| page 1 of 8 |
 |
PAPE: Programme D'Alphabetisation et de Promotion de L'Enfance.
PAPE: Program of Alphabetization and Promotion of Childhood
click for: PAPE information in English
/ Information du PAPE en Francais
The PAPE project in Haiti works through
local churches to find and to help many of the ultimate victims of these
times we live in: the Restavec Children.
As a photographer who has traveled much of this
world after growing up in Africa in the midst of Aid, Development, Education,
and Christian Ministry programs, I must say that my short visit to the
PAPE project and classrooms has been one of the most emotional experiences
of my life.
These children do not ask for help, not
one of these kids I photographed asked me for a single thing, and most
of them do not know that people who can help them exist. But when I
looked to them with honor and respect in my eyes, some of the ones who
have learned how to smile, shared their smiles with me. Every single
one of these children is precious, and each one is in need of help.
Some of the challenges this project faces
are easy to understand. The biggest challenge of getting these children
into school for two or three hours each day can be convincing their
"guardians" to allow the children to take so much time off
from work to attend school. While teachers and volunteers can put in
all of the time and finances they can afford, these adults also have
their own bills to pay as well. Budgets that are often stretched to
help as many children as possible sometimes do not reflect the changing
value of the local currency. After visiting some of these classrooms
and meeting some of these children, it is easy to understand how many
adults who are able to help are helping in ever possible way. The difficult
part for the PAPE staff and volunteers is knowing all that could be
done that has not yet been done--because they do not personally have
enough funds to contribute.
On behalf of these children
and the Haitian staff and Haitian volunteers working to help them, I
feel that I must ask everyone who looks at these photographs to consider
supporting this PAPE project in Haiti. This is a sucessful program in
the sense that it is reaching and helping very many of the children
who are innocent victims of global circumstances. The project can grow
and offer more dreams to more children who currently might not know
that it's ok to smile, ok to dream, and otherwise have no hope for any
"real childhood" as defined by western (and North American)
standards.
YOU CAN HELP, click here to
find out how.
| page 1 of 8 |
|
