What do we do?
We have worked from the ground up after the earthquake and have learned to be culturally responsive to the desperate needs of the children. We have done this to date by buying land, drilling for water and building a school. The immediate future holds plans for a medical clinic and reaping the benefits from a communal garden. Ultimately, the goal is to set an example of success and give hope for independence, education and opportunities. At the same time our goal is to have students in the United States and Canada make all of this happen, and in doing so, become equal beneficiaries of learning themselves.
School
There is only one way to support the growth of children everywhere --through education. We operate a school in Haiti that currently has forty-three students, three teachers and three assistant teachers.
What makes our work unique is that our school works through learning partnerships with children in the United States a
nd Canada. Connecting children is a rich learning experience for all students, regardless of where they are. It offers authentic challenge to learning.
Community
How?
To live, a community's members need to have food, clean water, and shelter. In Haiti, meeting for most people these are a part of the daily struggle to survive. Meeting these basic human needs has been the first priority of Wings Over Haiti. With basic needs met through massive, grassroots efforts in the United States, Canada and Haiti, our primary focus is on the development of independence through education. Our school will teach the community's children how to think critically to be able to be valuable members of the community as adults.
Furthermore, we are committed to developing an economic base for our students' families by providing them training in construction, sewing, agriculture, etc... These skills will give them the chance to meet the school's needs, and have marketable skills that can be used elsewhere.