From time to time, we mention that many of our children will not graduate from high school as early as teens here in the USA. That can happen when a child did not have the opportunity to begin school at the proper age. Other causes can be difficulty in learning or the complexity of the Haitian school system.
Our children’s safe home is blessed to be located near some quality technical schools; this is definitely not common in every area of Haiti! A number of our teens have been attending both high school and a technical school at the same time.
This is a tremendous blessing in preparing them with skills they can use after finishing high school. We are highlighting some of our students and the training they have already received or are currently receiving.
First, we congratulate our four students who have previously completed the highest level of training available in the English language. This training is offered on the weekends and required a high commitment to spend time studying in addition to their regular studies. Our four graduates are: Clauder, Wood, Gabrielle, and Jean-Yves
Dinia has made a big step toward her dream of becoming a chef! After attending classes for 9 months every Saturday and Sunday at a very professional school in Léogâne called Magnat Ècole Professionnelle, she graduated in 2021. In her culinary classes, she learned to cook and decorate food. Her homework was to cook at the SLM home, decorate the dishes of food, and take them to school to be graded. She did beautiful work!
Our staff member, Widline, graduated from the sewing course at the same professional school Dinia attended and is currently completing the culinary classes.
Some months ago, Guerby approached Papi Jacques with a request to get a driver’s license. Guerby had already learned how to drive on the dirt roads near the children’s home, but Jacques’ requirement was for him to attend a professional school where he would be taught theory in the classroom. Our SLM driver is aware of the safety rules and traffic laws, but attending a school will allow Guerby to demonstrate that he has also learned them by passing the course.
Clauder is attending a 3-month course at IFOTEP, a technical school in Carrefour, where he is learning serigraphy (also known as silkscreen printing). When a friend presented him with a beautiful screen-printed mug as a gift, Clauder felt drawn to investigate information about the classes. Some examples of objects he is learning to make silkscreen impressions on are t-shirts, hats, cups, phone covers, etc. Already people have been interested in the things Clauder is making at school and have asked to buy from him. He is purchasing the basic equipment needed for printing so he can continue after completing the course. He said he is just starting to learn, but his goal is to do “impeccable work!”
Gabrielle has had a long-standing goal of learning to make clothing. She has recently enrolled in a one-year program at Vision International Professional School (VIPS). Most of the continuing education courses our teens are taking are offered on the weekends. Gabrielle’s course is taught on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons after school. Knowing Gabrielle’s work ethic and intelligence level, we are confident she will maintain high grades both in school and in the technical program.
We give God thanks for the opportunity for this training for our children! The majority of children in Haiti cannot imagine the possibility of ever attending a professional technical school, yet our children have been given the opportunity to attend while they are still in high school. As Sony Merine shared, “When children have a skill they have already learned before they finish their high school studies, it is very good. It helps to prepare them for their lives after graduation.”
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If God prompts your heart to give financially toward a continuing education fund, your gifts would be welcome through online giving on our website or by check or money order through the mail. Be sure to use the designation, “continuing education.”
- www.sourceoflifeministries.com
- Source of Life Ministries, c/o Jacques Merine, P.O. Box 96, Hanover, PA 17331