Haitian School in Bella Vista
Hi everyone....great thread teaching me what I was most worried about.
We have a school in Bella Vista with 32 kids mostly Haitian but a couple Dominican kids that want to learn French. We are 1 person from the UK and the rest from Canada working our butts off to form this school. School was originally started by an Adventist Minister one year ago, who just got fired last week and the church is pulling the funding because it wants the mission money going to praying rather than educating....so we are saying to heck with them. We have students, lots of them! This week we are putting the deposit on what is basically a 2 bedroom apartment that will serve as a school. In the long term we are looking at buying the building for accom for teachers and admin offices....... the last one was 15X30 with a leaky roof and no power and no sink ......and moldy! The kids have no tables to write on so they do thier work on thier laps!
We couldn't even leave all the supplies there that have been so generously donated. The kids are incredibly keen and intelligent and are learning 3 languages. We have a three year old that is so very very smart. We are looking for a Doctor to donate a day to come down and give them all a check up, a dentist to teach them how to brush thier teeth and an eye doc to give them eye exams. We need some paint this week if any one has some as the new school is being prepped to open March 1.
I am surprised at how many kids are in there! 32 kids from one Bario! We are
on the roster for donations from Jolly Roger's bingo and are planning a fundraiser at Ruby's soon (please attend these and help)....but we need furniture, book cases, tables especially.....we feed these kids daily and provide all supplies, we have 3 teachers who make not enough money and a group of only 3 volunteers at the moment. The school has been supported for the last year by the Adventist Church and one Canadian Patron
When we start the new school (March 1) we will actually be registering the kids properly and then we will find out why they are not in a regular dominican school. I think maybe fear of deportation is one reason.
Any donations of furnishings (even old tables needing repair will be accepted)
window coverings, paint, shelves, ziploc type containers to keep the supplies from dampness, would be wonderful, and of course CASH....if you can spare them......The annual rent is only $1200, the teachers $3600, the food about the same. We are partnering with NA schools hoping they will do fundraisers for us annually and hoping to get patrons that will cover specific costs, IE A rent patron, a teacher patron, a medical patron....etc.....
If you have any suggestions........or more info on the legality of our venture please do let me know...you can post or PM.
Thanks