Haiti Highlights: Day 4 – Anis Zunuzi

Continuation of highlights from our trip to Haiti as we continue our work for the Mona Foundation.

Day 4, September 15, 2009

We left Petion-Ville, around 6:30 AM so that we could make it to Anis Zunuzi by the time classes started at 7:30.  A bumpy road as usual, but we made it in time so that Ruhi could film their morning song and flag ceremony.  Then we went through every classroom, filming their studies as well as interviewing a few specific students.  Of course, Ruhi did all the camera work, but I was there to take photos and help out as needed.

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Raising the flag (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

It sounds cliche to talk about the glowing faces of children learning and such, but I have to say that I was very touched by what I saw.  A genuine love and appreciation for learning.  In the U.S. you get used to people being jaded or unappreciative of the opportunities that are presented to them, and while most people I know are, on some level, grateful for their lives of abundance, I really think that you never learn to appreciate what it means until you are in an environment where that sort of thing has some real substance.  These kids don’t just appreciate their education, they actually LOVE the fact that they have this opportunity to learn in this school.  A real, heart-felt love for learning that you just don’t see in the U.S., or a lot of developed countries.  At least not among the younger generation.

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Student ponders the question (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Very engrossed in her work (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

What seeing this leaves me with is not just an appreciation for my life, but a realization that what the children in Haiti (and other similar locations) need isn’t our pity or charity.  They don’t need to be looked down on, because they don’t look down on themselves at all.  They have a wonderful culture and a rich heritage and are justifiably proud of it.  All they are lacking is the opportunity to prove themselves and what they can do.  Educational resources being key among them.  And thanks to programs like Anis Zunuzi or George Marcellus, they are allowed to grow and develop as human beings — which is really all that anyone can ask for.

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

First graders (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Kindergardeners (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

The wisest looking child I’ve ever seen (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

I’m a big proponent of the “teach a man to fish” school of thought.  People don’t learn anything from being given things.  They learn from being taught things.  And if you provide them opportunities for education and development, then they will not need your charity. They will create their own lives of meaning and substance.

Anyway, enough soap-boxing for now.

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Playing football (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Posing for the camera (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Moral education class (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Outside the new kitchen building (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

After Anis Zunuzi we went with Sue to her home where she has been setting up some educational opportunities for the street children in her neighborhood.  There were a group of orphaned children who were sleeping and living in the park down the street from her home.  Actually, there is a fair population of street children in Port-Au-Prince, but instead of just giving them money or throwing some food at them, she and her husband rented a home nearby to use as a place for them to live.  There are some adults living there who help take care of the children, teaching them to cook food and learn life skills.  Then, realizing that they weren’t able to go to school, she is setting up an anex of the Anus Zunuzi school in a building at the back of her home where the children can get an education.

Sue (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Christophe (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

After the interviews (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Being interviewed (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Checking out the camera (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

(Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

Kids love Chrisophe (Day 4: Tue, 9/15)

We were able to interview of a few of the children in her home and will be returning on Saturday to film them as they paint and prepare their new school building.

The other thing that has struck me about this trip is realizing, while it has been challenging for me (mosquitos, living conditions, heat, humidity, almost zero pavement on the roads, etc) I am amazed that Ruhi has been working on this project for the past 7 months, visiting countries much worse off than Haiti, in much worse conditions than these.  She certainly has a strength about her that I admire and hopefully some of that will rub off on me.  Even though we are challenged, she is able to maintain a positive outlook and cheerful disposition, knowing that her work on this film is ultimately going to help everyone and every place she is visiting, disregarding her own discomfort for the greater good.

I definitely married up the ladder.

You can view all of my photos from Haiti here

Day 4, September 15, 2009

We left Petton Ville around 6:30 AM so that we could make it to Anis Zunuzi by the time classes started at 7:30.  A bumpy road as usual, but we made it in time so that Ruhi could film their morning song and flag ceremony.  Then we went through every classroom, filming their studies as well as interviewing a few specific students.  Of course, Ruhi did all the camera work, but I was there to take photos and help out as needed.

