EDITOR’S NOTE: In her letter below, Windham educator Linda Rainwater describes the amazing work done by a group of volunteers who are enriching the lives of Haitian restavec children through education. Please take a few minutes to read the letter in its entirety. It provides a powerful glimpse of the lives of these young children and the positive outcomes that can be effected with relatively little cost or effort. Please consider contributing to the Restavec Freedom Alliance and remember its mantra: “Before you throw it out, think of us!”

“I am a Speech and Language Pathologist with Windham Public Schools. Apart from my employment, I have become involved with a local organization called Restavec Freedom Alliance (rfahaiti.org), founded by Ellen Donohue, from Windham, CT. RFA provides residential and educational services for “restavecs,” or children who have been given by their biological parents to another family. Often these children have been given up with the hope that they would be provided with a better life, but all too frequently, this does not turn out to be the case. More often than not, the children are deprived of education, are used as unpaid servants, receive no healthcare, and are often physically or sexually abused. At this point, RFA has opened two homes for these children, one in Chantal and one in Ducis, with 16 children in each home. These fortunate children attend two of the 12 schools in several villages along the southern peninsula of Haiti run by the Bethesda Evangelical Mission (bemhaiti.org), RFA’s parent organization.

“It is hard for me to describe the conditions under which the teachers and educational program administrators attempt to provide a basic education for these kids. Some of the schools have actual walls and electricity, but some are open-air structures, with no electricity, running water, chalkboards, or even desks and chairs. There are few books, let alone pencils and paper. If they do have access to pencils, they may sharpen them by rubbing them on a cinderblock, or with a razor blade. Seriously.

“I do have to say, what these kids lack in resources, they make up for in motivation! When I went on my first RFA trip last June, I brought 30 or so books that I had picked up at library sales. They LOVED these books! (Although I am not so sure that Judelande is such a big fan of penguins…) I am returning to Haiti in January, bringing well over 100 books this time!

“In June, we taught the Raffi song “Thanks A Lot” to the children in Haitian Creole and sign language. We then were given the opportunity to sing it during a televised church service in Les Cayes that Sunday! Here is Rose Bertina practicing on her own, after we had practiced as a group. (I think she is destined to be a teacher!)

“Needless to say, these schools are always in need of supplies and materials. I spoke recently with Gardinette Beaucejour, the director of the BEM schools, and she helped me generate a list of items and supplies that would be most appreciated. While I know budgets are tight for ALL school districts, I am hoping that if your district has occasion to purchase new equipment, or replace books, or you find yourself with a surplus of any materials, that you think of us! Let us help your teachers clean out their cabinets and supply closets!

Here are some ideas for donations we could use:

FURNITURE:
Desks, chairs, tables, shelves, carts.
PreK/K furniture: water tables, dramatic play sets, kitchens, easels, etc.
White boards.
Cork boards.
File cabinets.

BOOKS:
Early readers in English.
Audiobooks of English stories.
English children’s dictionaries.
French language instruction texts.
Texts in French.

OFFICE EQUIPMENT:
Small copiers and ink cartridges.
Laminators and laminating film.
Ellison machines and dies.

AV EQUIPMENT /TECHNOLOGY (Hey, we can dream…):
Laptops.
Printers.
iPads.
Overhead projectors.
CD players.

CLASSROOM SUPPLIES:
Wall maps, globes.
Pocket charts.
Wall calendars.
Microscopes, binoculars, magnifiers, solar system models.
Scales, thermometers, rulers, measuring tapes, calculators.
Magnets, compasses.
Staplers (manual) and staples.
Pencil sharpeners (manual).
Paper punches/three-hole punches.
Three-ring binders.
Scissors (kids’ and adults’).
Small “point and shoot” cameras.
Rhythm instruments.
Band instruments.
CDs of good kids’ music, classical, or world music.
Puzzles, playing cards, games involving little English.

SCHOOL HEALTH:
Audiometers for hearing screenings.
Tympanometers.
Vision acuity charts.
Fever thermometers.
Hand sanitizer.

CONSUMABLES:
Pencils! Pens! Colored pencils! Crayons!
Chalk!
Markers! Dry erase markers!
Art supplies – paints, brushes, construction paper.
Glue, tape, tacks.
Paper!
Composition books of all sorts.

“I bet you get the idea… Before you throw it out, think of us! Of course, if your school would like to help by fundraising for a particular item or for general supplies, that would be much appreciated as well. When I went with the team in June, we delivered 12 bicycles that were purchased with funds raised through a Read-a-Thon conducted at William Johnston School, in Colchester!

“You can contact Ellen Donohue, at ellenrfahaitiorg, if you have something you would like to donate, or if you would just like more information about Restavec Freedom Alliance. Feel free to contact me, as well, if you would like to hear more about my experiences with these beautiful children! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this note, and considering aiding our mission.”

Sincerely,
Linda Rainwater
lindarainwatermsncom