11 March 2010

Take a walk by the outdoor classrooms at College Verena in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and you’ll hear children imitating animal sounds as their teacher points to a picture of the specific animal. They excitedly yell their answers, just like other ordinary students.

College Verena is one of two Salvation Army schools in Port-au-Prince. It is however, the only one still standing after the January earthquake. Prior to the quake, College Verena served as a primary and secondary school (Grades K-13) with about 1200 students enrolled. The campus had three buildings for classrooms, plus administrative offices and storage. The quake destroyed two of the three buildings, the administrative office and the storage area.

Within weeks of the quake, The Salvation Army staff and teachers worked diligently to find safe places in the courtyard so the children could continue their education. While the Haitian government prepares to restart schools citywide in the very near future, College Verena students have already received a head-start with reading and math classes. Instructions of lessons are provided in Haitian Creole but an English course is also offered.

The quake destroyed Fort Nationale School, which had an enrollment of 200 students. Future plans call for rebuilding the facility, though it is not known at this time where or when that will occur.

No children died or suffered major injuries in either school.

There is concern about the large number of children who have not attended school, even prior to the quake, due to limited resources. There is no doubt The Salvation Army will need to increase the schools’ capacity for students as a result of these circumstances, therefore increasing the need for more sponsorships. The organization is dedicated to providing as many children as possible to receive an education.

The Salvation Army set up a Haiti relief fund and is accepting monetary donations. Donors may contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word “HAITI” to 52000, and confirming the donation with the word, “Yes.” Donors can also give via www.salvationarmynw.org, 1-800-SAL-ARMY and through the mail at: The Salvation Army World Service Office, International Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263-0728 with designation “Haiti Earthquake.”

Information provided by: Stacy Howard, Public Information Officer, Haiti Incident Command, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

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About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide.

For more information, go to www.salvationarmynw.org