volume 71 ymca d'haïti - ymca.asso.ht 2017.pdf · young people to become noble ... the ymca...
TRANSCRIPT
IN THIS ISSUE
Peace Medal
Springfield college visit
Food For The Poor
contibution
Laurent Community Center
Arly Lariviere Foundation
Partnership
Board meeting
LACA
Perspective
Dear friends,
From now on, the YMCA d’Haïti
invites you to read its newsletter
on a quarterly basis. What you
lose in detail will be provided to
you on the web daily.
Thank you for understanding.
From January to March, what has
transpired at the Y?
We began 2017 with such
intensity and had to stop at the
end of the quarter, to assess our
accomplishments. It could not
have begun otherwise, as the
conception and preparation of
such a start preceded it:
The Strategic Plan (2017-2020)
was budgeted, the Annual Work
Plan was developed, the
Emergency and Education Funds
were assured, a Reorganization of
the departments, was endowed
with new structures and standards:
Accounting, Programs and
Activities, Administration, and
Communication, Marketing,
Fundraising.
It is corroborated in the Quarterly
report submitted on March 31 to
Nico Gourdet to be distributed to
the YMCA coalition partners.
The financial statements for the
year 2016 revealed a positive
balance, despite the problems
created by the devaluation of our
currency and the damages caused
by hurricane Matthew.
The book, celebrating 15 years of
service to the community, is also
completed and will be distributed
to the public shortly.
The Secretary General of the
World Alliance YMCA, Johan
Volume 71
YMCA d'Haïti
January – March 2017
UN NOUVEAU DEPART POUR LE YMCA D’HAITI
Editorial UN NOUVEAU DEPART POUR LE YMCA D’HAITI
YMCA D’HAITI|Volume 71 2
Elvick, organized a meeting for 60 Secretary Generals in Tanzania. This
meeting, one of the best organized by the Alliance during the past six years,
allowed your Secretary General to visit his Alma Mater for the first time
and climb to Gilman's Point, Mount Kilimanjaro located 5,685 meters
above sea level.
However, what has been keeping us all occupied is the preparation of the
annual LACA conference that will be held in Port-au-Prince from May 2 to
6, 2017. The Haiti Committee (Rogès Lamothe, Régine René Labrousse,
Roxane Kerby, Guy-Nicole Lemite, Kurt Jean Charles and the
undersigned) has been working tirelessly to ensure a successful conference
(budget, lodging, regional and plenary assemblies, visits and cultural
activities). This committee is working not only on the upcoming LACA
conference, but is working
concurrently, on the project to
build a modern YMCA in Haiti.
This requires mobilization of
community leaders both in Haiti
and in the diaspora.
I am proud to say that your
YMCA is rapidly growing,
Gwenael Apollon
On Saturday, January 28th
, the
YMCA d’Haiti awarded Bayyinah
Bello the Peace Medal at a
ceremony which was held at Hotel
Villa Therese in Petion-Ville.
Bayyinah created in 1999 the
Fondation Marie-Claire Heureuse
Félicité Bonheur Dessalines,
referred to as Fondasyon Félicité
(FF). Through this foundation,
Bayyinah Bello trains young
volunteers in various fields such as
research, administration, business
management. President Lamothe
recognized Bayyinah for her
struggle, professional career, her
commitment to peace, and her
writings.
One of the Foundation’s major
task is serving soup joumou on
January 1st
, Independence Day.
“Bayyinah, you were not satisfied,
as a professor to teach history, you
live it and bring it to life for
millions. Distributing and ensuring
the soup is consumed on the 1st of
January, every year throughout
Haiti, as the Emperor demanded,
is a colossal task,” said Apollon.
In her speech, Bayyinah recalled
the inseparable link between
freedom and peace. According to
her, one cannot exist without the
other. It is the responsibility of
everyone to work in such a way as
to safeguard this freedom for a
lasting peace. “Onè, Respè”
Bayyinah.
In 2011, the YMCA d’Haïti
established the Peace Medal
ceremony in Haiti to honor those
who fight to promote peace in
their communities and even
internationally.
The YMCA d’Haïti awards
Bayyinah Bello its 7th
medal of Peace
YMCA D’HAITI|Volume 71 3
It has become common practice at the YMCA
d’Haiti to dedicate the month of January to the
commemoration of peace and the Peace Medal
Ceremony, which consists of distinguishing each year
a personality from our community, an artisan of
peace that has worked for the wellbeing of
disadvantaged Haitians.
Bayyinah, historian, teacher, writer and humanitarian
worker was recognized for “Your career as an activist
and imparting knowledge for the benefit of the most
vulnerable, has left us stunned by so much prowess,
perseverance and ardor at work in pursuit of the
good,” said the Secretary General in a moving
speech.
A Delegation from Springfield College Visits the YMCA d’Haïti
The YMCA d’Haïti welcomed a
delegation from the prestigious
Springfield College. The 14 strong
delegation comprised of 12
students and two faculty advisers
arrived in Port-au-Prince on March
10th
. During their one-week stay,
they visited a couple of schools,
conducted and participated in
seminars with members of our
Young Leaders Club. Topics
included Haitian Culture,
Description of Educational System
in the US and the YMCA d’Haïti.
They had the opportunity to visit
two schools in Port-au-Prince
(Canado and Catts Pressoir). At
Canado they had the opportunity to
participate in a conference on a
Haitian writer, Frank Etienne, well
known in the Caribbean.
At Catts Pressoir, they visited the
schools various laboratories
including robotics, chemistry and
physics, and seismological
laboratories. They also spent some
time in the school’s online radio
station which broadcast music as
well as educational programs.
While in Haiti, the group also had
the opportunity to visit Le Musée
du Pantheon National d’Haïti
(MUPANAH). There some of the
Springfield students learned a lot
and felt that the visit reinforced
what members of the Young
Leaders Club had shared with
them.
The students and members of the
Young Leaders Club took part of a
YMCA D’HAITI|Volume 71 4
street cleaning project. They spent three hours cleaning
three streets near the YMCA.
In addition, the group visited the Laboule Community
Center where they had the opportunity to learn about
the different herbs that are grown in the Center’s
garden.
They enjoyed their stay at Pension Esther and the food
that was prepared for them. Some ate mangos for the
first time and plan to add the fruit to their shopping list.
What was surprising was the fact that in this short week,
bonds were formed. And as a result, the closing
ceremony and goodbyes were quite difficult.
Four YMCA D’Haïti Centers Provide Hot Meal
Thanks to Food for the Poor, the YMCA d’Haïti is
now able to provide food to its members again.
In January 2017, the YMCA d’Haiti had a chance to,
once again, offer a hot meal to some of its members in
the community center in Port-au-Prince. The
organization lost this program after the earthquake.
Now we are back and thanks to Food for the Poor,
Members in Port-au-Prince, Laboule, Croix-des-
Bouquets and Cite Soleil are now receiving a hot meal
a day again. This value added piece in our programs is
so well received in all these four communities, the
youth, the children as well as their families are in owe.
Our Administration just issued a quarterly report to
Food for the Poor with photos, as requested, as well as
a request for more food so we could add four more
centers in the program during the next quarter. Our
ultimate hope is for all members in all 10 community
centers could have access to that so very important hot
meal.
YMCA D’HAITI|Volume 71 5
On Friday, February 10, 2017, the
YMCA d’Haiti inaugurated its 2nd
YMCA Community Center in the
Southern area. It is the first center
funded partially by a local
organizations: COPFOVEL; and it
is the 5th
Center built with
containers. Finally it is the 10th
YMCA Community Center
throughout the country.
It is important to say that for the
Wells Mountain Foundation and
the 13 volunteers American
continue to lead this project. That
is the fourth time they are with us
to complete a center.
Representatives of the mayor's
office, members of civil society
actors, political figures, and future
participants of the Center all ages
were present at the event.
Throughout his speech, the
Secretary General of the YMCA
d’Haiti, Gwénaël Apollon, thanked
those present, the mayors,
deputies, representatives of Agri-
Supply, and COPFOVEL, local
and international partners, as well
as the members of the Y’s Board
who actively participated in the
project, who worked hard to
provide the community with a
place for children, youth and adults
in the area. Apollon highlighted
two key words in his speech:
FINALLY and THANK YOU.
FINALLY after two years of
methodical work between the
various local and international
partners, the Center is ready to
serve the community. And
THANKS, for the effort made by
everyone to make this dream a
reality.
The President of the YMCA
d’Haiti’ Board, Roges Lamothe,
did not hide his satisfaction with
the success of such a project. He
recalled that it was for the first time
that a YMCA Community Center
was funded partially by a local
organization and hoped that the
entire community would use the
Center wisely. Honorary President
of the YMCA d’Haiti, Fritz Jean
spoke of the difficult situation of
the country's youth and the
importance of a YMCA
Community Center to accompany
young people to become noble
citizens of the nation.
YMCA d’Haïti Establishing Partnership with the Arly Lariviere Foundation
As indicated in the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, the YMCA d’Haïti is striving to develop partnerships with
foundations, organizations and churches as part of a strategy to increase its visibility in the community and to
generate funds locally.
