Update #3- Getting ready for School!

By Yves Sidney

Since our previous update of August 30, 2021, our members on the ground (KPP-Haiti) have continued working relentlessly. They are coordinating various activities to prepare the schools and the children to be ready for the current school year which starts on October 4^th. In addition, they are putting in place what is needed to implement Konbit Pou Potapiman (KPP) new long-term focus: the revival of Agriculture in the farmland of the commune.

Schools

We are currently working with 3 schools: Lycée de Port-a-Piment, College Rwood Claudy Damas and EFA de Port-a-Piment. There are other schools which contacted us for help but have not yet specified what their needs are.

Lycée de Port-a-Piment: The Earthquake of last month had impacted mostly every building in Port-a-Piment and the schools were not spared. Fortunately this school has not sustained structural damages, However all classrooms showed visible cracks that needed repairs .

A request for assistance from the School Director, M. Aguilnaire Seide was received and approved by KPP. .As of last Friday, all repairs have been completed and the school has been painted. Another phase of the project which has already started, is repairs to the road leading to the school.

College Rwood Claudy Damas: This school was completely demolished. The principal, Mr. François Frasil, took the initiative to construct a hangar (tentative structure) to receive the children for the start of school. He reached out to KPP, and we helped finance part of the project. Work has started and the principal is confident that the structure will be ready to welcome its students

EFA de Port-a-Piment: This school which serves approximately 600 hundred children was fortunate not to sustain structural damages. As of this writing, the repairs have started, and we will be reporting on their progress in our subsequent update.

Agriculture

Farming: Execution of this project has generated tremendous interest from the planters in the commune. As a result, we are expanding the number of participants from 80 to 300. Mr. Jean Robert Isidor (member of KPP-Haiti) and the local agronomist, Mr., Gayoni Elie Germeil continue to identify more farmers to achieve the new goal..

In the meantime, the farmers are preparing their fields for the new crops, and the agronomist is aiding them where needed by providing technical help. We are now purchasing and bagging the seeds for distributions.