It sounds cliche to talk about the glowing faces of children learning and such, but I have to say that I was very touched by what I saw.  A genuine love and appreciation for learning.  In the U.S. you get used to people being jaded or unappreciative of the opportunities that are presented to them, and while most people I know are, on some level, grateful for their lives of abundance, I really think that you never learn to appreciate what it means until you are in an environment where that sort of thing has some real substance.  These kids don’t just appreciate their education, they actually LOVE the fact that they have this opportunity to learn in this school.  A real, heart-felt love for learning that you just don’t see in the U.S., or a lot of developed countries.  At least not among the younger generation.

What seeing this leaves me with is not just an appreciation for my life, but a realization that what the children in Haiti (and other similar locations) need isn’t our pity or charity.  They don’t need to be looked down on, because they don’t look down on themselves at all.  They have a wonderful culture and a rich heritage and are proud of it, as they should be.  All they are lacking is the opportunity to prove themselves and what they can do.  Educational resources being key among them.  And thanks to programs like Anis Zunuzi or George Marcelles, they are allowed to grow and develop as human beings — which is really all that anyone can ask for.

I’m a big proponent of the “teach a man to fish” school of thought.  People don’t learn anything from being given things.  They learn from being taught things.  And if you provide them opportunities for education and development, then they will not need your charity. They will create their own lives of meaning and substance.

Anyway, enough soap-boxing for now.  After Anis Zunuzi we went with Sue to her home where she has been setting up some educational opportunities for the street children where she lives.  There were a group of orphaned children who were sleeping and living in the park down the street from her home.  Actually, there is a fair population of street children in Port-Au-Prince, but instead of just giving them money or throwing some food at them, she and her husband rented a home nearby to use as a place for them to live.  There are some adults living there who help take care of the children, teaching them to cook food and learn life skills.  Then, realizing that they weren’t able to go to school, she is setting up an anex of the Anus Zunuzi school in a building at the back of her home where the children can get an education.

We were able to interview of a few of the children in her home and will be returning on Saturday to film them as they paint and prepare their new school building.

The other thing that has struck me about this trip is realizing, while it has been challenging for me (mosquitos, living conditions, heat, humidity, almost zero pavement on the roads, etc) I am amazed that Ruhi has been working on this project for the past 7 months, visiting countries much worse off that Haiti, in much worse conditions than these.  She certainly has a strength about her that I admire and hopefully some of that will rub off on me.  Even though we are challenged, she is able to maintain a positive outlook and cheerful disposition, knowing that her work on this film is ultimately going to help everyone and every place she is visiting, disregarding her own discomfort for the greater good.  I definitely married up the ladder.

Day 5, September 16, 2009

My ankle was acting up this day so I stayed home to rest it.  Ruhi went to visit a school just outside Port Au Prince.  I spent the day organizing and preparing some of the Haiti photos I’ve taken so far.

Day 6, September 17, 2009

Today was the road trip up north to the George Marcelles school.  It was about a 3 hour drive through the main highway that connects the north to the south in Haiti.  We left home around 5:45 and made it to the school, after much bumpiness and the occasional smooth pavement, around 9:00 a.m.

The school is really located in a remote area.  Admist rice fields sits a small, modest building with 4 small rooms, each housing children who are eager to learn.  We spent most of the day there, watching their classes, interviewing teachers and administrators, interacting with the students and seeing what life is like in the countryside of Haiti.  Ruhi filmed a lot of footage and I shot over 500 photos, the best of which you can see here.  In fact, during this whole trip I’ve shot almost 2,000 pictures, but of course only about 20% of them are what I would consider being any good.  But that is still 400 photos, so not too bad.

On our way back home we stopped by a small food stand near a beach and got some chicken and rice.  It was quite good and the ocean is beautiful.  Well, of course it is.  This is the caribbean.

Day 7, September 18, 2009

I stayed home again as Ruhi went to film a CAFT teacher training seminar.  I spent the time organizing my photos from the trip and writing up some more blogs and notes.  In the afternoon when she got back, she worked with Christophe to translate and review footage while I did some work with my computer organizing files.

Day 8, September 19, 2009

Day 9, September 20, 2009

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