Come meet the people responsible for ensuring that KPP continues to exceed the expectations of our donors and the community we serve. Meet the Board is on the ABOUT US page.
Meet the Board – Konbit Pou Potapiman (portapiment.com)
A Mental Health Seminar for Educators in Port-à-Piment
By: Jean-Marie Florestal
In the days following the August 14th, 2021 Earthquake that hit the Southern peninsula of Haïti, the population slept outside overnight and spent most of their daytime outdoors, for fear of being crushed inside their homes. When schools reopened a couple of months later, the children started to exhibit anxiety and fear in their classrooms.
Alarmed by the students’ reactions, the teachers contacted the schools’ directors. Because the Department of Education did not have any program to deal with psychological issues in schools in Port-a-Piment, the issue was reported to the President of KPP, Mr. Frantz Jean. He convened a Board of Directors’ meeting and took action to facilitate the training of the faculty at the schools to help the students and themselves. The Psychologists were contracted and provided a training program for the schools’ faculty. All Teachers and Directors of Schools of the commune were invited. Together, there are 17 schools and 167 Teachers and Directors.
. The seminar took place in Port-à-Piment from Monday, January 3rd to Friday, January 7th, 2022. It was planned and funded by Konbit Pou Potapiman Inc. (KPP), while on-the-ground logistics and organization were made possible by KPP Haïti Board Secretary, Mrs. Paule-Edeline J. Orcel, and other local KPP members. Two Psychologists from Les Cayes, were hired by KPP to train the schools’ faculty. They were Ezéquiel Beaubrun and Berthony Jean Felix.
To allow participation by all, trainees were divided in groups of three to four schools attending two half a day training sessions. The sessions included training in identifying symptoms of stress in adults and students, providing counseling, and activating prevention protocols. Among some of the symptoms of stress discussed were students’ failing performance, absenteeism, violence at home and on school grounds, difficulty in concentrating in class, low self-esteem, etc. Lectures were followed by group sessions in which the faculty was able to demonstrate their understanding of the material learned and to interact with the Psychologists.
The sessions were interrupted by breaks for breakfast and lunch provided by KPP. At the end of each day, the Psychologists asked the attendees to complete an assessment form regarding their performance.
The seminar had a resounding success in terms of reception by the participants. According to Mrs. Orcel, though the daily sessions lasted until 5:00 to 6:00 pm, participants remained in attention until the end. At the end of the seminar, the participants were elated by the knowledge acquired and expressed gratitude to KPP for making this unique opportunity available to them.
“Great job, KPP, for promoting the importance of Education by providing Psychological Counseling to educators in Port-à-Piment (P-à-P). This seminar will equip these educators with the tools they need to help themselves and students to cope with some problems they are facing. “
Those words were from KPP Board Member, Joseph Anselme, on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, after getting feedback from teachers and directors of schools in Port-a-Piment.
The success of this initiative also led to those encouraging words by KPP Board member, Dr. Marilys Randolph, who played a no less important role in making it happen: “We must say that KPP may be the first organization of our size to bring this important intervention for this community. Let us continue this holistic approach to empower those in need…”
KPP takes this opportunity to thank its donors especially the Servants of Friends organization, Mrs. Valérie Sinady and her Facebook friends. Their generosity and compassion made a difference in the lives of people who badly need assistance.
This report was written by Jean-Marie Florestal, who is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of Konbit Pou Potapiman Inc.
Photos: Jonel Musac
Continue reading “A Mental Health Seminar for Educators in Port-à-Piment”
2021 A recap!
To say that the year 2021 was full of challenges would be an understatement. In the first months of 2021, KPP continued with its work of helping the community by:
- Inaugurating a water well in the Village of Nan Koma
- Providing financial support to the Ecole Communautaire de Jabouin
- Managing the KPP Children’s Library
- Administering a Sponsorship Program for 30 children,
- Running a School Garden project
- Launching a program to help Restore the Flora of the commune.
Also, on April 11th, 2021, in a grandiose ceremony, KPP celebrated its 10th Year Anniversary, a milestone that makes us so proud.
