The Vassar Haiti Project (VHP), founded in 2001, is a

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

that promotes

Haitian art Haitian art is a complex tradition, reflecting African roots with strong Indigenous, American and European aesthetic and religious influences. It is an important representation of Haitian culture and history. Many artists cluster in "schools" o ...

, fosters sustainable development in Haiti, and mentors student and community volunteers in the principles and practice of

global citizenship Global citizenship is the idea that one's identity transcends geography or political borders and that responsibilities or rights are derived from membership in a broader class: "humanity". This does not mean that such a person denounces or waives ...

. Through art auctions and sales, VHP supports the welfare of Haitian artists and artisans. These art sales provide the primary means of funding for initiatives in

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...

, health care, water access and purification, and

reforestation Reforestation (occasionally, reafforestation) is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands (forestation) that have been depleted, usually through deforestation, but also after clearcutting. Management A debat ...

in Chermaitre, Haiti, a mountain village in the Nord, Haiti. VHP has a strong educational component, dedicated both to raising awareness of

Haitian culture The culture of Haiti is an eclectic mix of African, Taino and European elements due to the French colonization of Saint Domingue and its large and diverse enslaved African population, as is evidenced in the Haitian language, music, and religi ...

and society in the United States and elsewhere, and to providing a practical education in global citizenship to students, alumnae/i, and friends of

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely foll ...

. The Vassar Haiti Project is incorporated in New York as Haiti Project, Inc., and is a registered U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

History

The Vassar Haiti Project was founded in 2001 by

Director of International Services Dr. Andrew Meade and his wife Lila Metres Meade, and is led largely by Vassar student volunteers. It began as a small project that supported education and lunch programs at a school in Chermaitre, Haiti, before growing in membership and scope to include medical, water, reforestation, and women's initiatives. VHP's first capital initiative was to fund the construction of a seven-room primary school, which was completed in 2008. In early 2011, VHP installed a gravity-driven system of

cisterns A cistern (Middle English ', from Latin ', from ', "box", from Greek ', "basket") is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by ...

and PVC piping leading to a faucet by the school. In late 2011, the VHP began construction on a clinic in Fiervil, Haiti, which will provide health care and education to thousands of residents of Chermaitre and several other remote villages.

References

External links

Official websitePoughkeepsiejournal.comPoughkeepsiejournal.comNewspaperarchives.vassar.eduChronogram.com
{{Vassar College Non-profit organizations based in New York (state) Vassar College Sustainability organizations 2001 establishments in New York (state)