Anis Zunuzi School Growth

2006 New Courses

A series of lessons were prepared by teachers to educate all concerned about nature and to promote a harmonious relationship with the environment. Teachers have also been provided with a second training workshop on Cooperative Learning. With simplicity and humility, a skilled young moderator artfully led the participants to see that all classes could participate in this form of learning. He wisely used the arts to enhance the academic learning and to create a fun environment. Comments from some of the particpants include, “It has become my preferred method of teaching. I have learned that when one decides together, there is greater chance of success.”

After the new moral education courses were completed, a garden program was begun and the students have been excited to plant peanuts, ocra, carrots, tomatoes and beans. A third training session about the Arts and Trades was provided in April.

2005 New Programs

The students have been given training in the use of solar ovens. Gardening plots have been developed using old tires to contain the earth so that it is not washed away from heavy rains. Local vegetables: okra, carrots, and green peppers have been planted by the students and experimentation into successful methods continues. Pre-youth materials have been purchased and used. Internet service continues. The cantine has been subsidized as planned. A sound system was purchased for the school and is saving the school money and rental costs. Publicity pamphlets have been distributed, and murals on the outer walls redone. A summer camp was held for 5 weeks with 63 children in attendance. The program consisted of French, Spanish and English classes, remedial work in math and science, computer lessons, cooking, civics, sports, films, games and songs. The students prepared a lovely celebration at the end with dances and music using the new sound system. Security measures have been installed. Iron doors were completed as planned, after thieves had stolen the main computer from the office. Further measures have also been taken to prevent people from sawing off the padlocks.

2000 School Supplies Sent

Thirty one 5th grade students of Hockinson Intermediate School in Brush Prairie, Washington come to aid Zunuzi. These wonderful students put together 3 boxes of school supplies including some laboratory equipment for Zunuzi School in Haiti when their teacher and our wonderful advocate, Mrs. Judy Person, brought the school's needs to their attention. It is our plan to further connect these two schools via the Internet after the technology lab is put in place in Zunuzi. This is their story as told by Judy:

“One day in our fifth grade math class, we got derailed from the usual computation and calculating onto a very interesting subject. A discussion began about how very RICH our country was, and how we, as its citizens were among the most fortunate citizens of the world. Because the class in composed of ten and eleven year olds, their life experience is limited, making them naturally curious about the rest of the world. In leading a discussion of this sort, it is important not to make student feel superior and unduly arrogant, but to increase their awareness and their ability to do something, however small, about the inequities in the world. After about fifteen minutes of talking about various places in the world, I shared with them a place I had heard about in Haiti—Zunuzi School. Here was a school where students had to PAY to go to school, and that amount per month was what here in the US would be spent on just a video or a shirt. They immediately wanted to know what they could do to help these students with their education. They decided to help by sending a few supplies to the school. Within two weeks, there was three large boxes of paper, pens, crayons and many other things any student anywhere would find interesting and exciting piled in the back of the room. The kids themselves were delighted! They found it exciting to be meeting a need and making a difference, however small. As we took the picture for the website, one of the boys remarked, ‘This was fun! Can we do it again?’ The spirit of giving and sharing these young people have really inspired me. Given the chance, and a little information about a need, kids can be creative and caring for sure.”

We thank Alison & Natalie Kutches, two elementary school children who helped untangle two full boxes of computer cables for Swaziland, and Sue Kutches and Ann Torrie for transporting our computers.

Our efforts are continuing with this school. Three boxes of school supplies gathered and contributed by Hockinson Intermediate School's 5th grade class of 31 students, Brush Prairie, Washington, and their wonderful teacher, Mrs. Judy Person, were shipped to Zunuzi on March 2nd. Also, through the kind consideration of Mrs. Pat Feltin, President of Eaton School of Bellevue, two boxes of Montessori school equipment were donated and shipped to the school on the same day.

We have already shipped them a brand new HP printer. The school has also provided us with their list of priorities as follows:

• Teacher training (Mona will provide)
• Curriculum development (Mona will provide)
• Scholarship assistance at $20 a month per child (230 students). Mona has so far provided 4 scholarships and is in the process of providing additional two.
• Expansion of cafeteria to offer subsidized lunches to 130 students. Estimated budget $5,000.
• Construction of new toilets and transformation of the existing ones to make space for a computer room. Estimated budget $5,000.00. Equipment is on hand and ready to ship.
• Development of a vegetable and fruit garden to produce food for lunches. Volunteers needed.
• A 4x4 double cabin vehicle for the school(s). Estimated budget $10,000.
• Completion of the work done last year in 2 schools in the provinces including the overhang that will prevent rain from falling inside. Estimated budget $2,000.
• The ironwork that will close the school building to intruders. Estimated budget $2,000.
• Fund Producing Ventures: Renting the school facilities during non-school hours after improvements have been done. Planting the school garden to produce food for student lunches and generate extra funds. Volunteers Needed. Renting the computer lab, and offering adult learning programs, once the lab is in place.
• Volunteers and year of service youths who could help in the following areas: administration, creation of teaching materials, curriculum development, gardening, beautification of the school yard.

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1999 First Visit to Haiti

Patrece Banks and Mahnaz Javid visited Zunuzi School on December 19th through 22nd as planned. We were moved by the spirit of selfless sacrifice of its school board, directors and administrator, and came back with our hands full of ideas and plans.

Nothing replaces person to person contact in the work of this Foundation (All expenses were contributed). Haiti is a very poor country which has experienced 7 revolutions in the past twenty years. Such political instability has drained the school of its human resources and has forced them to close down their vocational program. The fruit and vegetable garden has gone unattended, and the Montessori Kindergarten has hardly any equipment. They only have 8 hours of electricity and running water per day.

The school services a very impoverished population in the suburb of Port-Au-Prince, and the students cannot afford to pay even the $10/month tuition they have had to charge in order to keep the school operational. And the students are hungry. The school tries to serve a nutritious meal (Rice and beans) for 30 cents a meal, but only 30 out of 231 students can buy food. The rest go hungry and have difficulty concentrating.

But the school board and the directors are committed to this social economic development project and their other two satellite schools serving even poorer population in the provinces, and they keep serving without respite. Although their needs are great and grave, we are determined to help them. We have adopted a two-prong approach to assisting this school.

Short Term Plan:

Provide them with a HP printer for their office to increase their administrative efficiency. Thank you Patrece Banks once again for your generous contribution. This Printer has been ordered.

Long Term Plan. We will assist them in the next two years with:

• Staff development support for secondary school.
• Staff development support and equipment for Montessori Kindergarten.
• Expert agricultural support to develop their vegetable and fruit garden.
• Expanding the cafeteria to offer lunches at perhaps 10 cents per meal.
• A 4x4 vehicle to serve the satellite schools on dirt roads.
• Relocation of bathrooms to the outside to make room for a computer lab.
• Equipment and technical support for the a technology lab.
• Staff support for the library.
• Community Outreach program.
• Integration of Arts and Music in all program.

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