
day, before the heat oppresses and slows all energies.
Maud tells me I have become Haitian because I understand the
remaining difficulties and not too much bothers me. There are still issues to
be resolved; the stench in the room where I stay right next door to the boys’ bathrooms
is overwhelming at times. If I forget to fill my water bucket when the water is
turned on early in the morning then I won’t be able to take a shower at night.
Any time power is on, I quickly recharge my camera, phone and laptop before it
gets interrupted again for who knows how long. Much more importantly the
children still don’t have a way to wash their hands easily before meals; most
of the time there is no power, and there is no income for staff. Under Maud
part time presence and Jo, the children are organized in teams with chores and
responsibilities and somehow it works!
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| 2 year old Alenzi gets prepared for the day |
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| Rony gives Angelo a hair cut |
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| Add caption |
I had several goals this spring
break. One was to organize the hiring of
a Physical Plant Manager that would help Maud with all the logistics of
maintenance but also fix such things as the faulty septic system. As the week
progresses and we discuss his responsibilities, his position is becoming more
complex and will include managing the poultry business. It is crucial for the
Foyer to develop sources of revenue.
My other goal of negotiating the contract for the solar
panel installation, thanks to the generous grant of Association Terre des
Montagnes, is slowly shaping up. What did I think? It could be as simple as
going to Home Depot and picking up the material needed? It is Carnaval this
week. However we now know where the
panels will go and a technician has been at the site. The Foyer has received the funds collected by
Rendez-vous: Haiti to complete the grant. Now, all I can do is wait for the
report and the pictures.
As for boosting creativity? The boys, in particular, have produced
numerous cards, a few beautiful paintings and tons of Zanmi bracelets. This is
turning out to be a successful micro-micro enterprise. Haitians find the
O-rings, RVH purchases them, the boys delicately lace the bands with artistic
wire and what is originally a “black” used by Haitian men to heal their aches
turns into a beautiful bracelet sold in
the US to support structural improvements at the Foyer.
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| Making Zanmi bracelets after chores |
SO, it has been a good trip: I got to cuddle with lots of
little ones, meet the twelve new children, discover a new painting talent, and
reconnect with the teens. Now that the twelve over-eighteen children live away
in semi-independence, Maud has accepted twelve new children including a 9 year
old with disabilities, because the Foyer will give him a chance for an education; “there is no reason he can’t learn” and have a good life, Maud
says. 
Currently Maud and Jo are the only two adults supervising
the 96 children + 12 adolescents under their
care. Since construction has ended, the
Foyer has attracted large organizations’ support such as Food for the Poor, Fondation
Espoir, Terre des Hommes, and Hunger Relief International, and they give much
needed supplies but of course no salaries for staff, nor for tuition for the
teenagers’ schooling or professional training nor for bus fare. Fostering revenue generating activities is
part of current Rendez-vous: Haiti’s challenges.
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| Alenzi loves to share a moment with Mamie Maud |
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| Later in the morning |
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| 7 am school starts at the Foyer |
