Hope In the Chaos!

Cadeau Vert in Cayes and Labruyère.

 As we head to the Southern region of Haiti, towards the city of Fond-des-Blancs, it was with deep sorrow that we learned that our newly made friend and future Cadeau Vert collaborator was preparing to bury his younger brother who was murdered by gang violence while attending a funeral. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.

In the Commune of L'Estère, our Cadeau Vert colleague, Franckel St. Pierre recounts that 2 days in a row on September 21st and 22nd, armed gangs began to spread terror attacking a town called Kapenyen and the town center of L’Estère. Those violent acts resulted in dozens of houses burned, a rice mill destroyed, several sacks of rice burned, one loss of life, several people wounded, and dozens of livestock killed, to name a few. He was getting ready to lead a Cadeau Vert seminar that is now postponed until the atmosphere is less turbulent.

While those senseless and brutal acts of violence happen daily all around us, we must refrain from developing a sense of normalcy. As the new school year unfolds, the many school principals and directors that are engaged with the Cadeau Vert program are geared up to continue building up a new generation that cherishes patriotism, values its homeland and its culture.  

On a brighter note, in the town of Labruyère, 9 schools had signed up to attend the CadeauVert seminar, and representatives from all the 9 schools were present, despite heavy rainfalls lately. Words of excitement and enthusiasm are expressed as Cadeau Vert is said to be the only organization making much needed and impactful work in the country where there is no governmental or local support. $5 US was allocated per participant for refreshment, but instead, the team Cadeau Vert Cap, with Wicheline Daréus, Romano Toussaint, and Willeme Vixamar, had decided that the money was to be given to the directors for transport due to the difficulties of traveling through the rural areas. That decision was very well received and appreciated!

The town of Grison-Garde has enrolled 6 schools to attend the Cadeau Vert seminar. The heavy rainfalls are causing a lot of flooding. Currently, the only main road through town is impassable; thus, preventing all travel. The Cadeau Vert Cap Team is hoping for dryer air in the days ahead to meet the representatives from Grison-Garde.

We are pleased to announce that Cadeau Vert has been welcomed in the city of Cayes, in the Département du Sud (Southern region). Maître Chalviré Luxama & Mrs. Florencia Luxama are the directors of the Institution Flore de Simon Cayes. They have been doing a remarkable job in Haiti as they have set the bar very high for their students. Their school is considered one of the best in the country. Their philosophy is that children should be equipped to reach their highest performance level possible. 

Three other schools in the Cayes region have joined Institution Flore into launching their first Cadeau Vert School Replanting Program this school year.  We are beyond excited and can hardly wait to see the ripple effects of those schoolchildren’s work all over the mountains, the valleys, and every corner throughout the South of Haiti.

We are praying for a breath of fresh air that sings of peace, of progress, and of love. With Cadeau Vert a new generation is rising that focuses on the well-being of its fellow citizens with One student, one tree, every year!