Haiti Now (Ayiti Now Corp)

Ayiti Now Corp is a 501(c)(3) organization created for the purpose of empowering marginalized children of poverty through our educational programs.

Superior Educational Standards\r\nThe curriculum will follow the requirements of the Haitian Ministry of Education and prepare students for state exams. It will also go above and beyond such standards and prepare them to face real-world situations and become global citizens.\r\n\r\nEmpowering Restavek Girls\r\nThe goal of this program is to empower Restavek girls by providing them with an exceptional education. Our approach will ignite their curiosity, instill a love of learning, and enable them to reach their full potential. \r\n\r\nEmphasis On “Mindset"\r\nWe offer an approach that combines teacher-directed instruction in most to all classes to gain a strong foundation of knowledge, and inquiry-based learning in some classes to promote open dialogue, self-discovery, critical thinking, and problem-solving through experience.\r\n\r\nFocus On Technology\r\nTechnology will play a large role in our school. Classes will be equipped with computers, projectors, and Promethean boards. The goal is to fully engage students, inspire teachers, and encourage communication between them. \r\n\r\nA Place To Call Home\r\nThe Safe House we are developing will be a safe haven for Restavek girls. A place where they no longer have to worry about basic essentials, mistreatment, or abuse. A place where they can focus on healing, learning, and growing. A place they can truly call home.\r\n\r\nDevelopment Of 21st Century Skills\r\nThe girls will be taught skills including Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Communication, Collaboration and Decision Making along with business skills such as entrepreneurship and financial literacy. The goal is to help them become productive and financially independent members of their communities.\r\n\r\nVital Services And Support\r\nRestavek children need health care and psychological services to recover from past experiences and move forward with a healthy body and mind. They also need ongoing nurturing and support, which will be provided by specially trained caregivers.\r\n\r\nSpecially Trained Caretakers\r\nThe entire house is centered on the caretaker who helps motivate the girls and facilitates their growth and development. Children look to their caretakers for emotional bonding, security, and guidance. Caretakers are carefully selected, specially trained, and agree to a written code of conduct.

Helping them realize their full potential through quality education and open mindsets.\r\n\r\nShowing them they have a right to equitable systems by nurturing their “sense of belonging" and “self-belief".\r\n\r\nCreating a ripple effect where our girls serve as mentors to younger peers sharing “motivation" and “purpose".\r\n\r\nFocus on girls' improved learning outcomes and the quality and quantity of teacher-directed instructions received.\r\n\r\nMore than 1,000 studies have provided evidence that high-quality girls' education leads to wide-ranging returns:\r\n\r\nBetter outcomes in economic areas of growth and incomes;\r\n\r\nReduced rates of infant and maternal mortality;\r\n\r\nReduced rates of child marriage;\r\n\r\nReduced rates of the incidence of HIV/AIDS and malaria;\r\n\r\nIncreased agricultural productivity;\r\n\r\nIncreased resilience to natural disasters. High-level and consistent performance from teachers with high-quality lesson plans and school-based instructional leadership.\r\n\r\nClassroom observations of teacher practices inside the classroom.\r\n\r\nTeacher's coaching on teacher-child interactions for inquiry-based learning.\r\n\r\nCarefully designed and implemented professional development support.\r\n\r\nEmotional support to overcome trauma and anxiety.\r\n\r\nAn overall system of instruction that can provide e coherent and coordinated learning experience for students.\r\n\r\nShared professional practice. Coaching on the Psychology of Learning, Child Development, and Psychometrics.\r\n\r\nComprehensive data collection of Social and Emotional Learning and Cognitive Skills rubrics.\r\n\r\nBuild students' digital literacy skills around curriculum' s objectives and activities using computing devices, projectors, interactive whiteboards for multimedia production and presentation.\r\n\r\nExtracurricular activities: gardening, theater, sports, games, dance, art, music, literacy circles, mother tongue books, and entrepreneurship.

From the year 2010 until October 2016, Haiti Now developed expertise in Haiti with the functioning of a community school. The main program was the Book Bank which started in 2010. Our programs sponsored or assisted the Book Bank recipients with Textbooks, Pedagogy, Literacy Intervention, Teachers' Training, School Supplies, Tuition, Housing, Nutrition and Human Rights Advocacy. In partnership with other organizations, we facilitated Vaccinations and Health Care.\n\n \n\nOur work has always been primarily with Restavek children, over the years we familiarized with all the difficulties they encounter in their personal lives and in the classroom, many of which arise from the abuse they endure.\n\n \n\nWe firmly believe in Human Rights Advocacy and have partnered with the Brigade De Protection Des Mineurs (BPM) and the Institut du Bien-Etre Social et de Recherches (IBESR) for interventions on behalf of Restaveks.\n\n \n\nOn October 2016 we wound down programs and started to focus exclusively on building capacity and fundraising for the Residential School construction specifically for Restavek girls.