Invest in Haiti's Future Leaders

Happy New Year from all of us at REBUILD globally!  If you followed our Holiday Giving campaign, you know that at REBUILD globally we partnered with our for profit partner, Deux Mains, to raise funds to give away our new Impact Shoes in Haiti.  These shoes have positive effects that reach farther than the child wearing them. I wanted to take a minute and break down why these things matter so much. 

Let’s start with the materials used to make these shoes. As is true with all shoes made by Deux Mains the soles are made out of repurposed tires. To those of us living in developed countries, this may seem insignificant because many of our products use at least some recycled material. However, in Haiti, there isn’t a well-established system for trash collection or recycling. As you travel around Haiti you will notice that flat tires you usually left on the side of the road right where they were changed. We collect these tires and give them a new life by creating sturdy long-lasting soles out of them. These shoes are also made with leather that is sourced right here in Haiti, making them durable while supporting the local economy. 

So we know the materials are doing good, but what about how they are made? Each piece of the Impact Shoes will pass through the hands of artisans in the Deux Mains factory. These artisans are moms, dads, college students, former refugees, and so much more. Each shoe created means they have a livable wage, health care, and tuition matching. These benefits are not the norm here in a country with a staggering unemployment rate and a very low minimum wage. It is difficult to show the vast impact this employment has on entire communities, but let’s give it a try. A livable wage means access to healthcare, education, housing, nutrition, and even social traditions. When an individual has access to these things it means they are supporting the local healthcare system, schools, landlords, markets, and in turn supporting entire communities.

Now, what about the child receiving the shoe? Students in Haiti each have one pair of shoes that is far more than a fashion accessory. Their school shoes do more than complete an outfit; they allow them access to the classroom. Most schools in Haiti have uniforms that require students to have nice dress-style shoes. Without these, their uniform is considered incomplete and they may be sent home. It is estimated that only about 50% of children in Haiti attend school, and we want to help remove as many barriers as possible between vulnerable children and their education. While shoes may seem like a small piece to the puzzle, they really can be the difference between entering the classroom, and not. 

There you have it, one small pair of beautiful shoes is creating change long before it is even worn into a classroom. When you buy a child in Haiti new school shoes, your one-time gift creates a lasting sustainable impact in our community at large, and for that, we are so thankful! 

As it did with many countries, COVID-19 adversely affected education in Haiti, where all the students were obliged to stay at home to avoid infection. In Haiti, there is less technology available for our kids to learn remotely compared with those in developed countries, therefore, school was put on pause for four months.  All of our students stayed home, waiting for the moment they would be able to return to school to continue to learn.  In Haiti, young people take their education very seriously, and value it at the highest level.

After 4 months,  it was considered safe enough for the children to return to school, and schools reopened.  Immediately there was a shift in our student's energy, attitude and happiness.   During their tutoring sessions, and Saturday Program at our Campus, they have expressed how eager they are to continue learning and happy to be back to school again!

Our partner school directors and teachers are using new and accelorated methods to help fill the gap for the kids by helping them catch up on the school year program. These include adding additional hours and using the weekend for seminars to make sure the kids could get all the subjects that are in the school year program! The kids are really enjoying the additional hours and seminars including our Saturday program!

We want to say thank you to all of our donors who did not waiver during this difficult time.  We appreciate your steadfast commitment to education in Haiti, and appreciate all you do for our incredible group of deserving students.  We appreciate you!