Joy and Hope of Haiti

Welcome to the Joy and Hope of Haiti Website

Our History

In 1989, the first group of men from the Hamilton area travelled to Haiti on a mission project and because of their experiences, the people they met, the conditions and poverty that was witnessed, they returned to Canada with a strong desire to encourage others to help the children of Haiti and, decided as Canadians, that they should try to assist in some small way. If there was an attempt to raise funds for a specific project, it was made certain to be started and properly completed before another was commenced thus allowing identifiable results and benefits for both Canadians and Haitians.

Since then, at least 500 individuals have gone to Haiti on short-term work teams - many of whom have traveled to Haiti more than once. Travel to Haiti continues twice a year (Spring and Fall) to contribute on work teams involved in school construction and experiencing Haiti simultaneously under the auspices of OMS International and Men for Missions International. Many people from Hamilton have had their lives affected in such a way that when they come home, many continue to be involved in the many efforts of the Joy and Hope of Haiti because of their own changed life. It is important that every Canadian, at their own expense, have the opportunity to travel to Haiti and to work side by side with Haitians in the construction of various projects.

Through years of civil strife, poverty, disease and neglect, the country of Haiti has been reduced to a seemingly hopeless state. Haiti has an 80% illiteracy rate. There is a similar rate of unemployment. It is estimated that 1 in 3 children die before the age of 10. The life expectancy is only 45-50 years of age. The country has been economically classified as a fourth world nation. It is the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

MAIN FOCUS

The main focus of the Joy and Hope of Haiti is building elementary schools in the Cap Haitian area of northern Haiti. The schools each have 6 classrooms and hold approximately 200 children, grades 1 - 6.

Since 1989, these groups of individuals have held fundraising events in the Hamilton area to finance the school construction projects and helped to build the schools alongside Haitian national workers.

From 1991 To 1994, three construction projects were completed and in 1997, renovations and an extension of a school was completed and $10,000.00 Cdn was provided to a nearby orphanage to facilitate the purchase of food, medicine and books. A solar system was also provided to and installed at this orphanage.

In 1998 we renovated and upgraded a residence dormitory for a post-secondary school (a Bible College), and between 2000 and 2004, we worked on a garbage dump in Cap Haitien and completed:

A two storey building, the first floor being a school for over 300 children and the second floor being a church
An orphanage that has the capacity to house 64 children just down the road from the church and school building: Stella House and we do our very best to raise the support that is needed to run an orphanage that at the present, has 45 children
A basketball court/playground area directly across from the orphanage - 2004/2005
A new school was built in a village called Madeline in the north of Haiti - 2005
Two new school construction projects were undertaken: Fauche was completed early in 2006 and Bahon will be completed by mid-spring, 2006
2006, two other school construction projects were finished: Saccenville and Coup-A-David (Coup-A-David is literally on a mountaintop).
2007, three school construction projects were completed: Gaudin, in partnership with a group from Alberta, Maranathe in partnership with a group from the U.S., Bellinay

We started with a list of 40 schools and today, we are dreaming big with a five year plan to have 20 schools completed.

This neighbourhood is located on a former garbage dump that has now become a landfill site where an estimated 30,000 very poor people live in deplorable conditions. The area is very hot with no trees, vegetation, running water, sewage facilities, toilets, schools (until our project was completed) or medical facilities and minimal to no electricity. There are no recreational facilities for the children, most of whom are too poor to even attend school.

Big Dreams

What do big dreams require? Lots of committed, generous people and the Joy and Hope of Haiti has just that, a growing network of volunteers raising funds and traveling to Haiti to make a small but significant difference in the lives of the children in Haiti by enabling the children to go to a proper school and find hope in education.


