THE LIBRARY IS OPEN!!!

We and ODES are thrilled to announce that Bibliyotek Communitaire de Deschapelles (the Community Library of Deschapelles) has officially opened its doors to the community.

Community members gather for the opening ceremony

A celebration was held on January 8, 2016 in an all-Haitian affair with the people of Deschapelles, our collaborative partner, ODES, and the library’s Haitian supporters, FOKAL and Digicel. This is the culmination of a wonderful and productive collaboration between supporters of Sister Cities Essex Haiti and the people of Deschapelles led by ODES, an all-volunteer organization comprised of Deschapelles community members. Many thanks go to Haitian supporters FOKAL (Fondasyon Konsesans ak Libèrte) and Digicel. Now that the construction is complete, many people in the community are taking full advantage of this completely new opportunity in Haiti’s Artibonite Valley.

On April 9, 2016, SCEH Executive Committee members, Dan Taylor-Stypa, Jenifer Grant, David Evangelisti, Terry Parkinson and Kathleen Maher, attended a Dedication of the Library in Deschapelles.

Rachel Pierre Louis, Digicel Foundation, at the Dedication

Over 250 people helped celebrate the opening of the library including a representative from Digicel Foundation which provided a generous grant to ODES for the construction of the library.

Dan Taylor-Stypa, ODES member Anny Frederique, and Librarians Besly Belizaire, Plerette Meruil and Euliciane Fleurisma cutting the ribbon.

A ribbon cutting ceremony after the Dedication was followed by a picnic for all who attended.

Since the opening of the library, approximately 200 people per week visit the library, clubs have been formed (including the French Club and the English Club), children’s reading groups have formed and many workshops and programs have been held. For example, on April 29, Dr. Rulx Narcisse, a doctor at Hospital Albert Schweitzer and President and Founder of the Haitian Astronomical Society, presented a program on astronomy at the library. See the video below of the highlights of the presentation!

The following is a report we received on January 21, 2016 from ODES member Anny Frederique:

Anny Frederique flanked by librarians Odverne Charles and Besly Belizaire

“I have to share with you all that yesterday at the library, it was business as usual since inauguration: more and more attendees. There were the usual neighborhood kids who read (so many choices of creole and french books) to each other, alone and one came with a mother! and of course after reading they begged for a game of UNO so I taught Plerette [one of the librarians] so she could be a go-to adult who knows the game. We played the card game met for 7+ year olds with 5 kids, 2 of which were 5 and 6 years old!

Most inspiring was Odverne’s [another librarian] French reading club who, from 3 to 5 pm shared summary and opinions on Gourverneur de la Rosee by Jacques Romain and the theme yesterday was on the environment and his contemporary message written over 80 years ago!

There was a morning group (excused from school?) who read Laguarde and Michaud’s french anthologies on 18 and 19 century french lit. From 9 to noon they read wrote and left with a warm thanks.

All signed in and recorded why they were there…by the time I left at 5 :30 there were people at most tables working, looking through shelves and reading quietly…

Outside there was the young ones tired of being “quiet” playing badminton?? and Ti will [an ODES member] and I revelled in the library and the joy and knowledge it was bringing to the community of Deschapelles and to those even as far as Verrettes and Liancourt [nearby communities].

Thank you for your contributions and support; we have so much more we can do.

* I forgot to mentions that screens were going up rapidly and elegantly all morning and the hammering stopped no one from working.”

Sister Cities Essex Haiti

Library Update: January 2016

THE LIBRARY IS OPEN!!!

Tennis Update: