What We Do
5 Programs That Change Lives
For more than 23 years, Haiti Lumiere de Demain (HLD) has operated on the island of La Gonave, Haiti. What began with a small program for lending textbooks to students at a handful of public schools has grown to comprise multiple programs that reach students in each of the 22 the public schools on La Gonave. Our current programming touches the minds of more than 5,000 students annually. Our different programs provide tools, from educational materials to scholarships, that have a lasting impact on the lives of the young people with whom we work.
Below, find brief descriptions of each of the programs:
Below, find brief descriptions of each of the programs:
.01
We provide textbooks to more than 6000 primary school children
We ensure that all our primary school students have the necessary educational materials to support their schooling. We purchase and lend textbooks to every student on the island of La Gonave’s 22 public primary schools.
There is an incredible scarcity of basic school supplies, like textbooks, in Haiti. We entrust each child with the care of a textbook – an investment that is based on our belief in every child’s worth both as a student and a valued member of the community. Without our programs, most of La Gonave’s children would not have access to textbooks at their schools, and would very likely not attend school at all. We distribute textbooks in line with the Haitian Ministry of Education’s educational guidelines. Each year HLD distributes between as many as 40,000 textbooks to more than 5,000 students in all public primary schools on the island of La Gonave.
Since HLD started supporting the educational needs of students on La Gonave in 2001, the number of students attending school, finishing school, taking the national exam at the end of sixth grade, and receiving a passing score have all increased dramatically on La Gonave. Our programs are a significant driver of these improvements in student attainment. This is also significant anecdotal evidence that the ability to attend school is having a positive effect on self-esteem and sense of agency.
.02
WE FUND SCHOLARSHIPS THAT HELP OUR STUDENTS STAY IN THE CLASSROOM
We help our community’s gifted and talented students continue their education by providing merit- and need-based scholarships for secondary school students in La Gonave.
Many promising students cannot afford to continue in school after sixth grade. Each year, HLD funds the schooling of up to 45 gifted students that are graduating from public primary schools. These students come from remote and rural communities across the island of La Gonave. We provide scholarships so these talented youth can continue their education at one of La Ganove’s secondary schools. While one day we hope to provide scholarships to every student on La Gonave students, given our current limited resources, we require that students maintain academic achievement standards to remain in the scholarship program.
In Haiti, secondary school enrollment is chronically low. Staying in school longer has the immediate and important effect of increasing levels of literacy among our students. In the long term, for our community and nation to thrive, we need future leaders. Our investments in students is part of the pipeline needed to foster the leadership and critical thinking needed for Haiti’s next generation. For our nation and our economy to thrive, the advanced education of our young people is essential.
.02
WE FUND SCHOLARSHIPS THAT HELP OUR STUDENTS STAY IN THE CLASSROOM
We help our community’s gifted and talented students continue their education by providing merit- and need-based scholarships for secondary school students in La Gonave.
Many promising students cannot afford to continue in school after sixth grade. Each year, HLD funds the schooling of up to 45 gifted students that are graduating from public primary schools. These students come from remote and rural communities across the island of La Gonave. We provide scholarships so these talented youth can continue their education at one of La Ganove’s secondary schools. While one day we hope to provide scholarships to every student on La Gonave students, given our current limited resources, we require that students maintain academic achievement standards to remain in the scholarship program.
In Haiti, secondary school enrollment is chronically low. Staying in school longer has the immediate and important effect of increasing levels of literacy among our students. In the long term, for our community and nation to thrive, we need future leaders. Our investments in students is part of the pipeline needed to foster the leadership and critical thinking needed for Haiti’s next generation. For our nation and our economy to thrive, the advanced education of our young people is essential.
.03
WE TRAIN OUR TEACHERS TO GUARANTEE THAT THEY SUCCEED IN THE CLASSROOM
We provide a teacher training program that guarantees primary school teachers in Haiti are properly trained to effectively educate their students.
When HLD first began providing La Gonave’s schools with textbooks, it became clear that some teachers were not accustomed to using the materials and not capable of leveraging them to their full potential. Our Teacher Training Program was launched during the summer of 2004. We provide our teachers with training and academic support to help them become more effective instructors. These programs are offered when school is not in session, in the summer and during seasonal breaks.
The training program is rooted in a partnership with the textbook publishers, who provide the instruction to the teachers. The program is widely available to La Gonave’s teachers – supporting instructors across the islands public and private schools. Our teacher training program Feedback from teachers and administrators, as well as a strong upward trend in academic outcomes, suggest that this program has had a large impact on the quality of instruction across the island.
.04
WE OPERATE LA GONAVE’S FIRST AND ONLY PUBLIC LIBRARY – INCLUDING A MOBILE “DONKEY” LIBRARY
In 2005, HLD created a library located in Anse-a-Galets, the largest town on the island of La Gonave. Today, the library lends over 4,000 volumes – from fiction to non-fiction to skill building texts.
After opening out library, we quickly realized that it was not accessible to the rural inhabitants of La Gonave. To respond to the needs of our rural communities, HLD initiated our Mobile “Donkey’ Library Program in 2008. This mobile library is carried on a donkey’s back to the remote parts of the island and provides reading material to all of La Gonav’es residents.
This program has been especially popular and offers teachers, students and our different communities exposure to enriching, educational resources. The Mobile “Donkey” Library captivated the interest of teachers and students, alike, fostering broader interest in reading and learning.
By making a broader range of recreational and educational reading material available, we believe that our educators are better prepared to teach and that students are more receptive to learning new information in the classroom.
.04
WE OPERATE LA GONAVE’S FIRST AND ONLY PUBLIC LIBRARY – INCLUDING A MOBILE “DONKEY” LIBRARY
In 2005, HLD created a library located in Anse-a-Galets, the largest town on the island of La Gonave. Today, the library lends over 4,000 volumes – from fiction to non-fiction to skill building texts.
After opening out library, we quickly realized that it was not accessible to the rural inhabitants of La Gonave. To respond to the needs of our rural communities, HLD initiated our Mobile “Donkey’ Library Program in 2008. This mobile library is carried on a donkey’s back to the remote parts of the island and provides reading material to all of La Gonav’es residents.
This program has been especially popular and offers teachers, students and our different communities exposure to enriching, educational resources. The Mobile “Donkey” Library captivated the interest of teachers and students, alike, fostering broader interest in reading and learning.
By making a broader range of recreational and educational reading material available, we believe that our educators are better prepared to teach and that students are more receptive to learning new information in the classroom.
.05
WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND EMPOWER THEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES:
We teach our students about environmental protection and sustainability. Our environmental education programs focus on stewardship, responsibility and sustainable development. Deforestation is massive problem in Haiti—roughly 98 percent of the nation’s trees have been cut down. This program teaches students about the small steps they can take, together, to improve their local environment.
We build environmental consciousness among our students in a two-part program: each student commits to plant and care for a tree in their community, and in exchange for their participation, we provide each student with a solar powered flashlight.
HLD’s Solar Powered Flashlights for Trees initiative promotes our goals of bringing concepts of environmental protection, responsibility and sustainability into the classroom. The island of La Gonave does not have electricity. Most families rely on kerosene lamps for lighting. These lamps are dangerous to use, bad for our community’s health and, moreover, are not very effective. Solar flashlights, which offer a clean source of light, provide an alternative that is not only sustainable, but healthier. Our flashlights also give students an opportunity to continue studying into the night. The flashlights are also a point of pride for our students – they are proud to make a small, yet meaningful contribution to their households: light.