In its fifth (5th) consecutive year, Empowering Through Education (ETE) Camp seeks to prepare Hinche, Haiti’s most vulnerable youth (over 130 participants) to become future community leaders for social change by strengthening their academic skills, increasing self-confidence, and actively building community and parental support. The project achieves its aim by (1) strengthening their academic skills via critical classes like Math, Literacy, and Leadership Building, (2)increasing self-confidence by promoting teamwork and leadership, and (3) actively building community and parental support by connecting them with respected community leaders like their mayor and hosting community-wide events that allow parents to witness the development and great potential of their children through education; in addition to hosting an afternoon adult English learners class.
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ETE Camp 2013 in Hinche, Haiti
July 8 - August 2
Supporting over 130 ETE Camp youth participants
Exciting Events
-We are accepting ETE Volunteer Applications up until May 1st (Please email ete_camp@yahoo.com for an application for ETE Camp 2013) -Our website is moving and will relaunch soon... stay tuned!
Using pictures, videos, sample work, and their testimonies, we are really excited to personally follow up withallETE CAMP supporters throughout the month of September to share with you how much your support impacted the youth of ETE Camp. THEY MADE US PROUD! Looking forward to connecting with you soon!
Please click on the links to view an ETE Camp 2011 photo album...
The ETE Children and their Communities Themes of ETE Camp 2011
July 11 - 15th: Leadership and Empowerment July 18 - 22nd: Literacy, Arts, & Talent Appreciation July 25 - 29th: Mental, Spiritual, and Physical Strength August 1 - 5th: The Children are Our Future
“Since I do not believe that there should be different recommendations for people living in the Bronx and people living in Manhattan, I am uncomfortable making different recommendations for my patients in Boston and in Haiti" --Dr. Paul Farmer
In order to best continue our efforts in supporting our youth; future leaders of Haiti; we need help and donations are very, very important... Donations ETE receives are 100% used to benefit youth living in Haiti.
Donations include monetary or in-kind donations (school supplies: Pens, Pencils, Paper (not notebooks), Arts and Crafts materials (e.g. glue, glitter, construction paper, markers, paint, stickers), English Reading/Math (1-3 grade) Teaching Materials / Fun Activities, Folders (with pockets), Index cards, School bag, Recreational supplies/Toys
Let us know how you wish to coordinate how we can receive in-kind donations from you
Please mail to 566 Walk Hill St. Boston, MA 02126 (Note: All tax-deductible)
Email us ete_camp@yahoo.com with any questions
July 12- August 6, 2010
Hinche, Haiti
70 Youth Participants
“Since I do not believe that there should be different recommendations for people living in the Bronx and people living in Manhattan, I am uncomfortable making different recommendations for my patients in Boston and in Haiti" --Dr. Paul Farmer
This essay was written by Napoleon Lherisson '11 of the Brandeis Haiti Relief Effort steering committee, who visited Haiti for the first time this past summer.
Hello! My name is Gabriella Gilbert and I am Shaina’s younger sister. Currently I attend Boston Latin School as a sophomore, and will be graduating with the class of 2012. Though I was unable to be a part of the camp during its debut summer, I was present during its planning stages and knew it would be an incredible endeavor. I was amazed by the impact it had on both the citizens of Hinche and the counselors that ran the camp. The success of the first installment gave me motivation to remain committed to ETE’s vision and join the staff for summer 2010. It only makes sense to give back to my parent’s homeland, a country that has gone through so much but has the potential for excellence. I am eager for the opportunity to go back to Haiti, as I have not been since the summer of 2003, and am excited for the experiences that wait. I am extremely proud of Shaina and look forward to teaching the Leadership class to enrich the minds of future leaders of Haiti that may someday follow in the footsteps of my sister.
