Raising funds for Haiti

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HaiT&T Foundation will host a fund-raising event—Christmas in de Cruz—on Saturday, December 2, at Green Meadows, Santa Cruz from 6 pm – 11 pm to continue with its fund-raising efforts toward reconstructing the La Madeline Orphanage in Port au Prince, Haiti. There will be music from two parang bands, Ataklan, Kees Dieffenthaller, who usually supports such worthy causes, and Kes the Band might surprise patrons with a guest performance. This goes with good food, drinks and great company. Tickets cost $600 each and coolers with drinks are welcome.

Dr Paula Henry, director and founder of HAIT&T Foundation said: “The organisation was founded in 2010 shortly after the devastating earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti. We formed this foundation because we felt we had the ability to help the Haitian people, specifically the St Joseph Convent nuns to re-establish the broken down orphanage, which had been in existence for 100 years and was now in a demolished condition.

“We felt however when we were rebuilding, we wanted to give the ability for a larger space so there will be innovation in the structure to give the children a greater ability to perform and for the project to expand and add new things and not just for the orphans to live in.”

Henry said right after the earthquake she went as a medical doctor to Haiti to render assistance and rebuild a heath centre that had fallen down and made a commitment to rebuild the orphanage.

She said that this was the sole purpose of the foundation, rebuilding the La Madeleine orphanage and assisting some of the most vulnerable children from ages six to 16.

She said through partnership with the St Joseph Convent Cluny Sisters and other reputable international organisations, HaiT&T Foundation has already successfully completed construction of the school for 600 children and its adjoining structures of a library, IT room, dining room and laundry.

Henry added that the organisation had further extended this rebuilding project to include drilling for water and collection of rain water and electricity will be provided through solar panels.

She added a chicken farm, fish farm and an agricultural area have also now been included with the aims of providing sustainability and building capacity.

Henry said although this project was more expensive than the organisation had initially anticipated, the good news was that it is in the final stages of the building.

Henry said that in 2018 Phase II is the projection for sustainable development and that the children be also given school books and two meals every day. She said the December 2 fundraising effort would assist in the building of a care home to house 20 children.

She added that T&T’s support would greatly aid in the education of the children who would be the future of an enlightened Haiti working under their educators, the St Joseph Convent Cluny Sisters, whose mission is “Education for Service.”

By: Charles Kong Soo/Trinidad & Tobago Guardian – December 1, 2017

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