Sonje Ayiti Organization

Education program: The Cima School of Hope consisting of 27 employees including admins, teachers, cooks and janitors and 300 students was originally housed in UNICEF tent with a tarp dividing Kindergarten (ages 3-5) and 1st grade (ages 7-12) classes. The school now houses students from Pre-K thru grade 9. The school provides each student a uniform -sewn by a group of parents at the beginning of the year and books. There is now a school building in place for all of the students and an administrative building and we have begun construction of an open air cafeteria/community center.

Pathway to a Better Life: In areas like Phaeton and Paulette, which lack employment opportunities, self-employment is the only option for most households. The CLM 18 month graduation approach offers a unique chance to families that lack the means and the know-how to start activities especially if they are too poor to benefit from the credit. After only 18 months they develop dependable lives. The participants learn to manage income generating activities and then receive the assets they need to jump start their activities. They receive close accompaniment through weekly home visits throughout the program.

Positive Periods: 20 girls have learned how to sew reusable sanitary pads and distributed 953 kits to schools in Grande Riviere du Norde, Limonade, Grand-Pre and Bahon in northern Haiti. They provided educational sessions about menstruation, personal hygiene, and STDs to other girls before distributing kits

MEDA Program: Provides business advisory and workforce development services for 500 single mothers in northern Haiti who are age 18-35 and have at least one child in school to increase their income generating activities. CEDEL HAITI, a known Haitian institution with nine years experience, trains all 500 mothers in entreprenuership, business plans, strategic plans, marketing and management.