PLH Newsletter: Programs Reopen + ECFA Accreditation

YOUTH RETURN TO CAMPUS

In October, PLH youth programs were forced to pause due to increased security issues in the area. Our Haitian managers continued to assess the situation, advising PLH to keep programs closed. While gang and resistance fighting continues in the neighboring towns, our managers concluded that it was time to reopen. In April, we were able to welcome youth back to the campus!

 
That first week, over 100 girls and boys came out to practice soccer and basketball. Each week, more kids return. Artisan classes also restarted on Saturdays for those able to attend.

LUNCH IS SERVED!

While programs were paused, the PLH staff were able to get the PLH kitchen finished and operational! The staff built shelves, PLH scholarship students completed the plumbing and electrical, we sent two propane stoves, and the cooks set up the kitchen for service. Players can now pass by the service window to receive a hot meal. 

Youth participants in PLH programs receive a meal on Saturdays to help fuel their bodies and keep them healthy during this time of food insecurity. We want to say a huge thank you to those who financed the PLH kitchen to make this possible! 

PLH RECEIVES ECFA ACCREDITATION!

Project Living Hope is proud to receive accreditation from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Founded in 1979, ECFA provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate compliance with ECFA’s Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship, including financial accountability, transparency, sound board governance and ethical fundraising. You can view our member profile here. 

ACH DONATIONS NOW ACCEPTED!

We are excited to share that you can now make ACH donations through our donation page. This allows you to set a bank account as your payment method rather than a card, cutting down on fees and offering an alternative to credit/debit cards. The ACH payment method can be used for one-time or monthly recurring gifts. Of course, checks can always be sent to our PO box. 

Thank you for your continued partnership with Project Living Hope!

Wrapping Up the Summer Programs

By Laura Polynice

This summer for the first time, PLH hosted two months of classes for kids in the community. During vacation, children and youth in Haiti don’t have a lot of activities or events to keep them busy. This July and August, kids came to PLH to learn English and artisan crafts. The kids enjoyed having somewhere to go each day and enjoyed learning the new skills.

This past Sunday, the PLH staff organized an expo and invited the parents to attend. This was a chance for the kids to show off what they had learned and made and for the parents to support and celebrate their kids. We were pleased by the number of parents that attended.

There were several tables set up at the front on which the kids displayed their handmade goods including bracelets, woven hats, macrame hangings, necklaces, and sandals.

The program started with English demonstrations. Students came up in pairs and performed little dialogues in English. Then Teacher Sondy led the students in a competition similar to Simon Says and the winner took home a brand-new, insulated water bottle – a prized commodity around here. Finally, they performed several songs including Head and Shoulders and a song of the months of the year.

SIMON SAYS

After the English portion, all the artisan students came to the front. Their instructor, Pierre Claude, quizzed them on some of the vocabulary related to artisan trades with a group of eight girls competing against a group of eight boys.

Finally, the parents and guests were invited to come up to look at and purchase the artisan goods that the students had made. Each purchase was an encouragement to the kids.

Benedic encouraged the parents to support their children in their new trade so that they can continue to advance their skills. The artisan class will continue each Saturday during the school year. Two parents shared some words congratulating the students on their efforts and thanking PLH for this program. As always, I was asked to speak. I congratulated the kids on their beautiful work, thanked the parents for coming out to support their children, and thanked the PLH staff for putting together this 8-week program.

Rose-Andre and several others worked all morning preparing a special meal for the students. When the program was finished, the kids lined up and excitedly collected their meal and hurried home to beat the rain.

This summer was the first time in three years that the PLH Haitian staff have been left to run things without myself or Guesly present. It is so exciting to see the staff take charge and put on a great program. They came up with the ideas, set the schedule, carried out the classes, and organized a great celebration to wrap it up. I am proud of them. I look forward to continuing to have the artisan class for the kids each weekend. The pride on the young people’s faces as they showed off and sold their goods was inspiring. This evening was a representation of what PLH wants to bring to the community: opportunities to learn, a community that comes together to support one another, and pride in a job well done. 

Have you heard Whensondy's story?

The mission of Project Living Hope is to empower Haitians to build a stronger Haiti. We have seen firsthand how education and employment provide life changing hope and purpose. We desire to see more people in the community of Camp Maire become empowered, able to provide for themselves and their families, and lead Haiti into a better future. Meet Whensondy Alceac.

"I'm really happy to share about the impact PLH has made in my life. I have been studying in their English school since it opened in 2018. I participated in some activities like basketball coach training. It was a wonderful training because, even though I loved to play basketball, I didn't know much about the sport. Before the basketball coach training, PLH trained soccer coaches to train kids and youth to play soccer much better than they used to. It was great being a PLH student, and now I have received a scholarship from PLH to study auto mechanics in Port-au-Prince. This scholarship means a lot to me. Thank you for your generous support. Through it, I can reach many things in my future and accomplish good results. I'm extremely grateful. I appreciate and value your help and support so much. You have been helping me in countless ways. I'm truly blessed to have supporters like you in my life. May the Lord Jesus keep blessing you in what you do!"

Whensondy Alceac