Highlights from this Trimester

This past week was Holy Week and there was no school. Right before Holy Week marks the end of the 2nd trimester of the school year. Here are some pictures and highlights from this trimester:

Solar Energy Lessons & Shoe Box Solar Ovens!

Community BINGO

Delta Sigma Theta got passports for 4 of our students, 3 parents, and 1 teacher

Students filled out "About Me" pages to share with sponsors. 

Students got to try peanut butter and banana sandwiches

One generous donor provided groceries for a single mother of our students who just had surgery

Our adult night classes are full of students! 

Wanbert and Caitlin participated in Creole reading hour at a new library in Nuevo Renacer

SuperStar soccer team played a few games and even had a fan club of volunteers at one!

Now we're into the last semester and the last month of study time for our sixth grade students going to the national exam in Haiti in about a month. We're all also looking forward to summer English camp! 

Thanks for reading!

Recognition of Empowerment

Teachers were paid on time today again. This year we have a perfect record so far for the first time since 2008! (Last year was close to a perfect record, but we were late some months.) Paying teachers on time makes such a difference. They feel more secure, understandably and have a much more positive presence at school as a result. However, I think that God may have had a purpose in these years of backed up teacher pay. 

Today I met with Vladimir, the new morning director in Padre Granero, and Wanbert, the prior director and co-founder, who is still a teacher. They recently formed a committee among the older students in the school and have been teaching them about taking responsibility over some things in the school and learning to manage things as well. They led them each to make a small contribution of money, with one of them being the treasurer and money handler. They then used this money to purchase jugs of water so that water is always available for drinking in the school. This is an expense that the organization has not covered, but they found it to be a need that the school had. We also have some donated fortified rice and recently purchased a stove, pot, plates, and utensils. We have some oil as well. We mainly lack the ingredients to make a sauce to serve with the rice. 

This month our students learned about solar energy and constructed show boe solar ovens, along with one out of plywood!

Wanbert suggested that we ask for the participation of each student to complete the ingredients and get started serving school meals. Vladimir thought that that may not go over well, and we should leave the contributions to just the water. I think we agreed to follow Vladimir's ideas in the end, but Wanbert's reasoning for wanting to solicit the participation of students was gratifying. 

He said that he didn't used to think the way that he does now. But he realizes that when he accomplishes something for himself and provides something for himself, it is better than if he relies on others to give to him, or expects others to give to him. When everything is given to you, it actually weakens you rather than strengthens you. He said that Project Esperanza hasn't been able to provide him with everything, but he has received much formation and personal and professional development through working with the organization, and that is what he wants to pass along to the kids. 

I was astounded. Real, true collaboration and trust between those we are helping and those who are giving has taken years.. but I saw some light bulbs light up today. It's great to know that school leadership is finally teaching the kids to truly respect those sacrificing to make the school run, and encouraging them to "pay it forward". 

We have many students who still are not sponsored and more kids continue to register this far along in the school year. If you haven't already, please consider sponsoring one of our students for $100 a year. E-mail Sponsor@EsperanzaMeansHope.org for more information.