The YMCA d’Haïti Community Center of Laurent, Bois
l’Etat and Faugasse inaugurated
YMCA D’HAITI|Volume 71 6
The YMCA d’Haiti and the Arly Lariviere Foundation intend to
provide opportunities for Haitian youth to fully participate in
the building of a country of self-reliant families living in dignity
and prosperity.
As part of the partnership, collaborative initiatives will be
undertaken to promote health, find opportunities to further
engage our youth civically.
The Leaders Clubs are present!!
We declare the year 2017, the year of the
Leaders Clubs at the YMCA d’Haïti. Indeed,
they are beginning to be very active not only in
the Centers but also in their Communities. The
Port-au-Prince Leaders club has already set up
an annual agenda on programs and activities
that will be implemented during the year and
plans for upcoming activities are underway.
In Boutin, Camp-Perrin and Laboule,
strategies have been developed to boost the
Leaders Clubs. And of course, the National
Office has increased its contacts in order to
provide them leadership training. In February,
a Personal Leadership training course begun
with youth from the various Leaders Clubs as well as Coordinators.
With assurance, let’s say that the promises to empower young people are being kept.
Springfield College Students
Immersed in Haitian Culture in Vallue
On Sunday March 12th
, it was still early when the bus
left for Port-au-Prince for Petit-Goâve. Springfield
College students and some staff from the YMCA
d’Haïti were ready for the adventure.
The students were already very excited on the bus.
They were eager to discover the countryside, they
wanted to learn about life there. Once we arrived in
YMCA D’HAITI|Volume 71 7
Vallue, the warm welcome was inviting however, the
agenda for the next twenty-four hours was very tight.
The first great activity was a hike in the village and
while walking they discovered the culture of the area,
got acquainted with the legends that make the beauty of
the village and learned a lot about Petit-Goâve and
Grand Goâve. After that, they visited the Vallue dairy.
With amusement, the young people made cheese, one
that is most used in the area.
To culminate their time in Vallue the group was
surprised by a local RaRa band who came to set the
mood. With a smile on their lips and overflowing joy,
the young adults people danced with all their might.
The YMCA d’Haïti will be hosting the Annual
Conference of the Latin American and
Caribbean Alliance of YMCAs (LACA)
For the first time, the YMCA d’Haïti
is hosting this year’s annual Latin
American and Caribbean Alliance of
YMCAs (LACA) Conference for all
the 68 YMCAs scheduled to take
place May 2-5, 2017. Last year the
conference took place in Porto
Alegre, Brazil. The 75 strong
delegation will include
representatives from Europe, Africa,
Canada, and the United States as well.
It is an honor for the YMCA d’Haiti
to host such an event. The YMCA
d’Haïti is working diligently with
LACA staff to ensure the success of
this important event. Members of the YMCA Young Leaders Club will be participating in this event. During their
stay, the delegates will have an opportunity to visit the institution’s national office and the YMCA Community
Center in Laboule. During these visits they will participate in workshops including Migration, Community Garden,
Education, and Container Project. In addition, they will also visit the Musée du Panthéon National Haïtien
(MUPANAH) and Kay Atizan.
YMCA D’HAITI|Volume 71 8
This year’s conference has garnered lots of attention as
a result will be one of the largest in recent years. “I
want to express my recognition for your leadership and
hard work in putting together this conference. This is
becoming the largest LACA annual gathering in several
years. Thank you!” said Antonio Merino, LACA
Secretary General.
The YMCA d’Haïti has Three New
Board Members
On Saturday, February 11, 2017, the YMCA d’Haïti held
a general assembly at which time three new board
members were approved, Ambassador Paul Altidor, Jeff
Lozama and Martine Cuvilly. These new members with
extensive experience in diverse areas will lend their
expertise to ensure that the institution successfully
implements its strategic plan and garners the necessary
funds to build the flagship YMCA.
Perspectives
The YMCA d’Haïti began the year with aplomb and will continue with the same rigor in the second quarter. Several
events and activities have already been etched in our calendar and we strive to continually increase visibility and
generate revenue.
On May 25th
, Roxane Kerby, Director, Communication Marketing and Fundraising, along with the
Secretary General will travel to Canada to meet with members of the coalition.
On June 10th
, the General Secretary will participate in a fundraising event organized by Old Colony
YMCA in Bronckton.
In June a group of young Caribbean and American professionals will visit Haiti for a long weekend to
ascertain possible collaborative initiatives.
Day Camp at the Centers will begin in June.
Global Teens visit in July.
Sports and STEM Camps will take place in July.
The Capital Campaign for the construction of a flagship YMCA will be launched.