By Ryan Sawatzky

CJS, CLUB DES JEUNES DE LA SOPUDEP (Youth club at SOPUDEP) is a student based association primarily made up of grade tens at Institution Mixte de SOPUDEP. On their own initiative at the beginning of the school year, they began a fundraising project to help those patients at their community hospital who have been abandoned and cannot afford supplies.

Their goal was to raise 5 to 10 Gourdes a day (12¢ to 25¢ US). This is a meagre sum of money to us, but for the average Haitian, this represents eating a meal or going hungry for the day. Including donations provided from SOPUDEP’s staff, these students were able to raise 5840 Haitian Gourds ($146 US). This week they purchased and delivered supplies and medication for these patients unable to buy their own.

Rea Dol emailed me glowing with pride for her students. This act of kindness represents all she has wanted to accomplish through her school. Education is not just about creating a sharper and more critical mind through reason and facts, but to instil wisdom through the lessons of compassion and experience.