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Narrative from the Road: Mona Friends Visit Haiti – October 2009
Narrative from the Road: A Recent Visit to Haiti Opens Hearts – Spring 2009
Sabrina, Paul and Lovely
Narrative from the Road: Mona Friends Visit Haiti
October 2009
I remember Haiti!
The first thing that strikes me upon arrival at Port Au Prince airport is how beautiful the people are. I mean six out of ten Haitians can come to the US and make it big as models. And of course, on the way from the airport to the hotel what shocks me to the core of my being is the poverty, desperation and absolute chaos of Port Au Prince.
I don’t like to dwell on the negative but unless people get a picture of the struggle, there will be no real appreciation of what some angels are doing in that tiny country that has been suffering for several hundred years. I have not witnessed such poverty anywhere I have visited in the world! You can easily tell there is absolutely no infrastructure in the country, no roads, no commerce, no real jobs. You see piles and piles of trash on practically every street and wonder what the resulting pollution does to the health of the people and particularly children.
One friend mentions that the average life expectancy here is 52! While I heard a very small percentage of the population is made of millionaires, I feel more than 95% are below poverty level. The entire city looks like a big slum. On the sidewalks all you see are scores of individuals with a few items spread in front of them for sale. These vary from used clothes and shoes to snacks, soft drinks, sandwiches, fruits and vegetables, motor oil, etc. Looks like most people make money through bartering. You get the feeling that the country does not have any major agriculture, industry or commerce!
The traffic in Port Au Prince is totally chaotic and of course every time there is a jam several young kids, equipped with rags run to the car and ask for money with their desperate, innocent eyes while cleaning the windshield. You wonder if these are street kids or they have a home to go to! We heard from our friends in Haiti that many of them in fact are street kids because they are abused and beaten by the adult members of the family. Therefore, they prefer to live on the streets on the little money they make. Another site that catches my eyes is a few areas where beautiful Haitian paintings with vivid and bright colors, iron work and pottery are sold on the streets.
Our hotel is at the good part of the capital. It is the best hotel in town with a nice lobby, a good restaurant and very basic, old but clean rooms. You see mainly foreigners in the hotel. Many of them work for foreign aid agencies and the United Nations. I don’t think there are any tourists in the country even though the natural beauty and the calm, blue ocean are comparable to the best resorts in the world. Many of our Haitian friends mention that all the aid coming from the UN and other NGOs is really not doing much due to the corruption inside and outside the country. According to one person who is in the field, lots of people are getting rich on account of the Haitian people! That is when I wonder: Is there a solution to this seemingly unsolvable mess?!!
I see the flicker of hope when the next two days we go and visit the various schools Mona Foundation supports! And the answer is right in front of me. The only way Haiti can hope for a better future is through education of its children, moral and academic.
Early in the morning of the first day we drive to Sue and Yves Puzo’s home, the humble, soft spoken angels who visited us in LA not long ago. They live in a small, simple home that puts me to shame about the lifestyle I have here in the U.S. Since last year they have started a school for approximately 25 street kids at their home. Fifteen of them live in a house the Puzos are renting right next to theirs. Three adults/teachers live in the same house. The students’ ages range from 10 to 15. Many of them have never been to a school. They teach 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades in the house. Those who can pass the test for higher grades are sent to Anis Zunuzi to continue their education. They use Zunuzi’s curriculum, an important part of which is moral education.
One thing I notice about all the children, here or at other schools is how outgoing and happy they are! Most of them are very inquisitive to know strangers and start interacting with you without hesitation. Of course, we have a loving group who reaches out to the children despite the language barrier. The visitors fascinate the kids by taking pictures and sharing the results with them. Rainn has an amazing ability to connect with the kids through body language and his talent as an actor! Everywhere we go he starts playing with the kids and makes them laugh! It is wonderful to have him in the group. Of course, all others are as loving and engaging.
Later, Sue joins our group to drive to Anis Zunuzi. The school is simple and clean on a large piece of land that was donated by a wonderful Persian family in the 70s. The students who range from kindergarteners to 12th graders are dressed in nice, clean uniforms. Again, the children follow and joyfully interact with everyone. Rainn joins a group of boys who are playing soccer and becomes their goal keeper. The rest of us visit the new buildings that were recently completed with the help of Mona Foundation. They now actually have flushing toilets and showers, an indoor kitchen and two additional classrooms. In the next three years we are hoping to help them build an indoor dining room, a computer room with new computers and more classrooms.
