What is Sister Cities Essex Haiti?
What is the mission of Sister Cities Essex Haiti?
What is ODES?
What is HAS?
What community projects are you working on?
What is the status of the library project?
Does Sister Cities Essex Haiti have any employees?
Where is Deschapelles?
Why Haiti?
Why Deschapelles?
How many people in Haiti live under the poverty line?
What is the literacy rate in Haiti?
How can I learn more about Haiti?
How can I make a donation to Sister Cities Essex Haiti?
How can I volunteer for Sister Cities Essex Haiti?
What is Sister Cities International?

What is Sister Cities Essex Haiti?
Sister Cities Essex Haiti, a Connecticut non-stock corporation, was created in the Spring of 2010 by a group of Essex residents with an existing commitment to Haiti with the support of the Selectmen of the Town of Essex. Its mission is to sustain partnerships with the people of Deschapelles, Haiti which expand educational and cultural opportunities.  Its vision is to envision the community of Deschapelles flourishing educationally and culturally.

Sister Cities Essex Haiti works to build cooperation between the people of these communities, enabling them to learn, work and solve problems together by collaborating with ODES, volunteer partners and with Hospital Albert Schweitzer through an exchange of educational, cultural, professional, municipal, business, and technical initiatives and projects.

In support of the mission of Sister Cities Essex Haiti, SCEH and ODES collaborate on four project areas in Deschapelles: library, education, music and athletics.

For more information about the creation of Sister Cities Essex Haiti, click here.

What is the mission of Sister Cities Essex Haiti?
The mission of Sister Cities Essex Haiti is to sustain partnerships with the people of Deschapelles, Haiti  which expand educational and cultural opportunities. 

The vision of Sister Cities Essex Haiti is to envision the community of Deschapelles flourishing educationally and culturally. 

What is ODES?
ODES (Organization Pour Development Economique and Social) is an all-volunteer organization, formed in 2007 of leading citizens in the Town of Deschapelles, Haiti and its environs, who meet weekly to discuss and implement economic and social development in Deschapelles. All members of the community are welcome. ODES is closely linked to, and supportive of, Hospital Albert Schweitzer. ODES could be compared to a Lion’s Club, Rotary, or Chamber of Commerce in the United States. Sister Cities Essex Haiti collaborates with ODES to identify and consummate projects that will improve the quality of life in Deschapelles and its environs.

What is HAS?
Hospital Albert Schweitzer (“HAS”) in rural Deschapelles, Haiti, is a model for health care facilities in developing countries around the world. An integrated rural health system, HAS provides medical care and community health and development programs for more than 300,000 impoverished people in the Artibonite Valley of central Haiti. For more information about HAS, please visit their website at www.hashaiti.org.

What community projects are you working on?
SCEH collaborates with ODES in four project areas:  (1) a community library in Deschapelles; (2) a musical collaboration among musicians and music lovers in Essex and Deschapelles, (3) education projects including an early education teacher training program, a book buddies program, a cross cultural exchange program, and a legos program, and (4) a sports project.

What is the status of the library project?
We are thrilled to report that the library opened in January 2016!  This was the first project that SCEH and ODES collaborated on starting in 2010.  In that process, both organizations and everyone involved learned so much about one another’s cultures, sharing ideas, working together, and the intricacies of construction and its challenges in Haiti.  The library is used by  over 300 people on a weekly/monthly basis.

The library is approximately 3,000 square feet with many windows leading to the outside grounds where children can safely play or adults can find a quiet spot to read. There are close to 2,500 books in French, Haitian Kreyol or English.  In addition, there are computers, DVD’s, educational toys and puzzles for children, and new benches, tables and chairs. Most importantly, there is electricity which is a rarity in Deschapelles. Students now have a well-lit building in which to study at night. There are frequent cultural and educational presentations for the community.

ODES, through its Conseil (Library Board), has taken responsibility for the library’s operations including hiring staff, enlisting volunteers, setting policies (including the hours of operation, book lending systems, use of the building by community members and groups), establishing rules and regulations, and setting a budget. The Conseil works closely with the SCEH Library Committee.

Does Sister Cities Essex Haiti have any employees?
No. Sister Cities Essex Haiti is comprised entirely of volunteers.  ODES hires the librarians and other involved in the Projects.

Where is Deschapelles?
Deschapelles, Haiti (population  estimated to be 14,000 people) is located approximately three hours north of Port au Prince in the middle of Haiti’s northern peninsula alongside the Artibonite River. It is nestled in the valley, between two mountain ranges, about five miles west of the nearest city, Verettes.

Why Haiti?
Education and good health care are critical to a successful community. There are many talented people throughout Haiti who, given the chance, can make a huge contribution to the well-being of their country. Sister Cities Essex Haiti is trying to make a difference. Building the Deschapelles Library was the first step. Within Haiti, Deschapelles can perhaps provide a model of collaboration between health care, a source of education through the library and between the people of Southeastern Connecticut and Deschapelles, Haiti. Each community can grow from the understanding of another culture and thereby work together for a better world.

Why Deschapelles?
Sister Cities Essex Haiti began in 2010 but the connection to Deschapelles began many years before. Jenifer Grant, one of the founders of Sister Cities Essex Haiti and a resident of Essex,  spent much of her youth there. Her parents, Dr. Larry and Mrs. Gwen Mellon, built a hospital in Deschapelles in 1956. Hospital Albert Schweitzer is still there and now Sister Cities Essex Haiti is focused on four project areas: library, education, the arts and athletics.

There are many similarities and differences between Essex, Connecticut and Deschapelles, Haiti. The population of Essex is about half the size of Deschapelles, which has an estimated 14,000 people. Both are located in a river valley: Essex in the Connecticut River Valley and Deschapelles in the Artibonite River Valley. Essex is located about two hours from New York City and Boston; Deschapelles is located about three hours north of Port au Prince.

How many people in Haiti live under the poverty line?
80% live under the poverty line and 54.8% live in abject poverty. The unemployment rate is 80%. The minimum wage is less than US $5.00 per day.

What is the literacy rate in Haiti?
Only 60.7% of the total population age 15 and over can read and write.

How can I learn more about Haiti?
The Essex Library now has a “Haiti Shelf”  just opposite the circulation desk. There are fiction and non-fiction books about the history, culture, and people of Haiti. Come check it out!

How can I make a donation to Sister Cities Essex Haiti?
Sister Cities Essex Haiti is a 501(c)(3) organization and all donations are tax deductible according to federal guidelines.  There are many ways to donate to SCEH. Please click here. Donor dollars go a long way in Haiti and can make a significant difference in the lives of the people of Deschapelles.  You can be assured that SCEH takes all necessary steps to account for each dollar spent.  Thank you for your donation!! 

How can I volunteer for Sister Cities Essex Haiti?
There are many ways to volunteer for Sister Cities Essex Haiti. Click here to learn more. We would welcome your involvement!

What is Sister Cities International?
Sister Cities International is an organization formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a means by which to encourage cultural understanding, economic relationships, and humanitarian projects. Sister Cities Essex Haiti is a member of Sister Cities International.