	Welcome to the Joy and Hope of Haiti Website

Home Who We Are Background Our History Future Vision Community Connections Projects 2000 2002 2003 2004 Fougerole Orphanage Fundraisers Charity Auction Road2Hope Watch a short video of 2009 Road2Hope Event 100 Holes For Haiti Help A Child Orphanage Sponsorship Birthing Kits H.E.A.R.T.S Healthy Smiles for Haiti Work Trips Our Stories Why Stories Esther's Story Georgina's Story Fred's Story Russell's Story As told to the Beacon Magazine Action Magazine Story Heart to Help (The Journal, Spectator) Another World (Spectator) Building a Dream on a Garbage Dump Photo Journal Contact Us Wish List	Our History In 1989, the first group of men from the Hamilton area travelled to Haiti on a mission project and because of their experiences, the people they met, the conditions and poverty that was witnessed, they returned to Canada with a strong desire to encourage others to help the children of Haiti and, decided as Canadians, that they should try to assist in some small way. If there was an attempt to raise funds for a specific project, it was made certain to be started and properly completed before another was commenced thus allowing identifiable results and benefits for both Canadians and Haitians. Since then, at least 500 individuals have gone to Haiti on short-term work teams - many of whom have traveled to Haiti more than once. Travel to Haiti continues twice a year (Spring and Fall) to contribute on work teams involved in school construction and experiencing Haiti simultaneously under the auspices of OMS International and Men for Missions International. Many people from Hamilton have had their lives affected in such a way that when they come home, many continue to be involved in the many efforts of the Joy and Hope of Haiti because of their own changed life. It is important that every Canadian, at their own expense, have the opportunity to travel to Haiti and to work side by side with Haitians in the construction of various projects. Through years of civil strife, poverty, disease and neglect, the country of Haiti has been reduced to a seemingly hopeless state. Haiti has an 80% illiteracy rate. There is a similar rate of unemployment. It is estimated that 1 in 3 children die before the age of 10. The life expectancy is only 45-50 years of age. The country has been economically classified as a fourth world nation. It is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. MAIN FOCUS The main focus of the Joy and Hope of Haiti is building elementary schools in the Cap Haitian area of northern Haiti. The schools each have 6 classrooms and hold approximately 200 children, grades 1 - 6. Since 1989, these groups of individuals have held fundraising events in the Hamilton area to finance the school construction projects and helped to build the schools alongside Haitian national workers. From 1991 To 1994, three construction projects were completed and in 1997, renovations and an extension of a school was completed and $10,000.00 Cdn was provided to a nearby orphanage to facilitate the purchase of food, medicine and books. A solar system was also provided to and installed at this orphanage. In 1998 we renovated and upgraded a residence dormitory for a post-secondary school (a Bible College), and between 2000 and 2004, we worked on a garbage dump in Cap Haitien and completed: A two storey building, the first floor being a school for over 300 children and the second floor being a church An orphanage that has the capacity to house 64 children just down the road from the church and school building: Stella House and we do our very best to raise the support that is needed to run an orphanage that at the present, has 45 children A basketball court/playground area directly across from the orphanage - 2004/2005 A new school was built in a village called Madeline in the north of Haiti - 2005 Two new school construction projects were undertaken: Fauche was completed early in 2006 and Bahon will be completed by mid-spring, 2006 2006, two other school construction projects were finished: Saccenville and Coup-A-David (Coup-A-David is literally on a mountaintop). 2007, three school construction projects were completed: Gaudin, in partnership with a group from Alberta, Maranathe in partnership with a group from the U.S., Bellinay We started with a list of 40 schools and today, we are dreaming big with a five year plan to have 20 schools completed. The Neighbourhood - Spring 2003 - Cap Haitien, Haiti ©2003 This neighbourhood is located on a former garbage dump that has now become a landfill site where an estimated 30,000 very poor people live in deplorable conditions. The area is very hot with no trees, vegetation, running water, sewage facilities, toilets, schools (until our project was completed) or medical facilities and minimal to no electricity. There are no recreational facilities for the children, most of whom are too poor to even attend school. Big Dreams What do big dreams require? Lots of committed, generous people and the Joy and Hope of Haiti has just that, a growing network of volunteers raising funds and traveling to Haiti to make a small but significant difference in the lives of the children in Haiti by enabling the children to go to a proper school and find hope in education.
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