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Haiti
P.A.R.T.N.E.R.S. is a group of men and women primarily
from Madison, WI who feel a sense of call to develop mutually transforming
partnerships and projects with the people of Haiti. We are focusing
primarily on food programs, education, economic empowerment, and health
care, and are attempting to work with the poorest of the poor in both
urban and rural regions of Haiti. We look forward to sharing this work
with as many individuals and organizations as possible.
The acronym P.A.R.T.N.E.R.S. describes the focus and
values of our work:
P--stands for Partnership. Partnership underscores
our commitment to mutuality and shared power in decision making. We
do not want to be patronizing or controlling in our attempts to help
people in Haiti. We recognize that we have much to receive from our
partners in Haiti, and that even our most sincere efforts to be of service
can wind up causing problems if we are not willing to listen and learn.
We believe that we will be most helpful when we are responding to needs
articulated by Haitian friends and community leaders, rather than trying
to impose so-called first world values, methods, development models,
and problem solving strategies in a two-thirds world context.
A--stands for Arts. We have relationships with
many wood carvers, painters, and other artists. A focus of our work
is helping them secure the materials they need to create art, and opening
up markets for their work. Proceeds from sales of these items
support the artists, their families, their communities, and help underwrite
some of the programs of Haiti PARTNERS.
R--stands for Rice. Rice and beans are basic
staple foods in Haiti. Rice therefore is a symbol of our commitment
to addressing the reality of starvation and malnutrition in Haiti.
We are attempting, as often as possible, to feed people in and through
various dimensions of Haiti PARTNERS programs and projects.
T--there are three -- Treatment, Training, and
Travel.
. Treatment--this is
about health care. We are hoping to put together some mobile health
care teams which will be able to travel to villages in Haiti which have
little or no health care at all. These small teams will offer humble
medical and/or dental treatment, and engage in some basic teaching in
prevention.
. Training--we
are hoping to bring teachers of many kinds to Haiti who will share their
expertise on a volunteer basis with Haitians. In response to requests
for continuing education of haitian teachers, we are hoping to bring
teachers to offer “in service” training to Haitian educators.
. Travel--the
first 2 T's require the third --Travel. We are hoping to bring groups
to Haiti for the purposes outlined above, and also to facilitate the
travel of Haitians to our communities if and when this seems mutually
beneficial. We also hope to provide short term "reverse mission"
experiences, in which interested persons will travel to Haiti with no
agenda other than to listen and learn and to be a Christ-centered presence
among the poorest of the poor.
N--stands for Networking. We are very much
aware that there are countless groups doing wonderful work with the
people of Haiti, and we want to work cooperatively in as many ways possible.
All too often groups are doing their own thing in isolation, and at
times even competing with each other in ways that are not helpful. We
want to be in respectful partnership, avoid the pitfalls of individual
groups "reinventing the wheel",and facilitate direct partnerships
between U.S. and Haitian Church groups, schools, and other community
organizations wherever possible.
E--stands for Economic Empowerment. A key dimension
of our work is helping Haitians to develop methods of generating their
own economic support. In whatever ways possible, we want to facilitate
the creation and development of jobs for Haitians which are sustainable,
self-supporting, paying a "living wage", and which bring economic
resources into Haitian communities.
R--stands for Respect. In all of our work
we are committed to respecting the dignity of individual persons, the
short and long term impact of our projects on neighborhood and community
dynamics, and the well being of the earth and its resources.
S--stands for School. Haiti PARTNERS
was born out of a desire to be in partnership with a small school called
Ecole Mixte St. Thomas (St. Thomas School) in Cite Soleil, one of the
poorest areas of Port au Prince, Haiti. The school symbolizes our
commitment to education. In The St. Thomas School Partnership,all
of the values and goals of Haiti PARTNERS are implemented:
We are in partnership with the school, and are attempting to establish
direct partnerships between St. Thomas School and U.S. schools, church
groups and civic organizations. The school supports itself primarily
through the sale of arts (wooden carvings and paintings) which are created
by artists from Cite Soleil. We have helped establish a meal program
through which the school's students (approximately 200) receive a hot
plate of rice and beans as often as possible. Many of these
students previously ate only once or twice a week.
There
is a humble health care clinic near the school which we are helping,
when possible, to supply with medicines and other materials, and we
are working to facilitate the travel of health care workers
who will provide treatment and training in this clinic.
We are networking with a Washington, D.C. based ministry called
"Harvest Time". Through this organization, we have established
a means through which we can receive tax deductible contributions to
the project. These contributions are processed and then wired directly
into the school's account in a new bank in Port au Prince called Fonkoze
Bank. Fonkoze is the first bank in Haiti established specifically
to aid the economic empowerment of the poor.
Our
commitment to economic empowerment is also realized in the St. Thomas
School Partnership through the salaries of the school's teachers, the
cooks for the meal program, and the artists who create the materials
we sell to support the school. All of this work is done with an attitude
of respect for the short and long term influences of our work
upon all persons and neighborhoods impacted by St. Thomas School.
Please visit the St. Thomas School Partnership
on this site to look at pictures of the school, its students, and to
find out more about how churches and other individuals or organizations
can become involved in this partnership. For more information
about Haiti PARTNERS, Harvest Time, or Fonkoze bank,
please call or write:
Haiti PARTNERS
c/o Crosswind Music Ministries
P.O. Box 45236
Madison, WI 53744-5236
(608) 294-8716
Tax Deductible Contributions.
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Please make checks out to Harvest Time, and indicate that
they are for the work of Haiti PARTNERS/St. Thomas School.
Mail the checks to the Haiti PARTNERS address listed above.
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To find out more about St. Thomas School.
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