During the fall, Seth Dorrell, an executive director of Economic and Community Development for Southwest Community Development Corp., spoke with students from The New Start Family Resource Center’s After School regarding his intent to volunteer in Haiti.
The children demonstrated enthusiasm when learning about a different culture and ways children grow up in the developing world. They asked questions after the presentation for nearly an hour about life in Haiti, and they laughed at the thought of children not really wearing clothes until they are 3 or 4 years old. In addition, they showed a hint of surprise when learning that there was no government-funded schooling and the parents paid for private schools.
However, after the presentation, the students came up with a project as part of their “project- based learning” curriculum. They decided to host a change drive which ended this month. Kindergarten through fourth-grade students collected dollars and change to sponsor a Haitian child in Ferrier, Haiti. This village is located in the northeastern part of Haiti, with approximately 15,000 people living rurally.
The sponsorship, through Mission Waco, allows a child to attend school, pays for books and supplies, and feeds the child lunch every day during the school year. Additional funds raised also pay for the $2-a-brick campaign, which helps build additional rooms on the school.
i love reading things like this. it warms my heart
This is truly remarkable! In a way, we Haitians are blessed to have people from afar with such good hearts
that are making a difference in our lives. The students efforts to raise money to help Haiti may be a small a gesture to some. But to Haiti, it is BIG help.
Had it not been for the generous contribution of the people in the United States and other countries in the world, I don’t know how we would be able to survive all the disasters. It is said that to the world you are one. But to one you can be the world. To every student that participated in the fundraising, you are the world to
a child in Haiti.
I’m heading down there on a humanitarian trip next month. I will tell this story to the kids whom I will spend some times with. I express a heartfelt gratitude to all of you for making a difference in my country.
Rene