We take a tour of the different classrooms and are overcome with emotions when we get to the two classrooms that were built in the memory of the beautiful 28 year old woman Nai Karimi-Manesh who was tragically killed in a car accident two years ago. Her amazing mother, Carelle is in our group. It is difficult not to cry. I am in awe of the strength of Carelle who has turned the most devastating experience a parent can have to positive action in service to fellow human beings. She is truly an exceptional woman and throughout the trip shares all the other wonderful things her family is doing in Nai’s memory. The school director (his name is: Rubintrop, we call him Rubin) and staff are all Haitian and amazing people. They are totally dedicated to the education of Zunuzi children. We sit down and consult with them on their plans for future. They treat us to a beautiful lunch and we get to know each other better even though most of us don’t speak a word of French and their English is not perfect!
In the afternoon we bid good bye to Zunuzi and travel to New Horizon, another school supported by Mona and founded by a loveable French man named Bernard who has lived in Haiti for forty years. He came to Haiti for a visit and never left. He is the director of the French hospital in Port Au Prince and lives in a humble house on several acres of property near Port Au Prince. He lost his daughter and wife a few years ago and since then has become a part of Rubin’s family. He, Rubin, Rubin’s wife, 4year old daughter, 2 year old son and mother all live in the same house. The cute two year old boy called Sharaf doesn’t like to be separated from his adopted white grandfather, Bernard. Bernard carries him everywhere and keeps kissing him on the cheek. It is the most endearing sight you can see. This is proof that family is where the heart is and even if you lose your biological family you can share the same kind of love with others.
After the recent hurricanes, the people of surrounding villages approached Mr. Bernard and asked him to do something for the children as there were no schools nearby. He founded a non-profit organization named New Horizon, got the seed money from the French Embassy in Haiti and built this beautiful school on his property. Currently, they have four beautiful classrooms. Mona Foundation is helping him build more classrooms in the near future. He shows us his grand plans for the future of the school. He is a very methodical and detailed person. He is planning to add classes, build a gymnasium, a pool, a basketball court, a theatre in the next few years. The teachers are very well educated and overall, this is going to be a top notch school in Haiti. The highlight of our visit is the kindergarteners’ performance for us! They sing a song in English that says: Hello my friend, hello. How are you? They keep repeating the same verse loud and clear, with pride and big, bright smiles. They are absolutely adorable! I keep thinking if my wonderful friend Aimee were here she would want to adopt a Haitian child!
The next day we pick up Sue, Yves and Rubin to drive to George Marcelleus School which is in a remote village four hours from Port Au Prince. Three four wheel drive SUVs follow one another on a road that is eighty percent unpaved. Even the areas that are paved have so many potholes that they may as well not be paved! The bumpy ride takes us through a couple of smaller cities and several villages. We see the same poverty and chaos in the cities. The villages are generally made of rows of shacks on both sides of the road.
Mr. George Marcelleus built this school in the village he was born as a service to his community. There are no other schools in the area. George Marcelleus died a few years ago and a wonderful man named Mr. La Fortune took over as the principal of the school. The school is made of four dark, small rooms that are separated by partitions. In the morning they hold classes for kindergarten to 3rd graders and in the afternoon they have classes for 4th to 6th graders. The Karimi-Manesh family is making a donation to build two more classrooms so that they can have full day classes for all grades. The school cannot accommodate all the village children. I hope with the help of Mona Foundation the school can grow to provide the opportunity for all the village kids to have at least primary education. The school staff is planning to start vocational classes so that the students can learn a skill to support their families after 6th grade. At this point, secondary education seems like an impossible dream for the children at this remote area of Haiti.
