UPDATE end of 2011:

Paul is just finishing his first year with a month in the field – each student is sent to a farming area to live with a family and put into practice the agricultural and scientific improvements they have learnt about – this is an opportunity to see more of the country, eat fresher local food now that the Haitian stomachs are more accustomed to Benin cooking, and speak the local languages (very difficult as there are at least 8). We await news of Paul’s results after Christmas, and hope to be able to help him again in 2012. Haitian students cannot work in Benin and have no means to earn pocket money or replace clothing and books as they are needed, nor to supplement their diet. Paul has been ill for some months off and on with a type of malaria, he has been able to afford aspirin for the terrible headaches this often leaves, and a herbal quinine remedy to prevent re-infection, because of the scholarship last year. If you would like to help Paul please contact 100% for Haiti (see bottom of page).

New letter from Paul in Benin March 12th:

Hello, how are you? for me I’m fine but things are not

yet clear because we had a lot of delay in that the

course begins in January and since we arrived in March and

there will be no catchup class for us, we are obliged to

enormously strive to reach the level of the other students

(Beninese), we have no time even for rest. Anyway

I hope God will help me to get the average mark in the

faculty, but people here are very friendly and even more than

Haitians, they already consider us as Beninese -

many of our ancestors have their parents from Benin.

more soon, kiss, Paul

Paul has won one of 100 scholarships to study in Benin!

The Benin government offered a competitive exam in Haiti, advertised by radio, and Paul was successful! 27 women and 73 men leave this weekend for Benin, to study economics for 4 years.

During this time the students will not return home to Haiti at all, and their families cannot afford to visit them, but their thirst for knowledge makes this a small matter – Paul is extraordinarily lucky and with our help leaves well equipped and with funds for living expenses. We wish him the very best of luck and know that he will work hard to achieve his aims and return to help Haiti.

Backstory: We promised our first scholarship to Paul Anousse.  Aged 20,  from Gonaives, the dry desert part of Haiti, he is really exceptional: from a poor family, he nevertheless finished high-school early (many Haitians are in high school up to the age of 24 or 25), has taken college courses in Santo Domingo in computing and accounting (in Spanish), and speaks Creole, French, Spanish and some English. He has already done most of the courses available to him at Gonaives University where the only faculties are law and economics. He has a genuine hunger to study and a deep sense of responsibility to his country. Unfortunately after several months of efforts to register Paul for university in Haiti, it proved impossible due to lack of accommodation since the earthquake. So the Benin scholarships were amazingly timely and fortuitous.

Thank you to all Contributors:

Holley Abrams, Philippa Forward, Dale Hoffman, André McBean, Vicky Pedersen

Mandy Thody, Mr and Mrs A. R. Vanderbilt, Emily Walton, Brad Zuehke

Donations from artists, private persons and businesses are fully tax deductible thanks to our sponsorship by St Croix Foundation.

Please make checks to St Croix Foundation, with “100% for Haiti” in subject line, and mail to: 1023 Market Street, Christiansted, St Croix, VI 00820

Tel. 340-5132022 for Mandy, 340-7183045 for Philippa.