The new school is a community landmark. While SOPUDEP’s projects are still largely donor funded, they strive to become self sufficient. The new school that opened in 2017, is a huge step in the right direction.
SOPUDEP’s first school, Institution Mixde de SOPUDEP, exists in a refurbished mansion. It was given to them on a ten-year lease in 2002. Réa Dol, with the help of Seth Donnelly and Cornelia Fletcher, found a secure area for the students to be moved.
Brick by brick and room by room, the school was built, with local masons, supported by Seth Donnelly and other staff members, students and parents from Los Altos High School, Carnegie Mellon University, and UCLA.
The building itself is currently a rental space for various community activities. Examples include, external training, short course professional studies, seminars, film, summer camps, concerts, conferences, an official National Exam location, and so on.
With this source and other sources of income in place, SOPUDEP will continue to push progressive social boundaries in education and other areas. It will still first and foremost be a quality educational facility, but it will also represent a change in the tide of Haiti’s ability to become self-reliant.
Vocational Classes
Two vocational programs such as carpentry and tailoring are provided to young men and women at the new school.
Institution Mixte de SOPUDEP is a school that offers Kindergarten to Grade 12. In 2001 they were awarded a burnt out mansion to use as a school, and in 2002 they opened their doors with initial enrolment of 140 students. In 2014, enrolment reached 875 students with 73 staff. It is also not unusual for some of SOPUDEP’s students to rank high on Haiti’s National Exam each year.
The majority of Haiti’s education system has been left to the private sector due to a lack of government financial resources. Education in Haiti has become a privilege of the rich with tuition costs being unattainable for most of the population. Only 40% of children will ever set foot inside a school and a mere 4% will graduate.
SOPUDEP’s approach to education is unique in Haiti as no child is turned away for lack of funds. Some parents are able to pay and are willing to do so, but it is not mandatory. Proof of this is the 150 Street Kids that attend the afternoon classes five days a week.
Director Madam Réa Dol’s mission is to expose her students to a well rounded education. Some of this education does come from books, but hands on education is just as important. She teaches her students to practice equality and be active participants in the community. Students care for their commuity. SOPUDEP has dedicated teachers that are compensated fairly and each student always has lunch every day.
The hot lunch program is important and feeds 900 people on a good day. 59% of the population can barely afford to eat two times a day and 11% suffer from chronic hunger, unable to provide one regular meal. Food insecurity has grown rapidly due to the mass amounts of imported foods. These imports gradually become expensive over time, eroding Haiti’s agriculture industry. Chronic poverty and malnutrition impairs the ability of their students to learn. Headaches, nausea, and blackouts increase and grade levels drop.
In 2008, The Sawatzky Family Foundation reinitiated this Hot Lunch program and by 2010, major funding was being provided by Feed Them With Music, a food security based charity out of Minnesota.
While SOPUDEP provides accessible education up to grade 12, Réa Dol is challenged with finding a way for students to continue their studies and start a career. In an urban setting, there aren’t many means for self sufficiency. Trade skills training and University can help give these youth a substantial leg up.
The University Scholarship Program is provided through direct sponsorship. If you decide to help put one of these students continue their education, you will receive regular updates and information from the University Student Committee.
The students have been informed that they must keep their learning to a certain level to stay in the program. Nonetheless SOPUDEP will do everything we can to ensure that our students support each other and maintain good grades. SOPUDEP is also holding regular meetings to maintain direct contact with all scholarship students.
*As there is a substantial commitment involved in supporting a student in their studies, it might be something that an individual, family, group of friends, or a single organization would take on as a project.
In 2012, SOPUDEP’s University Scholarship recipients formed a committee. They keep each other accountable and provide encouragement to continue education.