Each trip to Haiti, we tote along five foot Literacy posters showcasing memorable childrens books in English, Kreyol and French. After reading stories with children of all ages we settle into an art activity.
For Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham, it was easy to incorporate our beloved Moringa Powder into the eggs and cover everything in a rainbow cloud of vivacity.
Big love, as always, to Aimee Gaines and Sarah Boll for making this program chug along the train trucks to our final destination — even when we’re short on coal, man power and solid foundational tracks.
Thank you Liz Ancker for taking one for the team and sporting rainbow dyed hands for a week at a time 😉
We need YOU! Donate books ideas, art supplies and best of all: cold, hard ca$h by clicking here: http://projecthopeart.org/fundraising-and-philanthropy/
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Staggering Illiteracy Rates in Haiti:
Frighteningly low literacy rates continue to be one of the biggest obstacles in Haiti’s struggle against poverty and stagnation. While Haiti’s Constitution guarantees free public education for all citizens, the government has been unable to fulfill this obligation. In fact, the average Haitian attends fewer than five years of school total, and only 20% of the population attends school after the 6th grade. As a result, many children never learn to read and write, and Haiti’s literacy rate hovers at only 55%, as compared to 99% in the United States and 90% for other Caribbean nations. (sources: World Bank and Library of Congress literacy statistics)
Renegade Storytelling Project:
In response to these illiteracy rates, Project HOPE Art created an Art & Literacy project to promote interest in stories using some of the world’s most beloved children’s books as our tool.
Our Renegade Storytelling Project kicked off in April of 2012 at the OJFA orphanage and the Centre d’Education et de Formattion des Jeunes in Port-Au-Prince, featuring Maurice Sendak’s classic Where The Wild Things Are.
We used a combination of story hours, art projects, and giant story posters to tell the tales and capture imaginations.