Divine Grace Orphanage and Its Two Primary Schools

GONAIVES, HAITI

Day to day existence seems hopeless for children living in extreme poverty and “future” is a word without meaning. Impoverished children who are deaf live in a world that is silent and lonely. Divine Grace orphanage and its two primary schools give hope to more than 40 orphans, 55 deaf children and 350 students from the surrounding communities. Education can change the course of a child’s life.

TO LEARN MORE PLEASE SEE BELOW

Purpose

Poverty affects every aspect of life from healthcare to education. Once Haiti was the wealthiest colony in the New World, but today it is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Fifty percent of the children in Haiti never attend school and half of them that do won’t make it to third grade. The story is even more heart-rendering for children who can’t hear. These children are made fun of by others, shunned by society and isolated from their community.

One man and his wife could not turn their backs on these outcast children. In 1995 Pastor Genada and his wife Rose moved their family to Haiti to work with deaf children. They opened a school to teach sign language.

A series of natural disasters battered Haiti between 2004-2007. Thousands of people died and the number of children without parents swelled. The Genadas were once again called to action and opened Divine Grace Orphanage in 2007. Today 42 children ages three to 18 call Divine Grace Orphanage their home.

In a natural progression of events, the dedicated couple then opened their first primary school in 2011 for deaf children, orphans and poor children from Gonaives. A year later they opened a second primary school in the impoverished community of Raboto.

We are their best chance for a brighter

future

Located 3 hours northwest of Port-au-Prince, Gonaïves and Raboto are surrounded by mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. Major storms in the last decade have forced thousands into shelters.

Program Highlights

SHELTER AND EDUCATION ARE THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD LIFTING CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY

Divine Grace Orphanage in Gonaives provides a loving home for children who have been abandoned.

  • 42 children call Divine Grace home
  • 10 of these orphans are deaf
  • Three nutritious meals are served each day
  • Dorm parents stay with the children to comfort them at night
  • Medical care is provided

Divine Grace Primary School in Gonaives serves more than 140 children.

  • The orphans are joined by students from the surrounding community to get a quality education
  • More than 55 deaf students learn sign language
  • Nutritious lunches are served to all students
  • High school scholarships are provided to orphans eager to learn more
  • Vocational classes in sewing and painting are provided to improve employment opportunities

Divine Grace Primary School in Raboto serves a destitute community where families never dreamed their children
could get an education.

  • Nearly 300 students pack 12 classrooms for the opportunity to learn
  • The hot lunch at school is often their only meal of the day
  • Each student is provided a uniform, books and school supplies

Costs

A LITTLE MONEY MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO A CHILD IN HAITI
Medical

Poverty collides with health. The effects from children’s poor health are evident by their stunted growth, frequent illnesses and increased childhood mortality.

  • $100 per month assists with emergency medical care
  • $70 per month covers the healthcare needs of 10 orphans
  • $60 per month ensures that 300 students receive vaccinations each year
Nutrition

Food fuels the body so the mind can learn.

  • $1,680 per month feeds 42 orphans in Gonaives three nutritious meals a day
  • $700 per month provides lunch to over 140 students in Gonaives each school day
  • $450 per month provides lunch to 100 students in Raboto each school day
Education

A primary education gives the children a foundation in math, reading and writing.

  • $900 per month covers the cost of 10 teachers
  • $100 per month provides four scholarships to a nearby high school
  • $15 per month provides a school uniform, books and supplies for one student

For more details on Divine Grace click here