HAITI. Sunday 15 May was a red-letter day for travel retail charity project Hand in Hand for Haiti as the Lycée Jean-Baptiste Point du Sable school that has been the focus of fifteen months’ industry fund-raising was inaugurated.
The hurricane-proof, anti-seismic, sustainable school, located in Saint Marc, north of the capital Port-au-Prince, will open in early September. Eventually it will offer education to over 700 students from pre-school to secondary level.
The project, which has raised several million dollars since the 2010 earthquake, is the biggest charity fund-raiser in travel retail industry history. Uniquely, the school is not only being funded by the industry, but operated by it on an ongoing basis through a Foundation. Bilingual education (English-French) with best-in-class academic standards in alignment with the Haitian academic curriculum will be provided.
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A large crowd gathers for a red-letter day in this extraordinary project’s history |
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(Above and below) Olivier Bottrie addresses dignitaries and guests at the school’s inauguration |
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Hand in Hand for Haiti (HHH) Foundation Board Members Ed Brennan (DFS Chairman and CEO) and Olivier Bottrie (The Estée Lauder Companies President Travel Retailing Worldwide), together with Ed’s wife Debbie and Olivier’s wife Alexandra Bottrie again visited Haiti last weekend to lead the celebrations, along with other members of the HHH team.
They were joined by two advisors to the newly elected President of the Republic of Haiti, Michel Martelly, including Special Advisor Michèle Oriol; the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Alain Leroy; The Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Haiti, Edmond Mulet; the French Ambassador to Haiti, Didier Le Bret; the US Ambassador to Haiti, Kenneth Merten; Mayor of Saint Marc, Baunars Charles and other dignitaries.
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French Ambassador to Haiti Didier Le Bret has been an outstanding supporter of Hand in Hand for Haiti |
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(Left) Edmond Mulet, UN Special Envoy to Haiti; (Right) Alain Leroy, Deputy Secretary General of the UN | |
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(Left to right) Kenneth Merten, US Ambassador to Haiti talks to Olivier Bottrie and Ed Brennan of Hand in Hand for Haiti |
This high-profile delegation came to the site to support and encourage the project, deemed as the largest and most comprehensive education initiative undertaken privately in Haiti over the past 30 years.
President Martelly, through his advisor Ms Oriol, communicated that he hoped others would follow the example of Hand In Hand for Haiti, offering free education to the neediest of children while playing an important socio-economic role in the community. The President will personally open the school in September.
Le Bret was effusive in his praise of the project and told guests: “Our dream is that one day every department of this country can give hope to its youth through a better education.”
After the event, Ed Brennan told The Moodie Report: “The support we have in Haiti is just incredible. The French Ambassador, the US Ambassador, the head of the UN in Haiti, the number two of the UN out of New York and others were all there for our ceremony on Sunday. We were so pleased and so proud. There were moments when you had tears in your eyes, particularly with the comments from the French Ambassador, Didier Le Bret”¦ we have a wonderful relationship with him based on all our trips to Haiti and it poured out in his speech. He was so supportive about this project and what it could mean. It was really moving to hear.
“You just can’t believe what’s coming up out of the ground as the school takes shape. It warms your heart.
“We’re on track to build this school on time. Our agenda for our next trip in ten days, together with our school director Pierre Marie and his number two Corinne, includes the selection of the children, which is really exciting.
“We have already hired four English teachers, all from the US, and we’re very optimistic that we will have most of our French-speaking teachers hired soon and they will all be from Haiti. According to Pierre Marie, the quality of the candidates is excellent and we’re very pleased about that.”
For more details or to donate see www.HandinHandforHaiti.com
A first-hand report from Debbie Brennan
May 15 – School inauguration day
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The day dawns bright with a few welcome clouds to keep our campus cool and inviting for the many invited guests and dignitaries joining us to celebrate the progress on our 32-acre facility.
A tremendous effort has been put forth to ensure that Jean-Baptiste Point du Sable school will open this September.
Two of our three co-founders Olivier Bottrie and Ed Brennan (missing is Martin Moodie) are joined by Didier Le Bret, the French ambassador; Kenneth Merten, the American ambassador; Alain Le Roy, Secretary General of the United Nations; Louis Gary Lissade, Board Member of the Haiti Recovery Commission; and Baunars Charles, Mayor of Saint Marc.
The previous day had seen the inauguration of new President Michel Martelly, who promises to bring fresh ideas and a new vision for Haiti.
Each of the speeches during the ceremony focuses on the opportunity which lies ahead for Haiti and the hope that international communities will work together to rebuild the country.
The Hand and Hand for Haiti project was highlighted as a truly multi-national project which is uniting French, the United States, international and Haitian efforts to educate Haitian children.
The ceremony ended with a touching moment when Olivier Bottrie’s son Nicolas (below right) presented a gift of artwork from the children of the French Lycée of New York to one of the children of Saint Marc. The French Lycée of New York is partnering with us on our curriculum development and reminding us constantly that this initiative is all about the children.
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(Left) Olivier Bottrie explains the school layout; (Right) Nicolas Bottrie presents a gift to the children of Saint Marc | |
While President Martelly was not able to join us, he sent his Special Advisor, Michèle Oriol to speak to the assembled group. Ms Oriol reminded us all of President Martelly’s commitment to education here in Haiti and thanked Hand in Hand for Haiti for our efforts.
The assembled group of over 150 guests were invited to tour the campus and a time capsule was buried to mark the occasion.
Our work continues and the extraordinary network of friends and volunteers who have shared our dream of opening our doors to our first class of students this fall will soon see it come true.
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Happy scenes (above and below) at the inauguration of the Lycée Jean-Baptiste Point du Sable | |
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May 13/14 – Presidential inauguration
After a wonderful flight to Port-au-Prince, you can feel the excitement building for Michel Martelly’s inauguration this weekend. We are joined by many UN, French and American dignitaries as well as citizens returning for this political turning point for Haiti.
You hear comments comparing this to a time in our own country when John F. Kennedy brought hope to so many of the younger generation. And with Haiti being a nation of so many young, it seems a natural fit.
When we arrive at the airport, we again notice so much improvement. It is now so clean and efficient. It’s even easy to find our ride and we’re no longer mobbed by so many locals offering to help. It’s all very welcoming.
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(Above and below) Work is proceeding at full pace to prepare for the September opening | |
We then head to the school site (above and below) and it’s amazing what has transpired in just two weeks since our last visit. This team from all over the world has worked tirelessly to prepare for the school inauguration on Sunday. I am so proud of them all. It is about the children of Saint Marc”¦ always about the children.
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As we await the arrival of many special guests, including several of the wives whose husbands have been separated from their families for extended periods to get the school completed on time, I think of how thankful we are to them for their sacrifice. As a result, the young people of Saint Marc will have futures filled with opportunity.
While our entire team head out very early this morning I stay behind and watch as many hotel employees put up small Haitian flags and pause to watch the TV coverage of the President’s inauguration.
A lively group is gathered around the TV watching President Martelly as he is sworn in. It’s so exciting to be part of what could be a remarkable change in Haiti. This is a young President, with a young family, who has stated that education is paramount to Haiti’s future success.
