Welcome to Ecole Philadelphia!

Rotary August 2021

Rotary Comes Through - Again!

The motto of Rotary International is "service above self", and the organization - particularly Rotary of Montgomery County (Virginia) has proven this motto true over and over again. If you have been following Ecole Philadelphia since the beginning, you may remember that the school opened with no books, classrooms made out of tents, and just chalkboards and notepads from which to learn. There was not even drinking water - and in the hot climate of Haiti, that made learning sometimes impossible. Playground equipment, which is present on so many school properties in the USA and in many other countries, was not even on the radar as a dream. And yet, thanks to the consistent generosity of Rotary, Ecole Philadelphia will open the 2021-22 school year with brand new, colorful slides, swings, and merry-go-rounds. 

Obviously this is not the first time that Rotary has come through for "Ecole P". Our first school books came about as a result of a large collaborative Rotary grant. Our first well and cistern for drinking water did too. And when the sporadic local electricity became too undependable, Rotary outfitted Ecole P with solar power for the computer lab. 

The Rotary Club of Mirebalais has played its part too, verifying the delivery of projects funded by its sister clubs in Virginia, allowing one of the grants to qualify for a district match. 

To say that Ecole Philadelphia is thankful for Rotary would be an understatement, and now the joyful sound of children playing is heard on the Ecole P playground will serve as a constant reminder of just how great Service Above Self can be.

December 2020 Update

December 2020 Update

So sorry to have let the website get so far behind! There is a lot of news to share, and most of it is good!

National Exam Results - We are extremely excited to report that 100% of our sixth grade students passed the national exam! We have had excellent results in the past, but this is the first time that every student passed. This result speaks to the quality of the education that students at Ecole Philadelphia receive.

Fish Farm - The fish are reproducing, with several basins now in production mode. The first harvest is expected in early April 2021. The biggest challenge we are facing currently is the scarcity and cost of fish food, especially the protein aspect of the diet. Fortunately some specific donations have been received that have helped to keep things on track.

Fundraising - Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the 2020-21 teacher salary fund is complete and the funds already in Haiti. We have a nice head start on 2021-22 as well. Since the first cash flows from the fish farm will be reinvested in its expansion, donations will be needed to carry us through until the second harvest at least.

Douglas Day Computer Lab - We typically update or trade out non-working computers when we have a team visit the school. Although we have not been able to make a visit to Haiti since January 2019, all 14 computers remain in operating condition. The computer lab is one of the most popular aspects of our school, and we are very thankful for it.

Playground Equipment - We want to outfit the school with some playground equipment, and have turned to Rotary in the hopes of a grant. Rotary has already provided most of our books, a well and cistern, and the solar power for the computer lab. They have been an enormously valuable supporter of our school. We hope to have word by end of April. 

Condition of the Hangar - Unfortunately no report is ever "good news only". The hangar, which is the structure where we hold most of our classes, is again in need of repair. Some of the boards on the back of the building are so rotted that people have torn them off and stolen some of our school furniture. We are raising funds to fix this problem as soon as possible.

This picture shows the poor condition of the back wall of the hangar. 

We are thankful for all of you who have made our success possible. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a truly healthy and prosperous new year!

News Update - May 2020

News Update May 2020

We are excited to announce a new project in cooperation with Rotary Club of Montgomery County (Virginia). Our school needs to replace many books due to a mandate from the Ministry of Education in Haiti, and Rotary will be matching the first $2,000 donated in support of this project, towards a total of $6,000 needed. To donate to this effort, simply click the Donate Now button on any page on our website and mark your donation as being for books. We greatly appreciate the support of Rotary towards this effort! 

For more information about Rotary, please visit https://www.facebook.com/Rotary-Club-of-Montgomery-County-124511180990381/.

We are also extremely excited to announce that on May 22, the first fish were released into one of the basins on our fish farm. These fish are called "geniteurs", which literally translates as "parents". In this case, they were mothers carrying eggs, which we hope will become many babies. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to purchasing and launching the farm. It has been a long journey, and we hope the time has come to realize some fruits from this project.