Excitement filled the air as the children in the WWV schools finished their last day of school before summer break. The younger children were excitedly skipping around the playground as the older students concentrated on their exams.
In Haiti, year-end exams are crucial. Students must pass these exams in the older grades in order to continue on to higher grades. Pastor Joassaint, the administrator at the WWV School in Williamson, is committed to preparing his students for these exams, but there is a stumbling block.
Pastor Joassaint has such a heart for his community and has allowed even the poorest of children into his school, children that would otherwise have no opportunity for learning. Your generosity in sponsorship allows these children to attend school by providing teachers’ salaries, a hot school lunch, and basic school supplies.
While no tuition is required for sponsored students in the WWV School, Haitian families are asked to provide books and school uniforms for their children. Unfortunately, only 20 percent of children in the schools in Williamson can afford these schoolbooks. This has made learning very difficult over the last several years.
A large portion of the school day is spent copying information from the books in each classroom onto the chalkboard and into the notebooks of the children with no books. The cost is less teaching time during the school day. Without books, the students will not learn quickly enough to be able to pass the exams that are required to pass into higher grade levels. It can be devastating for these children to be held back because of a lack of resources to purchase something as simple as a book.
In cooperation with the school administrators and teachers at Williamson School WWV has devised a plan to address the need. If WWV is able to purchase the books for the primary school children (Grades 1-6), the books could be checked out to the students at the beginning of the year and collected at the end of the school year. The books could be used for several years. The parents would pay a deposit for the books that they receive back when the books are returned in good condition.
With a higher percentage of books in the hands of the students, the teachers can concentrate on teaching and the financial burden will be lifted for the families.
The total cost of the books for the primary school is approximately $6000. As we presented this challenge to our Board of Directors, they generously agreed to match all donations up to $3000 – 50% of the total needed. But the books must be purchased by the end of July.
Please help us raise $3000 by giving a one-time gift by July 15 to put books in the hands of every student in Grades 1-6 of the Williamson School. Any amount will be helpful. You will be investing in the life of a child and in the future of a community.
Thanks again for your continued generosity! Without our faithful student sponsors and donors like you, there would be many children in Haiti with no hope for the future. Thank you for supporting the mission of bringing education to Haiti.
