Construction Of Kindergarten Classrooms To Provide Early Edu

 In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew destroyed the only kindergarten in the village of Roche-Jabouin, Haiti, leaving hundreds of children without any school.  Since then, the kindergarten classes are held at a makeshift house that is unsafe for educating children. 

This proposal is to rebuild the kindergarten to educate the children, between ages 4 and 7.  Reunion Sportive recognizes that academic success of these children in later years depends heavily upon their kindergarten readiness. The first few years of education and preparedness are the most crucial to establishing a solid foundation from which they can adapt to school systems and learn successfully. During this period, children develop primary skills that form the foundations of reading, counting, and social interaction.  This proposal will improve the chances of these poor children to succeed in school by providing them with a comprehensive early childhood education in a safe environment.  

The project will be carried out in Roche-Jabouin, Haiti, a remote coastal village, with a population of 1,600 people.  Since the hurricane destroyed their kindergarten in 2016, children in Roche-Jabouin have no access to adequate educational facility.  Classes are now taking place under a makeshift house that is unsafe for educating children. When it rains, the floor is covered with water, resulting in cancellation of classes.  The kindergarteners are sent homes, forcing them to lose several weeks of schooling.   There is an urgent need to intervene to help these poor families educate their children to reduce their vulnerability. If we do not intervene to solve this humanitarian crisis, hundreds of children will continue to be uneducated and unable to meet the challenges of adulthood.  As we know, the levels of preparedness with which a child enters first grade is vital, because children must learn to focus, think logically, recognize important words, demonstrate some self-control, and speak clearly.  These early school experiences instill a belief in the value of education and an appreciation for learning.

Although agricultural and fishing activities are the main economic activities in the area, poverty is extreme in Roche-Jabouin, with a high rate of infant and maternal mortality, inadequate sanitation facilities, no electricity, malnutrition and food insecurity.   In 2016, Hurricane Matthew, a category 4 storm, hit the village and caused catastrophic damages.  One hundred and nineteen (119) out of 125 houses were completely destroyed, leaving the entire population homeless.  Because of the extreme poverty and the lack of governmental support, these families still have not rebuilt their homes.  Indeed, most families are living in makeshift huts with dirt floors, covered with plastic or metal sheeting that most often cannot sustain a heavy rain, yet alone another storm.  Worst of all, the children have no access to early education because their only kindergarten was destroyed during the hurricane. 

The goal of this project is to educate poor children and ensure they are sufficiently equipped with the requisite knowledge to meet their educational challenges.  The project will assist the village of Roche-Jabouin by rebuilding the kindergarten classrooms to educate the children and provide them with the educational tools to lift themselves out of poverty. 

• Construct safe kindergarten classrooms for children ages 4-7 to improve the quality of early education for the children of Roche-Jabouin. 

• Furnish the classrooms with appropriate educational materials to provide safe and adequate learning environment for the children.    

• Pay teachers' salaries for 2 years. 

• Provide school supplies for the children.

• Work with the local community and municipal government to transfer operation of the kindergarten to the local government. 

• Continue to raise funds to support the operation of the kindergarten.  This project will reinforce the existing elementary school and its management.