education
By Bryan Schaaf on Saturday, July 31, 2010.
 In the weeks to come, I’ll provide updates on recovery efforts in Haiti sector by sector. Why start with education? After an emergency or a natural disaster, schools provide an opportunity to protect children physically and psychologically. It re-establishes a sense of routine, stability, and above all, hope for a better future. Technical and vocational education will be critical for developing a new generation of skilled workers and leaders. Without educational reform, Haiti’s recovery and long term development will be held back. Read more »
By Bryan Schaaf on Thursday, July 15, 2010.
 This week marked six months since the earthquake. According to President Preval, it also marked the week that the emergency phase ended and reconstruction began. Yet at the same time residents of the Corrail Cesselesse camp were struggling with the consequences of a rain storm that destroyed up to 300 tents and caused 1,700 to seek emergency shelter. With the rainy season underway, the situation is precarious for the displaced. Security, especially for women and children, is still a major concern. Is this an emergency operation, a reconstruction effort, or both?
By Bryan Schaaf on Saturday, January 16, 2010.
 Right now, the priority is saving lives by ensuring access to food, water, and health care. Recovery will take many years and the assistance of the international community will be required in order to do so. But what kind of asssistance will be most effective? The New York Times, in its blog series "Room for Debate", asked a number of individuals connected to Haiti for their thoughts on what kind of aid should be provided and how. They may have very different beliefs, backgrounds, and perspectives but all care for Haiti. Taken together, their feedback is interesting food for thought that should be taken into account now and over the long term.
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By Bryan Schaaf on Thursday, July 23, 2009.
 Rough roads, sporadic electricity, out-dated ports, and rural areas in need of irrigation. Haiti needs Haitian engineers badly. The prerequisite is students who understand and have a passion for math and science. In January 2007, a group of Cap Haitian students (Team Citadel), with the support of Mark Moorman, a Haitian Businessman, and Rotary International, participated in the First Lego League Robotics Challenge in Florida. In April 2009, they again competed in Atlanta. Some of these students may one day become leaders in addressing their country's considerable infrastructure needs. Read more »
By Bryan Schaaf on Wednesday, June 10, 2009.
 The Haitian Education and Leadership Program (HELP), which provides merit and need based scholarships for Haiti’s top high school graduates, will hold its second annual fundraising event in Washington, DC on Friday, July 10th. The event will feature music, cocktails, Haitian food, and speeches from HELP alumni. If you’d like to be a part of this event, please register here by July 1st. Copied below is a recent IPS article on HELP's efforts to recruit talented students in rural areas and attached is an invite and fact sheet. Read more »
By Bryan Schaaf on Monday, May 18, 2009.
 The Haitian Education and Leadership Program (HELP) is Haiti's largest provider of scholarships for talented youth who would not otherwise be able to afford a higher education. Digicel, a major supporter of education programs, has taken note and provided HELP a $10,000 grant as well as two new phone lines with $1,200 of prepaid talk time. In addition, an anonymous donor has recently offered HELP a $25,000 challenge grant. This is an excellent opportunity for HELP to expand educational opportunities to a new generation of future community, corporate, and government leaders. Read more »
By Bryan Schaaf on Sunday, April 12, 2009.
 Most would agree increasing trade is important for Haiti's long term development. Where people disagree concerns what kind, how much, and where. Haiti has never been an easy place to invest, but it has enormous potential due to its large multinational Diaspora, proximity to the United States, vast labor pool, and now the passage of Hope II. Given these advantages, is Haiti open for business? Read more »
By Bryan Schaaf on Wednesday, March 11, 2009.
 The Haitian Education and Leadership Program (HELP) provides merit based scholarships to high performing students, no matter their socio-economic status. Many graduates have gone on to be health care providers, educators, and community organizers. Last week, former President Bill Clinton and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon visited the HELP Haiti Center. Both Clinton and Ki-Moon said they were impressed and inspired by what they saw at HELP and pledged to remain engaged. As Clinton put it, programs such as this one show success is possible in Haiti. Read more »
By Bryan Schaaf on Thursday, February 5, 2009.
If you are (very) interested in Haiti, consider joining Corbett's List, easily the most active Haiti listserv. The listserv carried an email today about Poto Mitan, an impressive online repository of educational resources in Kreyol - everything from poetry to proverbs to computer terminology. It could be a good resource for Haitian educators or for people who want to learn Kreyol. Links to several of the items featured on Poto Mitan are listed below. Read more »
By Bryan Schaaf on Thursday, January 22, 2009.
 Below is an article in the Catholic Sentinel about the Louverture Cleary School, a respected institution in Port au Prince that admits students based solely on merit, not their ability to pay. When we think of development, too often we just think about physical infrastructure. In terms of human development, education is essential. The graduates of Louverture Cleary, many of whom grew up in the most "hopeless" parts of Port au Prince, have gone on to be doctors, engineers, and community organizers. Bélimaire Emmanuel's story below illustrates how critical education is to cultivate a new generation of leadership in Haiti. Read more »
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