Sponsor's update letter from Cap Haitien

Update letter from Spring 2008 for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Cap Haitien

Dear sponsors

Via this letter, the administration staff of the SOS children‘s village of Cap-Haitien wants to give you a report of the activities realised for the end of the year 2007 and the beginning of 2008 in the village.

In order to integrate socially our children and youths, many activities had been realised. Last autumn, during an oversea visit of a young doctor of Cap-Haitien, he found a very amazing game called “Lego first league”. When he came back, he has presented the game to the sport manager of the area in order to make them organise a championship for the children of the community. Everybody was very exiting about this idea, specially the youths of the SOS village. They were very determined to participate to this game. They made a team of twelve players and they were ready to play for the trophy. They have given good performance in this championship.

The purpose of the game is to develop the reasoning of the children by giving them some pieces of a puzzle to assembly for making a robot and then program it with the computer to accomplish a mission. The one who finish first is the winner. They were very focus on the game and the have trained themselves a lot for this competition. At the day of the quest, they went at the stadium located at “champ de Mars”, they were very sure to win the trophy. During the matches, the supporters were yelling, singing and applauding to back-up their team. This competition was very good for the youths; they have learned a lot even though they didn’t take one of the three places, they have gotten a medal of participation.

After this competition, many children of the village have participated at training on the protection of the environment and the bad consequences on human lives when they are cutting the trees. They have painted figures to illustrate the presentation and the subject.

To commemorate the international day of children rights, there was many activities organised like game of ping-pong, soccer, volley-ball and more. Everybody was satisfied. In the afternoon, The UN military in Haiti (MINUSTAH) has projected a movie on protection of the youth’s rights. There was other kid’s organisations concerned about children rights in the celebration of this day. The day was very great and joyful for the children and they have learned a lot in the meetings.

Some days later the village staff formed by : Social assistant, director assistant , village director and a few friends have invited the kids of the village and those of Hermann Gmeiner school and also those in the community to a conference about “Aids Prevention “to increase their awareness of this sickness or scourge that tormented the humanity. They all participated in the conference and they ask a lot of question.

Celebrating events

Last December 23th, was the first communion of two kids of the village, Bendley and Norcès. They were at the holy table to receive Jesus Host for the first time. Their friends were invited to feast this big moment with them in their houses and they were well dress like angels.

At the same date we had beach journey at Labadie were some families of the village spent great moments on this beautiful beach. Labadie, it’s a small town, 20 minutes from the city is known or famous for its beautiful beach one of the most of the Caribbean. This place is called private paradise of the royal Caribbean. This is also the place where cruise ship put into part, we can say this is the north pride.

December 24th, in the evening, the kids were looking forward seeing Santa Claus. The younger were curious to see him by their eyes with his long beard with a lot of gifts that he would give to the kids while promising them to have more and more gifts if they did well in their exams. A few hours later all the families were out on the village yard to end this evening by a midnight party while making wishing to each other. This day all the village houses were transformed in real cribs, with multicolored luminous beam. And it was the same thing for the last day of the year. At the auditorium, with the drum sound, a nice choreography was showed and then was the time for Lynsay Owana to interpret and she charm the public by her nice voice .Poems, jokes, riddles all of that things made this evening an unforgettable one.

After that, this is the carnival time, in Haiti this is a gaiety period, where people have new ideas, new songs and of course new fancy dress .The new theme of this big feast this year was “Rale menen vini pou yon ayiti vèt” this theme was the main idea for to increase public awareness of the environment problems. That’s why stands, float were decorated in that way. The kids of the village couldn’t miss such occasion , in the company of some mothers and aunts they went to the city of Cap-Haitien to see in live the march of the carnival Bands. They sang, danced and it was very interesting.

The mothers as the main part of the SOS organisation can’t be by their own in educating the kids .That is why, last February 20th, it was the inauguration of a formation centre of SOS mothers. An Idea that finally becomes true. During this inauguration , were present some important people from Notre Dame University , mothers from Port-au-Prince and those from the village to show their happiness of such a beautiful center. And the next day the mothers were receiving new formation for a better understanding of the kids.

Children growing up

Then this is the spring, time of plants budding and flowering, the journey is sunny and the weather was nice .At the beginning of March was celebrated the international day of women. In this great day all the mothers in the village were celebrating happily and they received a nice kiss from their kids while making them feel their importance in their life.

Even the sky agrees for the kids happiness, we had an unexpected visit of one of our sponsor, the sponsored child , Roseline couldn’t believe her eyes to see her sponsor in the flesh . For the girl it was amazing and she was very, very happy. And it was just the beginning because a few days later another sponsor of the village who has been helping our village for years has decided to across Atlantic Ocean to visit us, she came from Paris. Everybody in the village was preparing that day, and though it was not a class day, all the kids get up early to wait for the sponsor coming. They waited for her patiently and finally when they heard the car Klaxon and knew that it was her, they started singing their welcome song and Lynsay has a beautiful bunch of flowers for the sponsor. This was a great welcome and the sponsor was very happy to receive kisses from everywhere. And she congratulated the mothers for this big work well done and visited also a SOS family.

Final exams are soon and the kids work hard. For the first semester the rate of success was about 80% and we up that this rate will increase.

They are already making plans, friends, relatives, kids, young of the community; going to the beach is their favorite plan. They see themselves already drinking coconut water, eating grille seafood. They are waiting for new adventures.

It’ll be a pleasure for us to share with you in the report of the end of 2008 the summer that will be soon while thinking you another time for your generous help to SOS children’s village of Cap-Haitien.