Early in 2004, P.W.P. began to investigate the possibility of starting a portion of Liberty School For Women in some fashion while we continued with our effort to raise funds to construct and operate the school. It was apparent that raising $250,000 to $300,000 may take more time than we would like and in the mean time things were not getting any better in Haiti and the very people we saw benefiting from Liberty School quite literally may not live to see the doors open. In the year 2000, the CIA estimated the average life expectancy of a Haitian woman to be 49.2 years. Things have not improved since that report. Their need for everything is urgent and crucial!

We talked with, and listened to our friends and colleagues in Haiti and concluded that if we could only do one thing at this time, they would want it to be a literacy program. Right now 80% of Haitians are functionally illiterate. This breeds incredible levels of low self-esteem and lack of respect. The obvious disadvantages of being unable to read and write such as the handicaps it brings in marketing their goods and services pale in comparison to what it does to the spirit of that person who must choose the slavery of silence because they are bound by the shame of illiteracy. It prevents that person from becoming a respected, active participator within their community.

Research led us to ROTALPHA CLE which is a concentrated language encounter developed by the Rotary Club of Petionville, Haiti specific to the cultural and social needs of the Haitian people. We financed their experienced, highly efficient trainer, Ms. Bayyinah Bello to travel to Cap-Haitien and provide training for twenty-four young ladies. ALong with the ROTALPHA CLE training, we engaged the services of Mr. Samson Joseph who further trained these ladies in the Reflection Circle and Open Space methodology. This teaching method, developed by Beyond Borders and The Experiment is used in many countries including Haiti to enhance a class of any kind. It fosters a non-authoritarian technique with the students developing skills in listening, and communicating with equal respect for all participants.

P.W.P. has embraced these two methods with passion and commitment. We believe it will provide the students with the practical skills of reading, writing and basic math and at the same time open their minds and hearts to embrace each other and their country with pride and appreciation while releasing the resourcefulness and talents that may otherwise remain hidden.

We have recently been blessed to employ ten of the trainees and open ten literacy centers! Each teacher is required to find a location for, assemble her class of 20-25 students and commit to working closely with the area monitor and administrator. At that time, P.W.P. provides the necessary teaching materials and a montly salary for the teacher. This simple method will prove invaluable over time as students complete the course and become validated, respected persons.

If all twenty-four of our trainees were employed in this fashion, there would be the possibility for six hundred enthusiastic, inspired, literate persons to be released into their communities each year. This would be an unstoppable force of change for the City of Cap-Haitien and outlying area! We urge you to look at the cost of sponsoring one of these literacy centers and see how POSSIBLE it is for you to become a part of this great move.

Click HERE to sponsor a Literacy Center!