Learn to Read & Write Is a Right: Improving Reading and Writing Performance for Disadvantaged Children.
Background:
The Foundation for the Technological and Economic Advancement of Mirebalais(FATEM)"Learn to Read & Write is a Right"
program will enable economically disadvantaged children to receive notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners.
Many of our children are ready to learn to read and write when they walk into a classroom which many times is just a
tent covered with palm leaves, but they lack the proper tools to do so. This program will set a solid foundation for
the future of our children by allowing them to learn to read and write at a faster pace as they are provided with the necessary tools.
Objective:
The Foundation for the Technological and Economic Advancement of Mirebalais (FATEM) is seeking funding for its
"Learn to Read & Write Is a Right" program with the objective of helping disadvantaged
children in the Mirebalais school district (Haiti) whose parents cannot afford to pay their school tuitions nor provide
them with proper tools to learn to read and write.
Population: We assist disadvantaged kids from grades 1 to 3. The following are our partner schools as of November 2009:
Ecole Mitsraim de Nivard
Ecole Cadet Damzal de Meille
Ecole Bon Samaritain de Bozio
Ecole Communautaire de Savanne Lacoupe
Ecole Communautaire de Sarrazins
Ecole Communautaire de Liasse
Ecole Communautaire de Dos
Ecole Union des Freres de Morne Blanc
Ecole Communautaire de Pinchinat
Ecole Communautaire David de Marche Canard
Ecole de Savanne La Coupe
2009 - 2010 Budget: $30,000
These funds will be used towards:
Tuition, backpacks, school supplies, books for 400 students
Costs of transportation to distribute supplies to all 12 schools
Pilot Meal Program at Mitsraim de Nivard for 214 students and school staff (kitchen renovation, propane oven and accessories purchase, snack bars purchase and delivery, costs of daily breakfast, costs of food preparation)
Trainers’ training at DePaul University in Chicago
Teachers training in Mirebalais
Progress
At the beginning of the academic year 2009-2010, we assisted 400 children with an average of 2,000 gourdes each towards their tuition,
backpacks, uniforms, and school supplies.
School Meals Program
Malnutrition is a significant challenge in Haiti and acute under-nutrition dramatically impedes growth and learning.
To function properly, humans need about 2500 calories per day; however, in Haiti, the average calorie intake is about 1500
or less and 2.4 million people are food-insecure. In collaboration with Zynga, Bureau de Nutrition et Développement (www.bndhaiti.org)
and Kraft Foods (www.kraftfoods.com), FATEM has started a pilot meal program at Ecole Mitsraim de Nivard (Mirebalais).
We are currently providing a nutrient-rich snack every morning to 214 children and school staff now until the end of the year.
Thanks to the generous contribution of Zynga through the FarmVille fund raising campaign (http://apps.facebook.com/onthefarm/seedsforhaiti.php)
and the efforts of Prof. Laura Hartman, (http://works.bepress.com/laurahartman/), Zynga.org's Director of External Partnerships (www.zynga.org)
and DePaul University (www.depaul.edu) and Rob Padberg of Bureau de Nutrition et Développement, beginning with the first day of school in January 2010,
we will be able to provide at least one warm breakfast every day to these children.
The plan is to use the success of this pilot program to secure additional funding for the remaining eleven FATEM partner schools
in the Mirebalais area.
Long-Term Plan
At FATEM, we believe this to be a perfect opportunity for you to be part of a comprehensive plan to affect the future of
so many children who simply need a lift at the moment to allow them to perform at their full potential. Our long-term plan
for the "Read and Write" Program includes the following:
Increase the number of participating schools to cover all four communal sections of Mirebalais
Train the teachers
Rebuild/renovate some of the partner schools
Install solar panels in all participating schools
Install solar panels in all participating schools
Install mini libraries in all participating schools
Provide Internet access and implement a computer lab at all participating schools
In collaboration with the administrators initiate the creation of a parents organization at all partner schools, in an effort to engage them in the education of their children
Initiate a tutoring program whereby older students help younger ones
Implement adult learning programs at all partner schools
These programs will cost money and we will not be able to achieve them without your help.
We want you to know that we count on your generous assistance to improve the lives of these children and give them a chance
to a decent future! Please visit our Donations page and give generously online, and remember to mention "Tuition".
Or, make your check or money order payable to FATEM, and mail it to: FATEM - P.O. Box 120973 - Boston, MA 02112.
We are grateful to the following benefactors for their generous and selfless support of the LTRW tuition assistance and meals programs:
Professor Laura P. Hartman
Mark Pincus and the staff of Zynga
DePaul University, Chicago
Rob Padberg and the staff at Bureau de Nutrition et Développement
Melanie Carrasquillo and the staff at Kraft Foods, Haiti
School Meals Program
