From the beginning of the Bridge Sponsorship Program, God has been faithful in showing me each next step I should take in the development of this ministry. As I continue to pray for God’s guidance, He has recently opened the door to invest in our teachers in a greater way.
About 6 months ago, I came across a news report about a Haitian organization that won a world-wide award: the 2022 UNESCO-Hamden prize for Excellence in Teacher Development. We decided to reach out for more information and within a couple of months, Claudel & I were scheduled for a zoom meeting with the Education Director of P4H Global.
As we discussed whether to pursue this opportunity, I learned that there is no national certification program to become a teacher in Haiti. In fact, it’s not uncommon for teachers to have no more than a primary school education. Without training, often teachers will simply read a lesson out of the government-mandated curriculum and hope that the students understand enough to do the assignment.
P4H’s School Quality Assurance program equips Haitian educators with research-based, student-centered strategies that give them the tools they need to teach well and to transform the culture or their classrooms. The full program is three years long and includes yearly training seminars, follow up evaluations, online support, and ongoing coaching.
With that in mind, I’m excited to report that just last week three of P4H’s Education Specialists traveled to Carrefour Poy to hold the first training seminar for our teachers! Over three days our school staff learned about educational theories, a variety of learning models, classroom organization and management, collaborative learning strategies, lesson planning, and more.
Our teachers learning and practicing new strategies with P4H’s Education Specialists
All this information was presented in a fun and culturally relevant way that has ignited their excitement for teaching. I’m told it was a fun week of learning and practice. The teachers are already implementing the new methods and strategies they learned!
Teachers play a vital role in this ministry. After all, without them there would be no school! This investment is a way to show our teachers honor and to dignify the work they do. It will help them become more effective at their jobs, more confident in their abilities, and better equipped to address the needs of their students.
I thank the organizers of this wonderful seminar. This training represents a great thing for me as a teacher- it opens my eyes to many wonderful things I did not understand. I commit to using these new methods to share my experience with my class so they also benefit from them.
~Alcine Cadet Chériel, 3rd grade teacher
Our stated mission is “to help provide meals, education, and most importantly the Gospel of Christ to the children of Carrefour Poy, Haiti”. By investing in our teachers, we are better able to meet those goals and our students will be given the tools they need to rise above their circumstances and impact Haiti’s future for the better.
The three day seminar included lots of education and lots of fun!
I believe in the power of both the gospel and education to transform Haiti. The gospel is our driving force and highest priority, and education is a practical way to help both students and teachers rise above poverty and make a positive impact on the broken systems in Haiti.
God continues to surprise me with how He uses this little ministry to support the school in Carrefour Poy, and I am humbled by the trust and faithful support of our sponsors. This training was made possible because of generous donations from people who believe in the work we do in Carrefour Poy. It is impossible to convey my gratitude.
I thank all the sponsors who agreed to invest in us through this wonderful seminar that took place from Monday 10 to Thursday 13 April, 2023. I learned many wonderful strategies and skills that will help me manage my classes better. Thank you very much and may God bless you for this wonderful work.
~ Thelot Daccueil, 7th, 8th, & 9th grade Social Studies teacher
Collaborative learning activities in practice!
“…Allow me to bring you back to 1804, when Haiti became the first free black republic in the world. Against all odds, our ancestors won the Haitian Revolution abolishing slavery forever. Today, we are taking part in another Haitian Revolution. This time we are not fighting to break shackles that bind our hands and feet, but rather the shackles that bind our minds, and prohibit us from developing. At the end of our battle, like our ancestors we will be victorious, not with guns and machetes in our hands, but rather with books and pens.”
Dr. Bertrhude Albert, Co-Founder of P4H Global
The Bridge 