Provide Healthcare & Education for Haiti's Orphans

Dear Friends of Sustainable Healthcare for Haiti,

Thank you, as always, for your continued support, prayers, and partnership. Your generosity allows children and young adults at Saint Dominique to continue receiving healthcare, educational opportunities, mentorship, and support despite the many challenges facing Haiti today.

While our healthcare and education initiatives continue to have a meaningful impact, this newsletter focuses on an exciting new development that we believe will help shape the future of many of the young adults we serve.

Launching a New Young Adult Program

For many years, SHH and our partners have worked to support children through healthcare, education, and personal mentorship. Through our partnership with Kids Connection Haiti, we also witnessed firsthand the impact that structured young adult programming can have on helping young people successfully transition into adulthood.

Over the past several years, Doudmy, Director at Saint Dominique, has spent countless hours mentoring young adults who have grown up within the Foundation. Through these relationships, he identified a growing challenge: while many students successfully complete high school, the transition into adulthood can be difficult. Employment opportunities are limited, vocational training programs are scarce, and many young adults lack the practical skills, mentorship, and guidance needed to determine their next steps.

At Saint Dominique alone, there are currently ten young adults who have either graduated from high school or are in the critical transition period before entering the workforce, university, or trade school. Helping these young adults get on a path toward independence became the driving force behind this initiative.

Recognizing this need, Doudmy proposed a new Young Adult Development Program focused on providing practical, hands-on experiences that help participants develop marketable skills while building confidence, responsibility, and independence.

We are excited to share that the program is now underway, with ten young adults participating in the first group.

The four-month program combines technical training, entrepreneurship, leadership development, and ongoing mentorship. Participants attend mandatory weekend sessions focused on both practical business skills and personal development.

A key component of the program is training in small-scale product manufacturing (industrial chemistry). While the name sounds technical, the focus is highly practical. Participants are learning how to produce everyday products such as soaps, shampoos, detergents, and other household items that are commonly used within their communities. Participants learn the entire process - from production and quality control to packaging and sales. 

Alongside technical instruction, participants receive training in entrepreneurship, communication, leadership, professionalism, accountability, and goal setting.

What makes this program unique is its focus on entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency. The primary objective is not to prepare participants to work for someone else, but rather to equip them with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to launch small businesses, generate income, and work toward financial independence.

In an environment where formal employment opportunities are extremely limited, helping young adults create opportunities for themselves may have a lasting impact not only on their own futures, but also on the communities around them.

The instructors leading the program were intentionally selected not only because of their technical and professional expertise, but also because of their commitment to mentoring young people. Participants are learning from entrepreneurs, educators, and community leaders who understand the realities of Haiti and can provide practical guidance rooted in personal experience.

As with any pilot program, the Haiti team will evaluate outcomes and identify opportunities for future growth. We look forward to sharing participant stories and program results in future newsletters.

Mark Your Calendars: GlobalGiving Bonus Day (July 15–16)

SHH will once again participate in GlobalGiving's July Bonus Day campaign. During special 24-hour event, donations between $100 and $1,500 will help SHH earn a share of $150,000 in matching funds.

Support from this campaign will help fund programs like our new Young Adult Development Program while continuing to strengthen healthcare, education, and mentorship opportunities for the children and young adults we serve.

We hope you will consider making a gift on July 15-16 and helping us create brighter futures for Haiti's next generation.

Thank you again for your partnership, generosity, and prayers!

All the best,

Tommy Conner

President, Sustainable Healthcare for Haiti