Here again, everybody starts playing with the students. At some point, the students are laughing so loud at something Rainn has done that some of us run to where he is to see what is going on! A young man from the village brings fresh coconuts for everyone. The coconut milk is very refreshing in the hot humid weather. Afterwards, we are treated to a delicious lunch of rice, beans and vegetables. In a place where most people don’t have enough to eat such hospitality is overwhelming! We sit under a tree for consultation. An elderly, gracious woman joins us and we are told she is the lady who donated the land for the school. Later, an old man with a hunched back comes close and we find out he was a close friend of George Marcelleus. He gives a beautiful talk about how important education is for his people. They are all so proud of the school. I am truly inspired by the deep dedication and understanding of the staff in the field of education and development. They don’t need anyone or any group to tell them how to educate their children. We are only here to be partners and hold their hands in this journey. After the consultation, we bid farewell to George Marcelleus and head back to Port Au Prince. We will be leaving Haiti tomorrow morning.
The past three days have been extremely emotional. Witnessing the poverty and hopelessness on the streets on one hand and the dedication of the administrator of the four schools and the hope I see in the eyes of the children on the other, create mixed feelings in me. I can’t stop thinking, what is the difference between these beautiful children and my children except the accident of where they were born! As always, I am convinced the only thing all children need is opportunity. They all have the capacity to be educated and serve their communities and all we can do is to provide the opportunity for both moral and academic education. One without the other is not enough.
My final thoughts are about the amazing people I shared this experience with. During the past 6-7 years working with Mona Foundation I have met some incredible people and developed close friendships with each and everyone. I think of this blessing as icing on the cake! How else would I ever have had the chance to know people of various nationalities, religions or races who deeply care about their fellow human beings?
Meeting and becoming friends with people like Britt and Esther, professional women working for Avanade and Microsoft who from the first few moments in the Miami airport impressed me with their intellect, passion, enthusiasm and indiscriminate love for all.
Becoming very close to a jewel like Tina, a physician and mother of two young children who is deeply caring, unpretentious, smart, sacrificial and comfortable with all.
Becoming closer to Gouya and Payam, a couple who at a very young age are proactive in making a difference in the world and know their goal in life is more than just having a comfortable life.
Getting to know Farhang, a young man who has taken the time from his family life to better understand and get more involved in development. Sharing talks with Carelle, a mother who despite the grief of losing her beautiful young daughter is dedicating her time to education of other people’s children.
Spending time with Holiday and Rainn, who humbly and unpretentiously are dedicated to their belief and calling to make the world a better place.
Wonderful Duy-Loan, an amazing woman I have known for several years and can write about several pages, who brings her sons on these trips to share the experience with and whom I love and respect deeply.
And finally, what can I say about Mahnaz, my dear sister and mentor who encouraged me to get involved with Mona Foundation and to whom I am for ever grateful for this privilege. Would I exchange the pleasure of counting these people as my close friends with any other experience in the world? Certainly not!
~ Sima Mobini
Narrative from the Road ~ A recent visit to Haiti opens hearts
Spring 2009
Dear Friends,
One vital activity of the Mona Foundation is that of visiting the projects we support. Regular project reports are sent to us for review, but there are always things that cannot be expressed on paper that we will miss if we don't see them with our own eyes. Things like what happens to your own soul when you personally encounter the nobility of the human spirit in individuals who live life under almost unbearable circumstances. Development is a process, sometimes a long one. However, there is no pleasure greater than witnessing personally that what we are doing together is actually making a difference in the lives of others; that what we do does mean a lot to many people, and that what we learn from them through this process, is invaluable. My recent visit to Haiti reminded me once again of this principle.
Though others from the foundation had gone to visit Anis Zunuzi recently, it had been nine years since my own last visit to Haiti. Much had changed. The UN presence was heavy and hotels were packed by NGOs (non-governmental organizations) who were there to 'do something' for Haiti. Many drove big four-wheel drives and stayed in nice, very expensive hotels, the price of which has quadrupled because of the presence of so many foreign aid agencies. They were all discussing what to do to help Haiti at the tune of $1M/day expense to the UN. In short, there were many well-meaning individuals running about trying to make a difference.
What had not changed, if one looked around, was the general welfare of the people. Sidewalks jammed with people sitting around cluttered mats, trying to sell a few small items - used shoes from the US (apparent by the labels), a little fried banana, a couple bottles of coke, a few cans of soup (I am sure given to them by relief agencies but not suited to their diet) - hundreds of people lining the dusty, pot-holed sidewalks of Port Au Prince. It seemed that only a few were buyers who paid a penny for this and a penny for that leaving one wondering how people actually survive. During our entire week the same individuals sat in the same place, dawn to dusk, hoping a buyer would give them something or barter something they could use to feed their families. There were also those many young, sweaty little boys, between the ages of 6 and 12, who ran along side the traffic, cleaning windows and mirrors with a filthy cloth when cars stopped at a light, hoping for a few pennies as reward. I never saw anyone simply doing nothing.