Hi, My name is Cynthia Massillon and I am currently a sophomore at BrandeisUniversity. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida to a Haitian mother. I am majoring in Politics and minoring in Legal Studies and Education. Education and the law are my passions. I aspire to change education in America in regards to law reform and community apathy. I firmly believe that every child, no matter where they are in this world, has an inherent right to an education. I am looking forward to going to Haiti and teaching the future leaders of this country. Because of the devastating events that have affected Haiti recently, my desire to help this country has immensely grown. I know that this summer will be one of the most challenging, inspiring, heartfelt, exigent and memorable experience of my life. “Mwen pare pou li ale”—I’m ready to go!
“I think education is power. I think that being able to communicate with people is power. One of my main goals on the planet is to encourage people to empower themselves.” -Oprah Winfrey
Shaina Gilbert is a first generation Haitian-American from Mattapan in Boston, MA. Mattapan hosts the largest Haitian population in Massachusetts. A senior at Brandeis University, she recruited and trained 4 Brandeis students to become volunteer teachers and counselors at ETE Camp which is located in her mother’s hometown in Haiti. Post-ETE Camp, during the fall of 2009, all 5 Brandeis students shared the spirit and success of the Camp with the rest of the Brandeis community via presentations and awareness building efforts on the status of Haiti. Post the Haiti earthquake, Shaina is more passionate and determined than ever to return to Haiti and further develop the camp for July 2010; so that it may have a newfound hopeful impact in the lives of the Haitian people.
"Since I do not believe that there should be different recommendations for people living in the Bronx and people living in Manhattan, I am uncomfortable making different recommendations for my patients in Boston and in Haiti."
Dr. Paul Farmer
Sak Ap Fet
My name is J.V. Souffrant; I am a current Sophomore at Brandeis University in Waltham Ma. Politics and Legal Studies are the two fields that I am interested in, and looking to pursuit after my time at Brandies. I was raised in Orlando Florida to parents who are of Haitian decent, my father who is from Port-Au-Prince and my mother who is from Gonaives. Being that I am Haitian American I feel that it is important for me to understand my heritage and go back and venture to my roots. By being involved with the ETE Summer Camp it will also give me the chance to work with children who may not have had the same opportunities I had growing up here in America. By going on this trip I would like to learn more about Haiti, I would like to learn how the government works, and how we can try to come up with a solution to fixing the country. The most important part of this trip is that both the staff and the children educate each other.
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”
My name is Jillian Kasha Rexford,and I am an alumni scholar of the Transitional Year Program, entering my second year at Brandeis university. I was raised in Saint Petersburg, Florida by my mother and grandmother. My educational goals are vast and include, health and social policy, creative writing/arts and youth development. I am a passionate person and try to incorporate that into all that i do. Believing that life should be lived with passion and determination, I found Shaina Gilbert to be pursuing this endeavor with just that enthusiasm and knew I had to be a part of it. I myself have felt invisible in my own community, so it is incredible to image how it must feel to be invisible to the world. I strongly believe that by letting youth know that they to have value and are worthy can change the future of a young person and in return a nations spirits.I hope to come out of this trip making new friends and experiences but most importantly I hope to grow along side the campers.
So please Donate , Empower someone while empowering yourself , give from you heart!! ETE Camp Counselor 2009
"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song" - Maya Angelou
*Host 70 Youth Participants---including 43 Youth Participants from ETE 2009
Hire & train local young adults to be counselors--- Community has a stake in the development of their youth; creates employment opportunities
Extend the camp’s duration--- Image the amount a child can learn with more time; if in less than week ETE taught an illiterate child how to write their name
ETE Parent Community-Organizing Workshop ---Encourage parents to be an active part of the rising efforts for social change
Create productive ETE Alumni Network--- Provide the tools and opportunities for continued growth as individuals and as a group who went through a powerful experience together
Award full school scholarships to selected ETE alums--- Due to economic difficulties, some of the ETE youth cannot attend school some years, resulting in gaps in their education; We want to help end that
*Due to the overwhelming amount of evacuees going to Hinche, Haiti post the Haiti Earthquake; incoming ETE youth participants will include displaced youth now living in Hinche**
Haiti’s Need… The poorest country in the western hemisphere, Haiti has been dubbed the “Eroding Nation”. Haiti and her people have been suffering since the day they were depreciated for becoming the “First Black Nation to Receive its Independence”. What does this depreciation and extreme poverty do to the pride of a once fierce and unyielding nation?
