Dear Friends,

Last week I escorted a team of surgeons from the Heart Fund to Haiti. They carried out open heart surgery on ten children, it was an incredible experience to witness, we can truly say we looked into their hearts and changed their lives!

Members of the Heart Fund, as well as Nadia Cherrouk and Nathalie Liautaud of PADF accompanied me to HUFHs school in Cadet, Haiti. As usual it was a long arduous journey with the usual flat tire and bumpy roads. Those who were there for the first time were surprised to find a modern school in such a remote place, even I was impressed with the changes since my last visit. We have a new building! Two new classrooms and 45 new students! It was seeing the familiar young faces which really touched me though, they’ve grown wiser, are happy, serious and focused.

We delivered 6 new ASUS computers and loads of toys, books and videos donated by Luc Besson Association.

I met with the parent teacher association, led by a parent who has 7 children at the school, and encouraged them to get involved and work on creating a much needed playground. That’s their homework over the coming months, ours is to keep a place in our hearts for these kids this holiday season and ensure the school continues to thrive.

Child’s monthly education $8

Teacher’s monthly salary $200

The annual budget for the school is less than $40 000

Please support us however you can!

Bonne Fetes,

Jimmy Jean-Louis
President

One year after the restoration of the Primary School of Cadet.

I will send a video of the children’s reaction soon, so you can see how grateful and excited they are for your generosity.

The Mother Theresa Foundation and all our supporters are truly making a difference in these children’s lives.

HUFH needs your support to :
– Build a well to exploit the natural water resources near the school.
– Establish an agro-business to support the school.
– Complete the school buildings.

CAN YOU HELP?

Thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely, Jimmy Jean-Louis

Walking in the village, from time to time, you meet some of the kids doing their daily activities and chores such as: fetching water for their families, helping the family to grow whatever food they can on the dry land, going to pasture lands to take care of animals.

Their Hardship was compounded by the earthquake in January 2010. Hollywood Unites for Haiti used your donations to begin rebuilding a primary school in the region. School is definitely an excellent tool for the children’s future, however it is difficult to learn on an empty stomach. We are so grateful to the Mother Theresa Foundation who have kindly offered to help feed the children. Since July we have been using this donation to first build the infrastructure of the cafeteria, the kitchen and a storage room to stock the food for the month.

We need your help to continue!

Jesula is enrolled in the school, but hasn’t attended because her mother couldn’t afford to make the school uniform. She says all their money goes towards food. Asked what services would be welcomed in the community she said, clean water and a health clinic. (the closest is 20 km away)

As you can see a lot needs to be done to improve the lives of the children in this region. HUFH can barely afford to pay the teacher’s salaries, let alone hope to provide clean water or a health clinic. There is a village looking at the work we have done and hoping we will continue.

Can you help?

We need to raise funds to guarantee that the school remains open to the end of the school year.

So far one building has been completed and the cafeteria is almost built. To fully accommodate the children in the region we still need to construct one more building.

We also need to develop the water source to the village.

CAN YOU HELP?

Jimmy Jean-Louis cuts the ribbon.

Designed to accommodate three hundred (300) children, the school currently has one hundred twenty (120 children) and is provided with three buildings with seven classes. Other buildings are being built to accommodate more children, benches and tables furnish the new classroom space and faculty veteran are ready to supervise the children.

The new school

The school; ESPOIR SANS FAIM-HUFH is housed on thirteen thousand square meters. The land is a gift from the Petit family, a family from the town of Cadet.

Father Louis, the parish priest of Our Lady of Notre Dame, who officiates in the community, welcomes the initiative. “With this school, more than a hundred children will benefit fruits of Education”, said the Catholic priest.

The presence of the stars at Cadet is viewed as a gesture of human solidarity,” said Jonas Petit, executive director of HUFH Haiti. “The children breathed an air of hope and encouragement in their struggle for survival” he says.

The new school

Actor Jimmy Jean Louis and Hollywood Unites for Haiti Foundation (HUFH) have set up a football team with kids from the school to combine sport and education. “One day, one goal” is the slogan of the team and the dream of the little geniuses of Cadet.  Actor Jimmy Jean Louis by this initiative provides the opportunity for hundreds of children to go to school and contribute to the development of the children of Cadet.

Cadet is currently devoid of basic infrastructure but is rich in potential.

It should be recognized that HUFH has received a grant from the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) an initiative of the Foundation Hollywood Unites for Haiti for the construction of the school “ESPOIR SANS FAIM- HUFH.

written by Inauguration attendee,
Merline J. RAPHAEL

What’s Ahead

The new school

We did it! We opened Cadet school to over a hundred students. The school is equipped with desks, benches, books, new solar panels.
We have part time volunteers teaching the students on a rotating schedule, our goal is raise enough funds to employ full time teachers.