In nine years, little had changed. There is as much daily uncertainty and anxiety now as there was then, as much poverty as before, and as much need for the most basic human needs like clean water, food and sanitation. It seems that foreign aid has a way of landing in the pockets of a few, corrupt officials rather than the intended recipients.
It is not surprising then that when the members of the SG Foundation (previous grantors of this project and who came along with me for this visit) were so stunned by what they saw at Anis Zunuzi School in Port-au-Prince. The well-maintained buildings, 300 happy children playing on the expansive grounds and a clean, well-organized school stood in sharp contrast to the loud, dusty streets on the other side of the school boundary wall. The all-Haitian group of administrators, who have been with the school for years, humbly walked around with us, answering every question and let us experience what a real "social and economic development project" looked like. Some of the visitors came as skeptics but upon leaving, called Anis Zunuzi a "haven."
This project is making great strides. I believe this is so because the school is now entirely run by Haitians who know themselves, their culture, and know how best to take the school to the next development level. I had great meetings with the Administrators, their Board, and most importantly with their Engineer, Mr. Bernardo. He gave a full tour of the grounds and showed us the new kitchen that we were able to fund through a Bridgeway Foundation grant. We saw locations for the next classrooms, the dining room, bath/shower rooms and the new kindergarten building. With Mr. Bernardo now in place and completely committed to helping Zunuzi with these additions, I have no doubt that they will meet their construction deadlines by end of the summer.
The highlight of my trip, however, was the visit to "George Marcellus" school, located in a remote village of the Artibonite Valley, about three hours jeep ride from Port-au-Prince on bumpy roads. It is also incredibly poor, and inhabited by a noble people. The village is devoid of everything. There is really nothing there except a few parcels of land which are cultivated, a couple of skinny cows and some goats, or that's it. People call little huts built with woven sticks, home. When we arrived, we parked next to a very old, tall tree. Five men, each thinner than the one beside him, leaned against the trunk of the tree, staring listlessly. Next to them was a little hut, with another five people crouched on the dirt in front of their hut, also listlessly observing. One man was busy weaving palm fronds to make a sun shade for his hut.
And then there was the school, the only place in the entire village where the kids showed signs of life and were playful. George Marcellus, after whom this school is named, was a native of this village. He educated himself, became a pillar of the community and before his passing gave this piece of land for a school. Two of Zunuzi's school board now live in this town and teach at the school.
As with Zunuzi, George Marcellus is a haven from the abject poverty of this world. It is a square parcel of land with three cinder block rooms and that is it. Nearly 80 children attend this school, all who upon our arrival chorused in Creole, "We are the drops of one ocean, the leaves of one branch." Each room was crowded with wooden benches with 4-5 kids sharing each one. There was no blackboard. No books. No school supplies. Just five great souls who were courageous enough to be the teachers in this far off village, 80 children, some with mismatched cast-off school uniforms, some with rags on their backs, and an old man, who followed us wherever we went. He wanted to be sure that we saw how the village looks up to this school.
We were taken to one of the classrooms where the children had assembled. Sweat poured off everyone's faces in the tropical heat, but no one moved until the children finished their several beautiful songs. One of the students read a poem they had composed for Mona Foundation and the teachers each welcomed us and pointed out the five chairs and two big benches that they had built with the funds that Mona had provided them through Zunuzi. I was speechless. I did not know what to say but managed to mumble a few words on behalf of our board that how proud we were to be a part of this effort to support the education of the children, and that we were committed to support them in building two more classrooms.