In December 2008, the United Nations stated that Haiti ranked 148th of 179 nations in the world in regards to their human development. The data is based on life expectancy, educational attainment, and income, as well as political, economic, and social opportunities. This low ranking is not surprising, considering Haiti currently confronts a variety of hardships, including human trafficking, a corrupt judicial system, and food riots. The indicators speak for themselves: 75% of the Haitian population lives in absolute poverty, one in 25 lives with HIV/AIDS, and life expectancy is 52 years for women and 48 for men.
The relationship between Haiti’s social unrest, extreme poverty, and stillborn development speak to both the adversity faced by Haitians everyday and a profound loss of hope.
The purpose of ETE Camp is to empower Hinche, Haiti’s neediest youth to become inspired, competent, and confident leaders by:
¨(1)strengthening their academic skillsthrough a carefully crafted curriculum that includes Math, Leadership Skills & Social Science, and 2 English courses
¨(2)increasing their self-confidence and self-empowermentthrough leadership development and recreational activities, and
¨(3)building community leaders and support networksthrough workshops and guest speakers on a wide range of topics, including youth health and well-being issues.
My name is Jillian Kasha Rexford,and I am an alumni scholar of the Transitional Year Program, entering my second year at Brandeis university. I was raised in Saint Petersburg, Florida by my mother and grandmother. My educational goals are vast and include, health and social policy, creative writing/arts and youth development. I am a passionate person and try to incorporate that into all that i do. Believing that life should be lived with passion and determination, I found Shaina Gilbert to be pursuing this endeavor with just that enthusiasm and knew I had to be a part of it. I myself have felt invisible in my own community, so it is incredible to image how it must feel to be invisible to the world. I strongly believe that by letting youth know that they to have value and are worthy can change the future of a young person and in return a nations spirits.I hope to come out of this trip making new friends and experiences but most importantly I hope to grow along side the campers.
So please Donate , Empower someone while empowering yourself , give from you heart!! ETE Camp Counselor 2009
"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song" - Maya Angelou
Thank you for visiting the ETE Camp Blog Spot and supporting this initiative. My name is Shaina Gilbert and I am a Haitian-American Boston resident, entering my senior year at Brandeis University. I am majoring in Sociology & in Health: Science, Society, and Policy (HSSP). My overall career focus is in Project Management in the field of Minority Health and Well-Being. I am excited about a possible future in project management because I strongly believe in focusing heavily on one specific population of underprivileged people via projects/initiatives and directly addressing in their unique needs –versus addressing very broad and mainstream issues, wholesale. It was based on the needs of the youth living in Haiti and their incredible potential to have a powerful impact on the future of Haiti—ETE Camp was created.
The most important component of this initiative is empowerment. Youth empowerment for the elevation of a greater community is a very powerful vision to aspire to. Using this vision, I decided that a camp was a unique way to initiate the social change needed in Haiti. ETE Camp not only seeks to empower our youth in Haiti to become inspired, confident, and appreciated leaders, but also to return every summer thereafter to follow up with these 30 children and touch the lives of 30 more. We plan to have former camp participants become future ETE Camp Counselors. The long-term goal is to have our former campers become the next community leaders.
I have a deep personal investment in this camp. As a first generation Haitian-American who has not been back to Haiti since 1996, I can predict that this summer will be the most incredible experience of my life. I look forward to the possibility of looking my people in the eyes and sincerely saying that I have not forgotten about them… and if you are reading this and participating in any way—you haven’t forgotten them either.
