Hi everyone,
The turmoil continues in Haiti with no sign it’s going to end soon. If everything the protesters say is true, I can’t say I blame them. Maybe not the way they go about it, but protest, yes.
With everything that is happening, including the price hikes, this is only going to make things worse. Fortunately, school is out for several weeks and parents don’t have the worry of their kids being caught up in a bad situation. However, the high prices remain in place and those affect everyone there, as well our ministry because the nutrition programs run all year.
In April of 2019 the International Monetary Fund published a report on global finances, and placed Haiti the 14th poorest country in the world. You have to go all the way to number 30 to get out of Africa – other than Haiti. (The U.S. places 180 out of 191 countries listed.) The GDP in Haiti is $1,903 compared to $64,767 in the U.S.
It’s no wonder kids can’t go to school! Of course, there are more reasons than money, but it isn’t because they don’t want to go. Education in Haiti is valued; literacy is a mark of prestige and students wear their uniforms with pride.
The Ministry of Education in Haiti reported that Christian ministries provide about 2000 primary schools educating more than 600,000 students. Some offer a better quality of education than for-profit schools. 600,00 seems like a lot but you have to consider that 33% of children between the ages of 6 and 12, do not attend school. While the mandated age to start school is 6, it is not unusual to see a student finish the 6th grade at 15 or 16.
We know we have covered this in the past, but it’s good to review it occasionally, especially for you who support the schools, or the programs associated with them, so it’s always fresh in your mind how important your partnership in this is and how important you are to a child in Haiti.
We hope everyone had an enjoyable July 4th and as always, we appreciate all you do for our friends in Haiti and for every prayer you offer.