Then the teachers let the children go and play outside and we sat for a consultation. They had, of course, sent their proposal for support through Zunuzi which we approved in our board meeting, but I was moved to ask them one by one what they thought was the most urgent need of the school. Each of the teachers asked for school supplies and more support for the teachers (current salary of $50/month) except one. Mr. La Fortune, who is also member of Zunuzi Board, looked at me, looked down at his shoes and paused for a moment. Then he raised his head and with a face that I will never forget said "the children are hungry." This stopped me in my tracks. What do you say to a proud, noble man who could earn much more teaching in Port Au Prince but chose to live and work here, where he was needed, and who cared enough about the children to swallow his pride and trust a stranger with a request for food. What do you say? I answered that we will do all we can to help connect them with one of the relief agencies. Later I was told that the village is too far from the city and no agency was willing to commit on a delivery that far away. So the kids go hungry and will until someone hears their silent cries. We need to work with other agencies in Haiti on this as their need is ongoing and these 80 children need to be fed.
I left this school and the country feeling 200 times more committed to our work than I have ever been. Knowing how such a little makes such a huge difference, knowing how this partnership matters to so many who sacrifice everyday to make life better for hundreds of children, propels me to tell and share these stories. This is not only to support them but also to demonstrate to other agencies in Haiti who have worked so hard for many years with little evidence of success that in the end only Haitians will be able to develop and change Haiti for the better. No amount of goodwill, grants, money or "human resource" support will be able to address the myriad of problems in that country unless schools such as Zunuzi or George Marcellus raise the ethical leaders needed to lead. These new leaders will put the interests of others ahead of their own; serve their own country from a place of sacrifice in the service of the common good of all. We have the moral responsibility to support them in this journey.
I came away trusting in my heart that we at Mona Foundation are really not supporting simply schools or education. Rather, we are participating in the process of building a revised world, based on the principles of justice and compassion in which service to others is a way of life, no child will go hungry for food or love, and no war is fought because of corrupt governments.
Now we will take one step at a time.
-Written by a member of the Mona Foundation board
Note: After their visit the members of the SG Foundation generously committed 10K for the Mona Foundation 2009 commitments to their projects in Haiti.
Sabrina, Paul and Lovely
These are the names of children at the Anis Zunuzi School, situated amidst the poorest slums outside the city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sabrina is probably 7, although her exact age is unknown. She loves reading and playing hide and seek with her friend. She's in grade 1. Her mother is a good cook and sells rice and beans with spices, sitting on the roadside in front of their house. Her father is a bricklayer, but work is scarce and he makes little income. Paul's mother is a widow, with no income to support herself and her two sons. Paul loves sports, learning the computer and studying English. He's in grade 4. His former school didn't have any of these activities. Lovely is 15 and in grade 8. She loves to sew, draw, dance and read. She wants to go on to study agronomy. Her father works for the telephone company, but wages are low, and it's difficult to find the means to keep her in school. She has five brothers. Girls often drop out of secondary school because priority is given to younger children, and many girls that age become pregnant.
Each day, 230 children like Sabrina, Paul and Lovely attend Zunuzi School during two sessions. The afternoon session is for students who cannot show up to morning classes. Often these are “restavec” children, brought into the city from the provinces to serve as domestic help. The tuition at the school is $30 per student per month, but the children are so impoverished, most are unable to afford even partial tuition. The school was originally built in a rural area, with no public transportation, no electricity and no telephone. After the school was built, electricity finally reached it. Then, 10 years later a phone was installed. Eventually, the slums of Port-au-Prince spread around the school and violent crime in the area increased. Haiti experienced 7 political revolutions in the last 20 years which so disrupted the society that young people refuse to work the land and instead look to relatives overseas to support them. This dependency creates apathy and a sense of hopelessness.
In the midst of this continued social disruption and destruction, Zunuzi School became an oasis of hope for a way out of poverty. The most pronounced character of the school is beauty. The school grounds are filled with trees, flowers, and clean white buildings with courtyards. Students are recognized for their good character and are trained how to analyze, reflect and solve problems. They're also taught to express themselves clearly in their native Creole and in French, to listen to others' ideas with respect, to work cooperatively and to be aware of world events. Art and music is incorporated at every level. The beautiful grounds are used for sports and other events, and offered for use to other schools that have no place for students to run and play.
In spite of a dire lack of resources, the local staff have proved their commitment to change and persevered over a long rough road to lift up Zunuzi School's capacity. Each year they work with Mona Foundation to refine their vision of how their programs will grow to serve more children.
Because each year, another little Sabrina or Paul or Lovely, wandering the forlorn city slums, will peek through the school's gate and see the future of what they and Haiti can become. We want to invite them all in.
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