And on August 14th, an Earthquake of a magnitude of 7.2 struck the Southwestern part of Haiti. We remember vividly the images of houses, fields, livestock, livelihood…, completely destroyed. Homelessness, Hunger, Despair were settling in. Those images motivated us, motivated YOU to start anew to help rebuild a county, to help rebuild lives.
With YOU pushing us to act, KPP delivered:
In the area of Health:
- KPP executed 2 deliveries of First Aid supplies to the Hospital de Port-a-Piment.
In the area of Education:
- KPP funded repairs of nonstructural damages to a number of schools.
- At Lycée de Port-a-Piment, KPP provided funds to patch up the wall cracks, clean and repaint the school, as well as rebuild a stretch of road leading to the campus.
- At EFACAP school, 17 classrooms were also refurbished, and the main gate was repaired.
- At Ecole Notre Dame du Rosaire, KPP helped to rebuild the kindergarten classroom destroyed by the earthquake and refurbish 3 other classrooms.
- At the College Rwood Claudy Damas, KPP helped build a hangar as a temporary shelter to hold classes.
- At Ecole Nationale de Potus, KPP provided funds to build temporary quarters that will protect the children from the elements.
- At Ecole St Vincent, a monetary award was offered to help cover teachers’ salaries and purchase educational supplies.
- KPP also continued with the tradition of holding a Students Awards ceremony to reward deserving students for their academic excellence and help defray the cost of higher education.
In the area of Agriculture:
- KPP accompanied 300 farmers from the countryside to rebuild their fields, by providing them with seeds and technical support.
- The organization also provided financial help to the farmers of Grand Pass to unclog the canals which irrigate their fields.
KPP revived the Animal Breeding Project in three villages of the countryside. Forty (40) families are beneficiaries of the program, which is designed to increase its membership through the Receive and Give concept.
KPP is also initiating a Mental Health Initiative to address the trauma experienced by young children in the aftermath of the recent earthquake and the continuing aftershocks. KPP has contracted with a career Psychologist to conduct a series of seminars for the teachers and school administrators of the commune to guide them on recognizing signs of trauma and offer appropriate solutions. The seminars are slated to start at the beginning of the new year.
The Board of Directors of KPP thanks all its friends for their support. You are the reason we are able to help the community of Port-a-Piment.
And a special Thank You goes to the following organizations:
Mastery in Transformational Training, LLP 177
Servants of Friends Inc
Church Together Ministries
Bara Ex Nihilo Holdings
Starry Night Fund
for their extraordinary contributions.
To each and everyone of you: Mesi, Mesi Anpil from the KPP Family!
KPP wishes all a Peaceful and Healthful Holiday Season!
With your safety in mind, KPP opted to forgo its Annual Fundraising Gala. But the work continues. We are counting on your generosity to help our different projects and initiate new ones.
Thank You!!
Please click on this link: KPP 2021 Recap – YouTube</
Reviving the KPP Animal Breeding Project.
By Claude.Levy
The earthquake of August 14th had not only provoked numerous loss of human lives, the destruction of various homes and schools, but had also caused the death of many animals from the livestock of Port-a-Piment. For that reason, KPP had decided to bring back the Animal Breeding Project to the villagers of the commune once more.
The distribution started on November 28, 2021 in the villages of Potus and Fripo, where 17 goats and 3 sheep went directly to the beneficiaries present. The “Receive and Give” system was outlined as follows: each recipient must give an animal to a new beneficiary in due time and this process will continue from one village to another until every family receives a goat.
Likewise on December 5, 2021, a distribution of goats to the villagers of Kamase in the section of Paricot in Port-a-Piment was held. This time, 20 residents became beneficiaries of the KPP Animal Breeding Project. They understood that the agreement was as follows:
1) To give a female goat to a beneficiary in due time.
2) They must care for the goat and ensure that the environment is protected.
3) The goat will be seen by the veterinary.
4) The animal will be available for inspection by the Project Coordinator.
Photos: Jonel; Musac
All the recipients were very happy and thankful to KPP, the donors and all the KPP staff members at Port-a-Piment who are directly involved in the rebuilding of the town at many levels.