Building Haiti

We began discussing the ideas of Building Haiti during the Fall Semester of 2009. However, after the earthquake, it became apparent that action was needed urgently. We began with ideas of one-room school houses. This then developed into 14-room schoolhouses once we learned of the Haitian Minister of Education's new standards for schools. This began as a three-person project. We began to contact companies within Haiti that our founder, Ania Turnier, knew from her contacts in Haiti. After ironing out multiple kinks in our plans, we finally had a project description that was acceptable to both Building Haiti and all the other businesses and organizations we were working with. We began to enlist other students to help with fundraising ideas, and to help spread the word. Then we established a Teachers Advisatory Board. This was comprised of teachers throughout the United States that had ties to Haiti, and the educational and cultural aspects that were unique to that country. From there we began contacting companies, writing grants, and putting together literature that explained our mission. We have not yet gathered enough funds for our first school, so we have not yet impacted the lives of young Haitians. But that is our ultimate goal, to give the tools for success to the next generation of Haitians. To see them with their books, in new uniforms, happy to be learning. This is the impact we are waiting for. This is what we hope to acheive.