We haven’t just built a school in the mountains, we are helping to structure a sustainable community. Local participation in securing the future of the school is our top priority. We will always work with the community, and respond to their needs.

There are plans to:
• Develop the surrounding land to grow our own food to feed the children a hot meal on school days.
• Install solar panels donated by The Haiti Green Project.
• Build a well to facilitate water distribution to the area because the nearest water source is a 2 to 3 miles walk and inaccessible by car.
• Encourage parental participation and provide adult classes. Please continue to support HUFH by giving what you can, talk about the work we do and keep informed of the situation in Haiti.

We are always open to ideas and suggestions.

Strategic Partners

HUFH was able to furnish the school with new benches and desks. Without our strategic partners, volunteers and dedicated team in Haiti, the school would not have been built! THANK YOU!

The new school

Our partner Pan American Development Foundation gave a generous grant for the construction of the school.

Puma for donating soccer gear for the children.

The Petit family of Cadet donated the land on which to build to the school.

Father Louis, of Our Lady of Notre Dame gave logistical support.

Maike Kruger from the German Red Cross helped with transportation and raising funds to equip the class room.

Guillaume Albert, the architect who designed the school.

Marie Carmel Gabriel, Executive Director of Haiti Green Project, who donated solar panels for the school!

The Global Syndicate Haiti Week fund raiser!

Rod Roddenberry for his generous donation to HUFH.

Our team in Haiti, Carene Calixte and our Executive Director Jonas Petit.

Seven instructors (pictured above) will take turns teaching the children on a rotating schedule. They are part time volunteers until funds can be raised to put them on a full time salary. That’s where we need you.

Please Contribute!

About HUFH
Hollywood Unites For Haiti is a non-profit charitable aid organization based in Los Angeles that that is lead by Jimmy Jean-Louis. www.hufh.org.

Joining PADF at the 2010 Heroes of the Hemisphere celebration were actress Gabrielle Union, actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, former NBA player Olden Polynice, celebrity chef Ron Duprat, actress and Cover Girl model Dania Ramirez and television host Maria Elvira Salazar. Univision’s Satcha Pretto returned this year as the mistress of ceremonies

Nicole Orelus receives the award from actor Jimmy Jean-Louis. (Photo by Steve Levine.)

The 2010 Heroes of the Hemisphere honorees were:

• Henrique Gelinski of Brazil;
• Flor Nancy Muelas of Colombia;
• Monserrat Guzman of Mexico;
• Nicole Orelus of Haiti;
• Amarilys Castillo of the Dominican Republic.

Colombia pop star Marre performed at the 2010 Heroes of the Hemisphere celebration. The 19-year-old singer, songwriter has performed throughout Latin America and the United States where she has a large (and growing) following.

Celebrity Cruises hosted the event aboard its luxurious Solstice, which was docked at the Port of the Everglades in Fort Lauderdale for this exclusive gala. The event included live entertainment, cocktails, lunch and the second annual awards ceremony.

About Heroes of the Hemisphere
PADF works each day with individuals in Latin American and the Caribbean who are making a significant difference in their communities. They help the survivors of natural disasters, strengthen civil society and create economic opportunities for the most vulnerable among us. To celebrate these remarkable individuals, PADF has created a marquee event called Heroes of the Hemisphere that tells their stories.

Olden Polynice, Gabrielle Union, Jimmy Jean-Louis and Satcha Pretto (Photos by Steve Levine of Steady 70 Photography)

About HUFH
Hollywood Unites For Haiti is a non-profit charitable aid organization based in Los Angeles that that is lead by Jimmy Jean-Louis. www.hufh.org.

About PADF
PADF is a non-profit organization established in 1962 to promote, facilitate, and implement social and economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the past year, it had more than 5.6 million beneficiaries in 18 countries.

The 2010 Heroes of the Hemisphere honorees with their awards: (from left) Henrique Gelinski of Brazil; Flor Nancy Muelas of Colombia; Monserrat Guzman of Mexico; Nicole Orelus of Haiti; and Amarilys Castillo of the Dominican Republic.

PADF is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in Haiti. With nearly three decades of work on the ground, PADF now manages a large portfolio of activities ranging from community-driven development to protecting human rights.
Its headquarters is in Washington, D.C., and has field offices in Haiti, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere.
www.padf.org

Contact:
Michael J. Zamba
Senior Director of Communications
Pan American Development Foundation
padf-dc@padf.org
Tel. (202) 458-3969
Donations: (877) 572-4484
Text HEAL to 50555
www.PanAmericanRelief.org